The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-12

BY CLARiSsA MAcKiE.

copyright. Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
The next day after Miss Lumpkln's
Selected School for Girls opened for
the fall term, Robina Judd, the new
est girl of all, walked about the spa
cious grounds with her roommate.
Let us go through this cunning
gate and see what is on the other
side!" suggested Robina, when they
had come to the end of the evergreen
path
Grace Barney. glanced up at the for
bidding stone wall and shook her
sunny head.
"Out of bounds Robina," she said |
regretfully. Besides, it's private |
property perfect ogre of an old |
man lives there all alone. | asked |
Miss Lumpkin about him and she
sighed and called him poor, lonely |
Mr. Hodge-only, you see, Robina, he |
/ happens to be rich"
Here comes Miss Gerald" said Ro-
bina-'isn't she dear?"
MY favorite teacher! She has
only been here three days and yet l
/ love her better than any of the 9TH
ers. Sweet and sad and lovely-she-
/ she looks as though she might have
sffered, Robina"
The thought of lonely Mr.. Hodge
wandering about his perfectly kept
| grounds haunted the careless mo-
ments of Robina Judd. Some day |
shall go in" she threatened to her
roommate.
You will have to prove it by
bringing me one of those weirdly
colored Japanese chrysanthemums
from his garden" Grace replied.
"Wait and see!" retorted Robina,
and that very afternoon came oppor-
tunity.
Most of the girls had gone for
long walk in the woods, but Robina,
who had slightly twisted her ankle
in the gymnasium that morning pre-
ferred TO hobble around the garden.
Finally she came to the door in the
wall-the high wall beyond which
lived lonely AIR Hodge.
'sThe time and the place-and ]
hope the mani" giggled Robina, as she
turned the knob of the little green
door. 1t creaked dismally, opened, and
in the distance she could see the mel
lowed walls of a red brick house
| bathed in the afternoon sunshine.
A gardener was working somewhere
| there was the clicking sound of a
: hoe against stones.
Its jelly here" commented Ro-
bina, and she rounded little sum
: mer house and came upon the gar
!. dener, who was vigorously stirring up
the soil in the bed of gorgeous chrys-
anthemums.
He turned pair Of surprised blue
eyes upon her-twinkling blue eyes,
) set in a sun Urgnea lace. close-shaven
I and .d,, sat5ssrssEia N
Welt" gasped Robina, for she had
nothing else to, say. Then, with sud
den inspiration, she added. The
chrysanthemums are lovely!"
Think so? Then you must have
some," he decided promptly, and
. taking knife from his pocket, he
= proceeded to cut huge bunch OF
!, white and yellow and crimson chrys
anthemums.
"You-you wouldn't mind giving me
; just one of the variegated ones?' hes
- itated Robina.
"Sure!" he smiled down at her.
= 81 hope Mr.. Hodge doesn't mind my
coming in here" went on Robina, witt
7 a glance at the house. You see, | be
long to the school next door, and va
girls know about Mr.. Hodge; and We
have felt sorry about his being 81
:, lonely, and | said that I was coming
= in some day to see him, and Grace
e dared me to come. I'm afraid I mus
go now
IF so you are sorry for Mr.. Hodge?
" laughed the gardener. "Why?'
&C. Because he lives here alone-an'
. ;, because some of the girls say that b.
had been disappointed-oh 1 shoult
nv not talk to you sol" Robina suddenl
a remembered the proprieties. Sh
M thought the gardeners blue eye
10 clouded, but he was still smiling.
o. Wouldn't 1t add to the romance Q
=" the occasion to discover that I ar
h Mr. Hodge," asked the gardene
" calmly.
h "Oh! OH" moaned Robina. HOY
the girls will laugh at met"
ma Don't you believe that" h
grinned cheerfully. They'll be cate
up with envy at your romantic adve1
az ture."
ch "Robinal"
The clear sweet call came from tn
We other side of the high wall.
et- who is that?" asked Mr.. Hodg
a looking very pale.
?" 1T is Miss Gerald-our DRAWN
teacher-she is looking for me-goot
by-and thank you!''
ct Just as 7Robina reached the door
ar opened and Pauline Gerald stoo
We there. Robina rushed past her int
- de-. hurt Do