Evening star., 1914-10-18

acquainted with their defects. Why
| had he not purchased larger pair IN
| the first place.
! Ahead of him the frail young girl
was walking easily and with mimi
| mum of effort. The Observer watched
| her in some astonishment. She was
not watching the road: She was look
ing at the trees and the sky overhead
| Evidently the walking was a mechan-
| ical process which did not take her
mind from the beauties of nature. me
Observer devoutly wished that ne
ture Ii was impossible-ne tried ear
nestly, but his mind reverted to ms
shoes and he cursed the maker with
bitterness in his heart
| Look around YOU" ordered the hiAer
who was leading the party. See the
beautiful things which are spread out
for your delectation.
AN right said the Observer. r.; obedi sl,
moment ran smack into a large and
unfeeling tree.
TT is not necessary" remarked the
hiker coldly ito rub your nose against
the bark of that maple in order to see
/ it. Besides. Il close view spoils the
perspective.
/ "Oh. shut up bswled the Observer.
! Think l wanted to hit the blamed
thing?
The frail girl glanced back. and
dimpling smile came to her face
| You will spoil your walk if you let
yourself get angry" she admonished.
| "Oh. he's not angry" said the hiker,
easily. The maple tree is angry be-
cause he tried to push it over. But he
has the kindest feelings toward the
ma pie tree.
| The Observer approached the frail
igirl and spoke to her in a hoarse voice
What make of shoes do you buy?''
he demanded.
f, Zone doesn't discuss such things dur
ing walk" she rebuked him.
| Now the walking was rougher, up hill
and down hill and ever curving and
curving. Strange thoughts came to the
Observer. He wondered, for instance.
| If dachshund could make all those
turns without breaking it's back. He
also fell to wondering whether the
party was in dry or wet country.
| Already the Observers collar had be-
gun to give under the strain. He tied
a handkerchief around his neck.
| Are you afraid you are going to
catch cold?" asked the frail girl.
"Ga-r-k," squeaked the Observer, in
, ,articulately.
Because there isn't the slightest
danger she added
| No question about it! That girl was
"A
resolution swept over him. He mo-
mentarily forgot his shoes.
! Let US walk faster" he suggested
"All right" she assented. cheerily.
| They began to speed a little, the OBJ
server and the frail girl. But every
time he increased his pace she in
| creased hers without perceptible effort
Am 1 going too fast for your pant
ed the Observer piteOuSIy
Not a bit.' she replied. Then, SYM
pathetically: II see you're getting
tired. Wen walk slower"
After the Observers putting sounds
had died out and his face had become
less like the color of dre=alaEm box
he turned to the frail girl, who was
patiently waiting.
1T is my Shoes" he explained, apol-
ogetically.
YES she agreed. "I noticed that
your respiration is all that could be
| desired.
| Studying this remark with elaborate
| care the Observer knew that some
| thing was wrong. He couldn't tell
| what. But there was something.
| They dropped behind and listened to
| the great voice of the eminent natur-
| alist, who had been talking steadily
| since the walk began. How can a man
talk and walk at the same time, unless
| he has two sets of lungs, as a COW has
! several sets OF stomachs?
| X
| By this time the Observer had ascer-
tanned a strange thing. He had not one
| pair of shoes, but four. In other words
he had eight legs like a spider. There
| could be no other explanation. No
| single pair of hoofs could accommo-
date all the sore places which the OBJ
server discovered each time he stepped.
| Il never wished 1 was an acrobat as
| much as 1 do now,'' sighed the Observ-
J er to the frail girl who was bearing
up SO splendidly.
| She nodded without exhibiting acute
interest.
Because added the Observer, "if 1
could walk on my hands for just half
a mile 1 know it would do me good"
Loud and clear on the autumn air
came the voice of the eminent natural
| ist. 1t was reminiscent Of a seeing
| Washington touring car. The Observer
wished he were in seeing Washing
| ton touring car. He wished he were in
anything that had wheels and could DE
propelled-anything from Baldwin
locomotive to a baby carriage.
On our right" said the great nat
uralist, I'VE see the goldenrod. This
is the popular name for plants of the
| genus solidago and the order COM
positae. There are many species-the
false goldenrod, SO called, which is Of
the genus brachychoeta allied with the
genus solidago; the West Indian gold
enrod and the white goldenrod, all of
| which,
The Observer leaned toward the frail
girl.
Il am going to catch up with that
man and talk with him." he announced.
What about?" she asked.
"Linaments," was the Observers la
comic reply.
why, he doesn't know about lima
ments.' she said in mild surprise. Be
| sides this is neither the time or place
to discuss human ailments. We are
out for day"
II don't like to argue" said the OBJ
| server. forcefully. but you are dead
wrong. This is exactly the time and
place to have a heart-to-heart talk
with some expert about emollients and
other useful things such as crutches
and hospitals and reliable physicians" "
:. What on earth-' she began.
My shoes.' said the Observer, simply.
He had started to grow from the an
kles down. He knew he was growing.
He knew that pair of No. IA shoes
| would hardly fit him now.