Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-01-02

lonely He realized that his life wa
duii--that he was In a fair way to die
lonesome death; fol- Hannah. In
spired by the juvenile spirit OF the
age, would slip on the years wh'le he
shouldered them until there could be
no sympathy between them
| There was only one thing to do
either to give up his hopes Of quiet
old age with his sister--or else to clip
on some OF the staidness that his age
and profession had brought him.
i believe really could enjoy a good
time" he said wonderingly as he wen'
to bed.
The next afternoon Professor Trim
gle sat In the orchard under a low.
hanging apple tree. He was in Han
'nah's favorite seat. an ancient wing
chair covered with oilcloth. Here
Hannah could sit and sew or read or
sleep ehdrely protected from dranghts.
Amos Tringle had spent lonely
day. He had seen the pretty Desmond
girls-he didn't know how many there
were, four or five altogether-drive
away in the motor with their hand
some mother; and there was no sound
of piano or OF merry voices from the
tennis court over the way.
The little volume OF essays dropped
from the professors fingers to. the
ground and he closed his eyes drowsi-
ly. Swift footsteps crossing the or
chard grass reused him and the sound
OF q sweet voice brought him wide
awake.
From behind the wing chair came
the most astonishing words.
"Dearie, II you're not asleep. won't
you please get this horrid splinter out
OF my finger? II you are asleep. Miss
Hannah. dear. you needn't answer"
added the voice with gurSle OF Celtic
humor.
Professor Tringle cautiously poked
his head around the corner of the
winged chair and looked into the as
tonished face of the most beautiful girl
he had ever seen.
AS she uttered an embarrassed cry
he arose to his tall height and smiled
down into her wonderful blue eyes.
Don't be alarmed" he counseled
her. Il am Miss Tringle's brother
she is in Petawick today. Won't you
sit DOWN." He indicated the chair hes
had vacated.
Mono, thank you. Professor Trim
gle," said the girl recovering her
poise. Il am Desdemona Desmond,
from across the street. I've splinter
In my finger, and the servants are so
clumsy about such things that ! Just
ran across to Miss Hannah. I'm afraid
disturbed you." with glance at his
book
Not at all" he assured her eagerly.
and If you will permit me, Miss Des-
nond, will remove the splinter. Let
ne see it."
Desdemona held out pinky-white
'orefinger which Amos took in his own
hand. She gave him needle and a
my bottle of antiseptic solution. In
second he had extracted the silver,
with her at the slight. pain.
When he applied the antiseptiG. he
'ecorked the bottle and gave 1t to her
With the needle, waving aside her
hanks.
Wont you sit DOWN." he asked,
ceiling awkwardly that he must seem
'ery ancient to this girl in the white
mildly blouse with a red bow at her
broaf opd N ,xI;n,neo - 1;4t1- xx,7,;ta
ennis shoes beneath her snowy skirt.
Thanks, | will, If I'm not interrupt
ng YOU" she said deSplrely.
Amos threw himself down on the
'ench under the apple tree and after
hat there passed the most delightful
Iour he had ever known. Desdemona
could talk of things that in
crested him. Not only was she in
crested in girlish pursuits but she
vas widely read, and her freshness
{ view and her charming diffidence
efore him, the learned man of letters.
vas the undoing of Professor Tringle.
When Hannah came home that night
he was obliged to unearth from the
tic some automobile catalogues
7hich he had tossed aside in scorn the
teek before; before his blazing en-.
husiasm her longing for past youth
ook new impetus and when week
ater they both came back from New
'ork in bright red automobile, one
vould scarcely have recognized the
taid brother and sister in the couple
0 modishly attired in motor gar
tents.
The Desmonds were deeply inter-
sted in the car-especially BESIDE
iona. and all the Diamonds rode forth
/ 1t and were charmed with 1t and
18th the professor-espe Desde-
iona! And after awhile Hannah grew
, decline motor ride by moonlight
lille she went to Sit with the Des-
londs on their gay piazza and Amos
ringle and Desdemona went through
ie country over perfect roads and
farming the OLD, old story. Desde-
iona was not too young to learn it.
nd Amos. who was slipping Off the
ears with every hour of this new ex-
erience, was as young as Desdemona
erself
The day Professor Tringle proposed
J Desdemona Desmond, he was wear