The Washington herald., 1914-08-23

Silently through the snow steals a GER
tain carriage to the portals OF the Green
Manor, and. with a ringing of bells and
q banging OF steps, the occupants disap-
pear In stream Of light that issues from
the hall door.
Another carriage is heard, its wheels
crunching on the snow. Again a hos
pitable streak OF light from the hall door
which engulfs the guests.
1t was a gay party-and they played
charades and danced and ate and sang
and had music Of the instrumental sort.
The Green girls looked particularly
lovely, and there were 80 many "eligi-
ble'' young men present that Mr.. Mole,
the gardener, confided to his equally as
tute wife that It's my belief that master
gives this party TO get husbands for the
young ladies'"
An opinion which. though II might not
have been founded on fact in regard to
this particular party, would. doubtless.
be applicable to many similar parties
given under similar circumstances.
Studying in Earnest.
Our hero hung about Miss Patty Hon.
eywood all the evening in such a notice.
able manner that several young ladies OF
good birth and fortune. who had come
especially 10 throw their lures over the
Oxford Man. were scandalized.
But the year died and the Christmas
vacation ended with il. And back to Ok
ford went Mr.. Verdant Green. Mr..
Charles Larkyns and Mr.. Henry Boun-
Ger.
They all began to study now-really
study-and when Commemoration Day
came Charles Larkyns won the Chance!-
lor's prize for a Latin essay and the
Newdigate prize fo- English verse.
Verdant passed his examinations with
flying colors. But poor little Mr.. Bouncer
went by the board. He tried hard enough
to pass He even shaved his head, having
read that ld-headed men were gen.
orally intellectual
He sacrificed all sorts Of sports ard
burned the midnight oil'' over the class
les when he would rather have been at
the rat pit. But, alas, his sacrifices were
in vain.
Nature had given Mr.. Bouncer health,
wealth, animal spirits. good nature-al-
most all the amiable qualities, but was
so busy in showering other blessings upon
that she forgot to give him brains.
1t will happen that way now and again
in this world, and who shall say which
is the more fortunate-the man who has
all the other gifts and no brains, or the
man to whom brains have been given and
from whom the other gifts have been
withheld?
BIfssfuI Days.
But let US get forward tosthe vacation
after Commemoration Day, when Nerdant
went on a visit to Honeywood Hall in
the far land of Northern Northumber-
land-a place so far north that you could
see the Cheriot Hills and the people
spoke with what was, almost. Scottish
accent.
Mr.. Honeywood did not exactly own
all ''as far as you could see." for YOU
could see a great ways from the en-
inence upon which Honeywood Hall was
situated-but pretty near. And. like Jacob
of old. he was rich in his hocks and
Charles Larkyrfs, Mr.. Bouncer and the
Green girls were Of the party at the
Hall, of course.
Those were blissful days for. Verdant.
Miss Patty went out sketching-and Yer
dant was her escort.
One day she would fain sketch 4 ruined
church. about a mile and a half from
the hall, and seated herself on the banks
of a little stream-the swirl 1t was
caIIed-to indulge in her artistic dissi-
patton.
sketchInG by the Swirl.
She made her sketch and sent Verdant
down TO the stream to bring her some
water with which to wash II in" AS he
came back he saw, to his terror and
amazement. a huge bull OF most unin-
vfting aspect stealthily approaching the
seated figure Of the unsuspecting young
lady.
The nearest gate was about a hundred
yards distant and the bull was so placed
that he could reach there before she
Don't Be frightened" said verdant.