The Washington herald., 1914-03-14
FROM THE LIONS
JAWS.

Sambo seemed to understand ii
kinked his trunk into tangle. indicat
ing elephantine wisdom and sympath!
and looked at Alma with big, troublet
eyes.
You are the only one who understands
sambo." said the planters daughter
winding her arm about Sambo's trunk
The others Just won't understand that
can't marry Sherman Bainbridge.
The trunk curled disapprovingly. II wa
as emphatic a scowl as an elephant car
express
"And then there is will-Will clifford,
continued Alma wistfully, and her eyes
grew big and tender. Don't you Ike
him, too. Sambo? He's SO manly and
strong and Don't you understand
Sambo?''
The big eyes Of the girls mute friend
twinkled shrewdly. He expressed himseil
in the Affirmative with a vast wag OF the
head and a deep. gurgling sound
81 must run along now, Samoo, ana
see what they've been UP to while I've
been chatting with YOU And with pat
and a few caressing words Alma lett hef
friend.
The planters daughter was in chop
ping sea of tribulations. EVERYBODY
seemed bent upon making a mess OF
everything party of hunters had ar
rived at the plantation. and among them
was Sherman Bainbridge, who had come
with credentials from his father sug-
gesting that IL a marriage could De ar
ranged between his son and Alma Bur-
ger such an arrangement might be round
mutually satisfactory. The old planter
had gestured vigorously with his i'm
mense Dom Paul pipe and expressed his
approval Of the scheme volubly and en-
phatically His wife had thought II
would be a fine thing for Alma. Neither
of them had thought of consulting her
young persons never know what is best
for them and when the planter and his
wife were young nobody had thought of
asking them whether they approved OF
the match arranged by their parents
Alma frowned in contemplation Of the
prosaic ways OF older and wiser
peopIe Nobody seemed 20 understand,
nobody but dear old Sambo, and Sambo
really could not help her much. 1t would
not have been so serious If VIII CLIFFORD
had not arrived in the same party that
brought Sherman Bainbridge. for Will
had merely emphasized by contrast how
utterly impossible Sherman was as a hus-
band.
Alma she heard some one whisper
quite close to her. and turning her head
she saw Will seated on a bench in the
shadow of the trees beside the house.
She sat down beside him. and he wound
his arm about her. She saw troubled
look in his face.
Il have just had a chat with Sambo,"
Alma told him. "and he agrees with me
that I can't marry Sherman"
''Sambo is a wise old boy" remarked
VIII. Did he seem to have any other |
young man in mind-any one who would |
be more acceptable than Sherman"
oh. yes, but you could never guess who |
it is
But I think l can protested Clifford.
kissins her. As she wrigglsd out Of his
embrace Alma caught a glimpse of Sher-
man watching them with hateful. crafty
eyes.
Late that evening the planter laid
aside his absurd Dutch pipe and ordered
his wife to fill three stems with the best
brew in the house. Alma, passing to her
room. caught glimpse of the three
tremendously before the table.
The planter was delivering a speech
sprinkled with liberal quotations from the
Bible. There was to be a months hunt
ing trip. and then the wedding. A sly
smile curled Sherman's thin lips, and
Almas mother beamed wistfully upon
her prospective son-in-law.
Will snatched a farewell kiss from her
The next morning and whispered few
tender words in her ear, and then the