The sun., 1919-04-13

The following Saturday dawnet
warmly upon the world which one could
easily have imagined relieved to fnt
itself no longer obliged to court the
graces Of SO coy a sun. The week had
been continuously cold and rainy. Blu
as old earth accomplished!
1 awoke to find a tremendous chatter.
ing and scolding OF English sparrows
taking place in the sunshine outside my
window. The motors passing on the
Drive ripped away the sullen moisture
from the asphalt and flung 1t derisively
back again in giddy brown drops.
The trees no longer gave themselves
meagreiy to the breeze. but swayed beau
tifully and gracefully from their very
roots upward. The contending currents
OF the Hudson seemed to cease their
Quarrelling and be warmed and colored
by the sun and sky.
The general joviality of the whole
household was perhaps best voiced by
Arabella. the younger whose high. shrill
little voice was sine."g an elfin song
In the nursery, where she sat on the
floor lacing up her new brown boots
very slowly because 1t was so much
fun.
Her mother was everywhere at once,
seeing that thermos bottles were filled
and succulent Joints Of roast chicken
packed in oiled paper. with sandwiches
and fruit.
A miniature picnic was left for the
Oh, tttI IL Ia
rather disappointed not to be going in
Freeands big blue shining car. Robert
especially took aggressive measures TO
get an invitation and 1 almost weakened.
But Arabella knew what she would per-
nit. and she refused to listen to argu-
ment.
ITS out OF the question, Jonathan,
to take those babies on so long II trip.
And it's only pretending TO be spring as
yet, you know. 1t may be cold and we
have to go out of our way to take the
best of tho country roads. We won't be
back until late. And Emily is so good
with them-if she Is careless about her
self l insist that they stay home"
A Hint of FinaIity.
Arabella delivered this ultimatum
While putting on her veil, and l watched
the chin that always accompanies the
yelling process. with a feeling that the
decision was final.
She was SO pleased at the prospect Of
motoring through the country with Free
land that 1 almost felt guilty over the
deceptive purpose OF our trip. l lost
this feeling. however. when my question
about the mornings mail met with
bushes and non-committal remarks. And
II you will believe 1t. the very last thing
Arabella did before we left was to dis
cover letter up her sleeve or in some
unlikely place and to rush across the
room with It to the desk, where she
stuffed 1t out of sight so hurriedly that
a dozen others already occupying the
rigeonhole burst forth and spread them
selves in a most untidy heap.
Put them back for mother. will you,
Rotert?" she hid her confusion in ca
ress that was not accepted very willingly
by our youthful heir But he did go
to the desk-I saw him, and
the incident 80 determined me that we
would this day put stop to Arabella's
subterranean private correspondence
about houses and lands q was sure
that all OF those letters were CONTRA
band OF war; that Il not only felt cold
and calculating toward Arabella, but
I thought without shame OF enlisting
Robert on my side.
Imagine our descent in the elevator in
response to Freelands ring-Arabella
pretty and inclined TO be conventional
in her manner toward me. and l with
chin set in what firmly believed to be
a heroic fashion-with, however a little