The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1919-12-04

NJ which Ned seemed to have hy far
the greatest grievance They had just
lett heir English classroom where
the professor had startled them by
announcing the fact that they must
write n short story for the next day
lie has no right to do IT," said Ned
"This Is course Ia critical writing
and not narration"
You're right, old chap" said his
friend Dick. and II sure is harder
To write love story than TO toss OF
criticism. but | suppose wen have
10 do H."
Thank goodness. he didn't specify
II had 10 he a love story"
"No. but that's about the easiest.
unles you write thrilling adventure
story"
We'll. It's all right 10 write about
adventures II you ever had any. but
I'm not going to write lot Of ridlcu-
lous lies. couldn't do II anyway, ]
tell you. Everybody always said | had
no more Imagination than cat"
The next morning in the English
class. instead Of seeing a frownlng
and gloomy Ned Barnes. his friends
saw benmisg countenance which
still remained beamlng when the pro
fessor said I'VE will begin by reading
Barnes story. And to an eagerly in
tercstcd audience he read the fol-
lowing:
THE train from New Hampshire has
Just drawn into Boston rs il has u
thousand times before. but today II
l. all different for there Is one little
passenger who has never seen Boston,
or indeed any other city. Her express
sion Of eager curiosity and childish
delight attracts us ut once. To look
at her sweet and innocent face, one
would never suspect that she was
dcceiying her poor old aunt In the
belief that she was spending the day
with a friend In the next town In
order that she might slip away 20 the
magic city OF Boston for a few hours.
Just few short hours. that was
the only cloud on her horizon; just "A
few short hours. but she dare not
stay longer But perhaps that would
be long enough. and she clutched her
little hand still more closely over
something that she had held In the
palm OF her hand ever since she left
home. We would love to see what II
is. but II Is evidently very precious.
for she Is not willing TO let go for
a minute We will follow her through
the station and listen 10 her timid
request for information. The myster-
les Of the elevated aud subway seem
ing To be- uufathomable. she decides 10
walk. aud H. minutes Inter she II
standing before u millinery window,
wlde-cycd aud hrrnthless. Surely she
must bee dreaming. such wonderful
creations never existed outside ot
Falryland. one IN particular took her
funcy. II was large and droopy and
fluffy. with the dearest little forget
me-nots Dld I tell you her eyes were
~ blue n the heavens above and her
cheeks as pink as the roses in an old
New England garden. Surely 1t would
be becoming.
With little futter Of her heart
and tighter clasp OF her little hand
on her imprisoned secret. she entered
the shop.
n Boston was new 20 her, certainly
she was new To Boston. Her fresh
beauty and simplicity aroused the
faded interests Of even the shop girls
and they WED with each other In
whiting on her First she tried on the
was all that her heart craved for, hut
true to the eternal feminine. she must
try on every other hat she ssw-just
TO make sure. Finally. after gloating
over all the wonders she decided on
her first choice. when II was pre-
scented to her in box So biz she could
scarcely carry IL. she thanked the
clerk for her kindness and started TO
90 away.
"wait a minute, my dear. You have
not paid for It yet"
paid for ~ oh. | thought --"
A look OF embarrassment and then a
deep flush spread over her face. "Oh,
| must be in the wrong store
Slowly, almost regretfully, she open
ed her hand end gave the clerk the
crumplcd paper she had carried for
hours In her hand. "Will you tell me
where that store is, pleaseT"
The clerk. at first amused. and just
us quickly ashamed Of her amuse-
menr, read their own last sundays
advertisement,
HATS GIVEN AWAY,
Bewllderingly beautiful. Charmingly
simple. Darlngly dashing. Delightfully."-
demure. All kinds TO suit all tastes.
In dazc the girl listened to the
clerks gentle and sympathetic ex'
plnnatlon Of the wicked city's exag-
rerntlons. but IL Is doubtful II she
understood anything except that she
had lost her hat Completely dislllu'
stoned, she left the shop. Two big
tears gathered In her eyes and blur
red everything. She did not even see
the approaching ~
Just ms the story Is reaching the
interesting part. the professor Is
called away for few minutes. A
storm OF ordinations greet Ned,
such as "oh, no. You wouldn't write