The Press., 1916-05-10

semiweekly amusement at the expense
 of the church. but invariably Hitty's
 silver dime would drop into the plate.
 Perhaps Hime Dayton, the butcher,
 might have told another story-that
 Hitty was skimping on her food. She
 was eating meat only twice a week
 now instead of three times.
 One night in particular the posters
 were more alluring than ever. There
 had been a change of program that day, but there was a missionary meet Ing, and Hitty had postponed her going to the following night. Now she paus- trance and studied the colored posters.
 "All For Love-" That sounded thrill ing, with rescue at sea. Pictures of the sea always attracted her.
 ''Visits to Strange Lands" Hitty thrilled with anticipated pleasure, for she dearly loved these travel pictures, giving glimpses of strange lands and strange people. perhaps the countries that Dick Hedges had visited. He used to say that when he got a vessel of his own he would take her with him to the far east. Hitty still lived these voyages in her day dreams.
 She glanced up and down the village street. .....
 Wonder was the church. The base ment was brightly lighted, for there was to be c missionary barrel packed that night. In Hitty's arms were half a dozen white shirts she had stitched for some unknown missionary in Asia. She was expected to help pack the bar rel.
 Before her were the alluring posters.
 Hitty glanced once up and down the street and then disappeared through the swinging doors. She did not know that Mrs. Deacon Peddie, passing on the other side of the street. had glimps- ed her backsliding sister and was even now detailing the circumstances to shocked group of listeners about the missionary barrel.
 Hitty found her accustomed seat, and being rather short in stature she sat down on the bundle of shirts and so did not miss thin" all evening.
 The sweet romance of All For Love" was slowly reeled off to the sentiment tal rapture of the very young and few lonely souls like our own Miss Hitty. She sat through it all. her round. sweet little face uplifted to the screen. with look of wistfulness that a newcomer saw as he sat down nearby.
 If any one had been interested it might have been noticed that the bronzed newcomer divided his interest between the pictures and Hitty Mor- toms face. After awhile the seat be- side Hitty became vacant and in the darkened theater the stranger glided across the aisle and occupied it. Hitty never even turned her eyes from the she was accustomed to this change of nelghbors.
 On the screen appeared the first of he travel pictures. which were Hitty's delight.
 A great steamer was sailing from San Francisco for Japan. She felt her elf one of that group of travellers up the gangplank of the great liner.
 The scene shifted to rhe first port of l all. Honolulu. Dark eyed maidens | with garlands of flowers about their | lecks and other sarlands for sale, | lueer vehicles, swift view of vol | ,ano, then abOarl the steamer. A glimpse of the social life on board, hen the approach to the fairy islands If Japan
 Breathlessly Hitty watched the shift ng scenes, fascinated by the ori- sntal sights. She almost thought her self there with Dick, as she had dreamed While she watched she turn ed little worn ring on her engage ment finger. Any woman in Edgewood would have told you that it was Hitty Morton's engagement ring.
 The man beside her glimpsed the ring. and his face grew pale.
 At last the steamer approached the yellow shore line of China. Then she dropped anchor off wusung, in the mouth of the Yangtze river, and her passengers to the small ugs which were to convey them up the | hallow tidal river called whangpo to | he city of Shanghai.
 When the picture of the public wharf | It Shanghai was thrown upon the creen Hitty leaned forward. She | wanted to scream.
 There in the crowd of eager faces | the arriving passengers was | familiar one-the face of Dick | Hedges. grown older, perhaps. but | Dick Hedges, nevertheless. smooth | haven, with a captains uniform on | is broad shoulders and a gold laced | ap on his handsome head. It was Dick-Diek Hedges, her Dick | n faraway Shanghai!
 The much maligned moving picture | ereen had shown her that he was