Montgomery County sentinel., 1919-01-03

NDht lOt JOu uO w hSCD thkhBn
going" Lucy sighed and somehow
her concern amused Mr.. Pell more
than anything she had done before.
She had already proved immensely
divertlng.
Then one day Mr.. Pell called at the
Sentinel Office to see Lucy, and that
was enough to keep Pellton tongues
wagglng for few days. He told her
he wanted her to tell him exactly what
sort of thing he might do for the old
town. Lucy that afternoon had been
reporting picnic given by the en-
ployees of one Of tho local factories.
The place chosen for It was part of
the old Pell estate, and because of n
bubbllng sprihg Of water that flowed
out from the shale there 1t had proved
a favorite spot for picnics for some
years past; and Mr.. Pell had never OBJ
jected. In spite of his reputation for
miserllness. Children, too, from all
over the neighborhood came with pals
and bottles to get this water, which
seemed to be more quenching than or
dinary water, and 1t was a favorite
spot for pedestrians on hot Sundays,
who came there with little folding
cups to Quench their thirst at the
miser's spring. as 1t was sometimes
called.
Lucy had seen the plckniclSers
drinking at the spring that afternoon,
and she was ready with her sugges-
fiAaa Tho fhtnu IN Il xvou 20 nix ta
tract Of land as picnic ground and
to put up a sort of fountain of rough
hewn rocks from the nelghborhood
around the spring so that thirsty folks
might always quench their thirst there.
And there should be a drain so that
the water when 1t ran off should not
make a bed of mud around the spring.
Mr.. Pell may have had some questions
concerning this, but he agreed, and
within few days he and Lucy were
meeting occasionally In secluded
woodland path to discuss designs for
the fountain and to plan the presenta-
tion. And all the time Lucy had visions
Of the big writeup 1t was going to
make for the Sentinel and the surprise
that people would feel when they
learned about 1t. And Francis Pell--
well, he still watched the eager work
ing of Lucy's lips and the color as II
came quickly when she became espe.
cially Interested in the plans under
way, and sometimes he laughed at her,
too, but she had ceased to be nettled
by that.
The eve of the day when the an
nouncement Of the plans was to be
made came at last, and Lucy had the
first big story ready to send to the lit.
tie Sentinel press. There was even to
be cut showing the design for the
fountain. And 1t had all been kept a
secret between Mr.. PelI and Lucy,
though people were beginning to won.
der why there had been surveyors and
workmen on the old picnic grounds Of
late.
The Sentinel was just going to press
and Lucy was putting the last flour.
ishes on the great announcement in
the dingy little office long after other
good Pelltonites had retired for the
night. The owner-editor, an errand
boy, the other reporter and handful
Of compositOrs and pressmen constl.
tuted the entire staff, and they were
too preoccupled with their tasks to no.
tice the figure of Francis PelI as II
passed quickly across the floor TO
Lucy's desk. He sat down beside her,
laid nervous hand on the copy she
was still working on. "There's a hitch
In our plans. l can't tell you now. But
trust me. You mustn't make the an
nOuncement now" Then he went, tell
ing Lucy he would wait for her out.
side the little Office and tell her more
as he escorted her home as soon as she
had finished her work.
TITS this way" he began. "Men
from the water department have been
feeling around lately, and today I got
notice from headquarters. That
spring isn't spring at ALL It's Il leak
from the main. That water Is Just the
same water every one has piped into
their houses, and now they send me
formal word that In future I'll have &c
have II metered and pay for II at regu
lar rates. don't mind paying the few
hundred dollars II would cost a year
but no one would care about the fOun
tain IL It was plain city water, and
they're likely to have the joke on the
old mlser. So wen have to think OF
something else to do" They walked
along In silence for few minutes
Lucy's pretty lips working overtime
trying to hold back the tears of dIsap
pointment. Two or three times Mr.
Pell tried to begin his next speech be
fore he succeeded.
II was thinking" he said, "in fact
I've thought 1t for long tlme-eveI
since little while after you came t6
me that first tlme-that couldn't give
the Pelltonites and the boys at the
front from Pellt0n much more of
surprise than to get married. That
would be real piece of news
wouldn't III"
"Yes-but," and the lips worked
overtime, II didn't know there wa,
anyone YOU" Lucy couldn't get any
further
'There's you" said Mr.. PelI simply
"Howd that be for starting something
We could run Off and be married, nnd
then when we come back we can Dc
the other things. the curb around tht
town hall and the drinking fountain
for stray dogs and cats and the picnic
ground and anything else you say"
Lucy's mind failed to revolve arount
the interests Of the Pellton Sentinel
and when she said that It would bt
perfectly wonderful" she was think
Ing only Of her own selfish point Of
view.
FOR SALE.