The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-11-16

compensation in return" said John,
"than, perhaps, the coy turning up of
a lamp at an upper easement where
the jasmine climbs; or an exasperating
patter of invisible palms; or huge
dank wedge of fruit-cake showed at
you by the old man, through a crack
in the door,"
Eyes, and I'm going to have my just
reward, is what L mean," said Bert,
land exchange the lovers life for the
benedict's. Going to hunt out a good
sensible girl and marry her" And as
the young man concluded this desper-
ate avowal he jerbed the bow of his
cravat into hard knot, kicked his hat
under the bed and threw himself on
the sofa like an old suit.
John stared at him with absolute
compassion. "Poor devil" he said half
musingly, II know just how he feels
Ring in the wind his wedding chimes,
Smile, villagers, at every door;
Old churchyards stuffed with buried
crimes,
Be clad in sunshine DER and Ger
ooh, here!" exclaimed the wretched
Bert, jumping to his feet; "let up on
that dismal recitatlve. It would make
Il dog howl to hear that"
"Then you let up on that suicidal
talk Of marrying" replied JOHN, "and
all that harangue of incoherency about
your growing old. Why, my dear fell
l., Of a Inuar,
junior and look ut me-" and John
glanced ut himself in the glass with
feeble pride. noting the gray sparse
ness CT his side-hair, and its plaintive
dearth on top. "Of course I've got TO
admit" he continued, that my hair is
gradually evaporating; but for all that,
I'm still in the ring don't you know;
as young in society, for the matter of
that, as yourself! And this is just the
reason why / don't want you TO blight
every prospect in your life by marry
ing at your age-especially a woman
I mean the kind of woman you'd be
sure to fancy at your age"
Didn't l say a good sensible girl
was the kind l had selected" Bert re-
monstrated.
"Ohw exclaimed John, you've Sc
lected her, then?-and without one
word to mew he ended, rebukingly.
'Weil, hang it ALL" said Bert i'm
patiently: Il knew how you were, and
just how you'd talk me out of it; and
l made up my mind that for once, at
least, I'd follow the dictations of
heart that-however capricious in
youthful frivolities-should beat, in
manhood, loyal to itself and loyal to
its own affinity"
GO it! Fire away! Farewell, vain
worldw exclaimed the excited John.
''Trade your soul off for pair of ear
hobs and a buttonhook-a hank of
jute hair and box of lily-white I've
buried not less than ten old chums this
way, and here's another nominated for
the tomb"
But you've got no reason about
YOU" began Bert, 81 want to"
"And so do want to-" broke in
John finally, 81 want to get some sleep.
So register and come to bed. And lie
up on edge, too, when you do come
cause this old catafalque-of-a-bed is
just about as narrow as your views Of
single blessednessl Peacel Not an
other word Pile inl Pile ini I'm
three-parts sick, anyhow, and 1 want
rest" And very truly he spoke.
1t was a bright morning when the
slothful John was aroused by a long
vociferous pounding on the door. He
| started up in bed TO find himself alone
the victim of his wrathful irony hav-
ing evidently risen and fed away
| while his pitiless torrentor slept
Doubtless to accomplish at once that
nefarious intent as set forth by his
unblushing confession of last night"
unused the miserable John. And he
ground his fingers in the corners of his
swollen eyes, and leered grimly In the
| glass at the feverish orbs, blood-shot,
blurred and aching.
The pounding on the deer continued.
John looked at his watch il was only
eight o'clock.
eli, therew he called viciously.
| NhdL OO yOu lAcdA, ally Ac
went on, elevating his voice again /;
shaking man out of bed when he's
just dropping into his first sleepT
IL mean that you're going to get up ;
that's what" replied a firm female
voice. "It's eight o'clock, and want
to put your room in order; and Tn
not going to wait all day about 1t,
either Get up ard go down to your
breakfast, and let me have the room ~
And the clamor at the door was In
6ustriously renewed.
"SayI" called John ENORMOUSLY, hur-
rying on his clothes. "Say you ~
There's no say about itr re
sponded the determined voice; "Tve
heard about you and your ways around
this house, and I'm not going to Iut
up with It You'll not lie In bed till
high noon when I've got to keep your
room In proper orderi''
"Oh, hoi" bawled John intelllgently
reckon you're the new invasion here
Doubtless you're that girl that's been