The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-16

west We dIned together Two days
ago At the Hare and Tortoise, just be-
fore he left for the vest
"You Will pardon me If 1 say that it
IS wholly to his credit that he has for
sworn the professions and identified
himself with the honorable calling of
the husbandman."
I'VE met Mr.. Virgins while travel
ing abroad last summer" interposed
Cecilia. meeting my eyes quite frankly
MET him! Did you say met him,
Cecilia? On the contrary, we found
him waiting for us at the dock the
morning we sailed" corrected Miss
HOLSTER, land we never lost him
day in three months of rapid travel
had never met him before, but l can
not deny that he made himself exceed
fngly agreea bic. If. as 1 suspected, he
had deliberately planned to travel on
the same steamer with my two nieces,
I have only praise for his conduct,
for in these days, Mr.. Ames, it warns
my heart to find young men showing
something of the old chivalric ardor in
their affairs of the heart
"I'm sure Mr.. Virgins made himself
very agreeabl remarked Cecilia col
orless1y.
"For myself retorted Miss Hollis
ter, 81 should speak even more strong
ly. He repeatedly served US with tact
and deEcacy. 1 had formed so high
an opinion of Mr.. Virgins that L learn
ed with sincerest regret that his an
cestors were Tories and took no part
in the struggle for American independ-
ence. There are times when L serious
~ question the wisdom of the coIonists
in breaking with the mother country.
but certainly no man of character in
that day could have hesitated- as to his
proper course
Then, as though by intention, Miss
HoIlister dropped upon the smooth cur
rent of our talk a sentence that drove
the color from Cecilia's face.
"Hezekiah and Mr.. Virgins were the
best of friends" was Miss HOLSTERS
remark.
Cecilia's eyes were on her plate, but
her aunt went on in her blithest fash
ion:
"You may not know that Hezekiah is
another niece, Cectlia's sister. She
was named, at my suggestion, for my
father. there being no son in the fam
lily, and L trust that SO unusual name
in a young girl does not strike you as
indefensfble."
ION the contrary, it seems to me
wholly refreshing and delightful AS
recall the Sunday school of my youth.
Hezekiah was a monarch of great au-
thority, whose luminosity toward Sen
nacherib was justified in the fullest
degree. The very name bristles with
spears and is musical with the trum-
pets of Israel. Nothing would make
me happier than to meet the young
lady who bears this iIlustrious name
CAS- to the your knowledge of ancient
history, Mr.. Ames," began Miss Hol-
lister as she helped herself to the
cheese-sweets, noted, were not in
cIuded in the very ample meal l had
enjoyed-''it is clear that you were
well taught in your youth 1 am not
surprised, however, for I should have
expected nothing less of a son of the
late General Ames of Hartford. AS to
meeting my niece Hezekiah, fear that
that is at present impossible While
Cecilia remains with me Hezekiah's
duty is to her father, and 1 must say
in all kindness. that Hezekiah's ways,
like those of Providence and the Gus
tom house, are beyond my feeble IN
Outstanding. In a word, Mr.. Ames,
Hezekiah is different.
'd6ZeK1dQ, dQQed O0cllld, Win
feeling, sis dear"
"'Please don't bring sentimentalism
to the tablet cried Miss HOLSTER.
'tMr. Virgins once informed me in
moment of forgetfulness-it was at
Fontainebleau, remember, when
Hesektsh persisted in reminding one
armed French colonel who was hang
in1 about that we named cities in
OF
tho inn that Mr.. Virgins cOnfided to
me his belief that Hezekiah bears
strong resemblance to the common or
domestic peach. AS a single peach at
that place was charged in the bill at
10 francs, the remark was Ill timed, to
say the least. But Mr.. Virgins was
so contrtte when 1 rebuked him that l
allowed him to pay for our luncheon
no small matter, indeed, for Heze-
kiah's appetite is nothing if not ro-
bust"
NTo 20