Graham guardian., 1914-07-31
PLACING HIS AFFECTION
BY HARRISON SMITH.

and stirred 1t thoughtfully. The fire
cracked on the wide hearth, and never
had he seen Philippa look SO alto
gether adorable as she did that blowy
| March afternoon
"As was saying" said Johnny, with
sidelong glance at Philippa and try.
ing to hold his voice to its usual con-
versational tone, I've been very, very
wretched of late"
Have your said she Il think
know what's the matter" she haz-
arded.
do your" asked Johnny. Let's
hear your diagnosis of the unfortunate
case"
You're in love-" said che, very de-
murely, and Johnny in his joy of the
moment started SO violently that he
all but upset his tea.
Say, you're some little old mind
reader, Philippa," he declared. How'd
you guess it?"
TITS too easy" said she with little
sigh. Anyone who knows you at all
could guess that about you of late,
Johnny"
That's dead right" said Johnny.
Anybody could have guessed it,
couldn't they?"
mo reason why not" said she. II
can even tell whom you are in love
with"
60 ahead" said Johnny. Don't
let any false modesty stand in your
way"
Philippa said very calmly:
The reason you are wretched is
because Of the person you're so much
in love with. Johnny, and that person
is-yourself"
A dainty Sevres cup was smashed
and a goodly quantity OF perfectly
good tea was stopped about promiscu-
ously as Johnny, who had half risen
from his chair, sat down in 1t again
with rather tco much suddenness.
You're terribly in love with your
self, Johnny" she went on calmly.
You think only Of your own pleasure
and comfort. You have altogether too
much money for your own good. It's
made you dreadfully selfish"
You mean should do things?r he
asked weakly, aware from her pause
that something was expected OF him
conversationally.
Exactly"
Well, I'll give away more OF It."
said he. What's your pet charity now,
Philippa? Tell me and I'll write out
a regular old whale OF check for it
one that will really make your eyes
pop out"
"Oh, Johnny Hawley!" she chided,
always point of view like that! You
think just giving money, when you
have oodles of it--more than you can
possibly spend yourself--means being
unselfish. You wouldn't miss the
money. You'd forget ten minutes
after you'd given II. You'd never feel
the difference. That will never cure
your wretchedness. You've got to
give something OF yourself-something
personal, something really worth while,
before ever you'll feel any better"
There's Ned Hawkins" she said
musingly at length. "Ned's going an
awful pace. Money won't help him
any, because he has too much of 1t al
ready. But personal work will. Neds
young and foolish and a bit of per.
sonal work with him might make a
man out of him."
"Oh, that silly fool?" he questioned.
The quicker his kind 60 to the devil,
the better for all concerned. couldn't
do anything for him."
ut would be disagreeable, wouldn't
it?" she said mockingly. Il forgot you
couldn't possibly do anything the least
bit distasteful to you"
"Whatd you think of me II did
succeed in making Ned pull up bit?"
he asked.
Your reward would be in the feel.
ing you had Of having done something
really worth while for once-in beiAg
really unselfish, for realize it's going
to be a particularly disagreeable task
Strengthening Ned out"
Johnny took his hat and stick, said
good-by, apologizea for the cup he had
so awkwardly broken, and went down
to the club. He sat there for a long
time staring out Of the big front win,
dow, thinking deeply and turning
many things over in his mind. Then
he saw Ned Hawkins coming up the
steps, none too steadily-with two OF
his closest and most disreputable GRO
nies. Johnnie got out of his chair,
squared his shoulders, rolled up his
eyes as IL he said he knew he was
acting the fool but should persist in
that course, none the less, and went
into the hall where Ned Hawkins was
having most unseemly and undigni.
fed verbal quarrel with the angry hall
man.
Eight months later Johnny Hawley
was again sitting before that wide and
cozy hearth with cup OF tea In his
hands. Philippa was lovelier than
ever.
i've heard all about it--what you've
done for Ned" said she. You had a
perfectly dreadful time, didn't you, and
1t was simply awful some of the things
he did and said about you? But you
stuck II out and you made man OF
him, It was splendid. You must feel
awfully good about IT,"
Il don't" said Johnny.
You're not still wretched.-
IL most certainly am"
We'll, what's the matter nowf"
I'm not cured. I'm still in love-"
with yourself?'
Bother It, no! You know I'm not
and never was, You know who II is
L.. A.