The Washington herald., 1914-09-14
DAILY SHORT STORY.
A YOUNG PERSON.
BY MARTHA MCULLOcH-wILLIAMs

BY MARTHA MCULLOCH-WILLI
Copyright. lslLl
Granny, the names are so hard. can't
just say. They went on and begat one
another TO the end Of the chapter?' /"
Phil asked earnestly. his brow puckered
deeply. his fingers moist,
He loved granny dearly-there were
parts OF the Bible he loved likewise TO
read to her. But the begats, There his
halting tongue always got him in trouble.
And granny held literally that salvation
abode in every word between the lids of
the book. Now that her eyes were so
weak she insisted uncompromisingly upon
his beginning at Genesis. and going
straight through to Revelation.
Commonly Phil was as docile as today
he was restive. What boy of twelve
wouldn't have been restive with all the
school streaming past to the big lot,
where the home nine Of big boys was to
play of a match with a nine from town?
Each nine had a game; this third one
would be final 1t was called for o'clock
and the afternoons were shortening sensi-
bly, especially. in boy consciousness. Sat
urday afternoons. You never had time
in them to do half you had planned.
Phil was so sure of that he had got
up early and spent the morning trying
hard to accumulate leisure enough TO
be among the first at the lot. He had
overreached himself When granny 9
questioning showed he was quit OF all
his regular Saturday Jobs she had said
with a beaming smile: How nice. My
good child has nothing to do now but
read ive chapters to granny"
He looked at the clock anxiously as
she opened the Testament at the first
chapter of Matthew. Almost 2 o'clock.
Unless he escaped the begats, the read
ing would take an hour Running every
step, he could not get to the lot before
time was called. Every place worth
while would be crammed and he had
picked out the tree he meant to climb
the branchy maple with the wide crotch
at the side. Tommy Binks knew Of It.
Tommy, was he did not doubt, already
in It. Still he would not mind even that
II he could but get there in time to hear
the whooping and see snatches Of the
play.
So when Granny shook her head, say
ing almost sternly, Read on he tried
to obedient. but broke down in spite
of his twelve years. Tears blinded him,
his choking throat refused utterance. He
dropped the Testament and dug fists into
his blinking eyes. Granny stared al him
unseeing. but her ears told her his dis
tress. She was about to speak when
Lisa and Nancy burst in, crying breath
lessly, "Oh, goody! Phil hasn't gone
Mother says II he'll take us we can go
to the game
Standardized. they did not a first note
his plight. He turned a deep beet red
ever since school began he had been
captive to Lisa's blue eyes and rosebud
mouth. The Acton twins were Just his
age. and lived near enough to be play
fellows. People said how odd II was
twins could be so differnt. Lisa was a
beauty-no mistake. Nancy as homely
as her name. Stubby, straight-haired,
freckled, with a thick nose and a mighty
square chin, she certainly looked like
a changeling beside Lisa. She had,
though. a charm Lisa lacked-a soft.
sweet voice, which she did not squander
In chattering.
"Phils cryin'? What for?" Lise eX-
claimed pointedly with a mischievous
emlle.
Granny cleared her throat II suppose
Il 10 because he hates readinH to q Door