The Wahpeton times., 1917-12-27


es, there were half as many tongues
gently wagging.
No wonder, then, that the two un-
attached males whom unkind fate had
condemned to abide in the one board
ing house in town preferred to smoke
their pipes and read their papers on
the wooden settle down by the gate
of the old house. Except for the fact
that they We're doomed to share the
same bench in this ostracism, there
was little in common between Gregory
Fuller and the other young man. who
sought to entertain and impress Greg.
ory with his social conquests in his
home town.
Still, when the young man went for
q weekend to that home town, pre-.
sumably to score few more triumphs,
Gregory felt doubly oppressed in his
ostracism; and without knowing just
how things stood between Gregory and
Margery Drake-the little twenty-year.
old school teacher that sat up there in
the third chair from Mrs. Van der Hay.
den and knitted sleeveless sweaters
you might have wondered why he did
not seek some other place to spend his
Saturday afternoon than down there
on the hard wooden bench by the fence
with only magazine and pipe tc
console him. Down there at least he
was unobserved, or thought he was
and he could be sure that Margery was
safe. He had little reason to feel
jealousy, for, except for his erstwhile
companion who had gone home for the
weekend, Gregory was about the only
eligible male in the community.
''Do you know. I think there must
be something wrong with these direc.
tions." It was the shrill treble of Mrs
Jones-the angular blonde lady With
the bedfamonded fingers who sat next
to Margery. II have followed them
faithfully-bound off thirty-two stitch
ss for the head. knitted five ribs. and
then set on thirty-two stitches again
and will you look at the size of ths
neck?'
Margery beside her compared hel
Swn nearly completed sweater With
her neighbor's. "N1ine is just the same
size. took it for granted that the
rules were right
"But can't get 1t over my head at
all," exclaimed Mrs. Smith as She
seized Margery's sweater and tried to
pull it over her blonde pompadour.
'Of course you can't" reproved the
duchess, pausing as she counted stitch.
twenty-three, twenty-four, twen-
ty-fve-with your hair done over a rat
of course your head is larger than a
man's."
"You don't suppose do such a
thing gasped Mrs. Smith. 'Though I
will admit that my hair is very thick
and that may take up more room. But
even If my hair is full. don't you think
q mans ears are big and would take
the extra room in Slipping 1t on? al.
ways think mems ears are very big"
II have noticed that Mr.. Smiths
are" suggested the duchess, still count.
ing.
IF we could only try the sweater
on real man." sighed Mrs. Smith.
"1t's too bad my husband is a travel.
ing man. He's the only husband in the
house and he is away"
"But there are other men," suggested
Mrs. Van der Hayden.
"Not Mr.. Fuller" gasped Margery.
"Please don't let's ask him." She had
seen ut least eight pairs of eyes cast
in the direction Of the little wooden
bench and its solitary occupant. It
was too late and useless to protest
for the pcrtly Mrs. Van der Hayden
had risen and beckoning with her large
angular hand. she called: "Young
man. Mr.. Fuller, will you step this
way;;" and then, feeling that her word
was law. she sank down into her chair
again: "seventy-eight, seventy-nine,
eighty" she counted on.
Gregory rose and came up the steps
to the porch and. as the twenty-four
needles ceased to click and half AZ
many pairs Of feminine eyes were lev.
eled upon him. he felt the color rise in
his cheeks and under his collar.
"You are an average-sized young
man. aren't you?" queried the duchess
~ If she were asking new gardener
whether he could cut the grass.
swell. then will you let these ladies
try their sweaters on your
Then the fitting process began and
the only consolation that came to Greg
ory was the knowledge that Margery
was hlushing confusedly and because
he knew that the first sweater that was
tried on him was made by Nargery'0
fair hands.
Yes, think his ears stick out q BIT,
too" commented Mrs. Van der Hay.
~, but thea I suppose The aVespap