The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1920-10-28

enjoy them, and that Lana Tao -
you see on the sideboard oughtn1 h
be hidden In the vault"
II am sure Uncle Bash would b,
happy to know you care for these
things so much" said, noting that
the white roses she had chosen for the
jar-I knew the choice was hers
served to emphasize the deep red Of
its exquisite glaze.
II am among the unelect," remark.
ed Mrs. Farnsworth. "When am
told that such things are beautiful
am Immediately convinced. say
they are beautiful, and that is
enough"
"That has always been enough for
me-" replied, MY uncle used to
try to interest me. but he gave 1t up
when he found that my pagan soul
was aroused by nothing but pottery
idols. am heathen!"
II am gratified that you make the
admission SO frankly" said Mrs. Farms
worth. II have always been a great
admirer Of the heather. But, you know,
Mr.. Singleton, Alice and / never can
agree as to just what q heather L..
All our squabbles have been about
that. am disposed to include all
who believe in fairies good, or bad,
and persons who honestly believe in
signs, omens, and lucky stones and
all who have the receipt of fern-seed
and walk invisible-there's Shakes
peare for that"
81 think" said Mrs. Bashford
soberly, that 1 have always believed
In witches; and if l keep on believ-
ing l shall see one some day. We
shall find anything in this world that
we believe in hard enough"
She was talking very gravely, as
though witches were the commonest
topic Of conversation, hut finding my
eyes turned upon her in frank wonder,
she laughed at my amazement
"l.et us be honest with you, Mr..
Singleton" Mrs. Fnrnsworth explained,
land tell you that we are just testing
you. 1t may be breach of hospital.
ity, and you are but stranger, but
we are curious to know whether you
are of that small company Of the
favored of heaven who can play at
being foolish without becoming idiotic.
Alice Is sometimes very near idiocy.
You admit that, Allce!"
81 not only admit 1t, but I might
even boast of it!" my aunt replied.
At the mention Of witches l had
caught Antoine crossing himself as he
turned to the sideboard. confess
that | myself had been startled by the
drift of the talk. Mrs. Farnsworth
and my aunt treated each other as
though they were contemporaries, and
1t was Alice and Constance between
them. AS the talk ran eXlNustively
through the lore Of witches and COB
Inns had hoped that one or the other
would drop some clue as to the previ-
Gus history of my amazing aunt. 1t
was as plain as day that she and
Mrs. Farnsworth INDUCED in whims
for the joy Of 1t, and her Zest In the
discussion of witches, carried on while
Antoine served the table, lips tightly
compressed and with an eXaggeration
of his stately tread, was the more
startling from the fact that my aunt's
companion was n woman of years, a
handsome woman with high-bred air
who did not look at all like person
who would discuss witches as though
they had been made the topic of the
day by the afternoon newspapers.
And when the shape Of a witch's chin
became the immediate point Of dis
cussion ! knew it was in AntOines
mind that such conversation was un-
becoming, an offense to the memory of
Raymond Bashford. Mrs. Farms
worth's brown eyes sparkled, and the
color deepened In my aunt's cheeks as
we dlscoursed upon witches and the
chins thereof. / had friend in col
lege who used to indulge in the same
sort Of piftlipg, but that my uncle's
widow and her elderly companion
should delight in such absurdities be-
wildered me. / had been addressing
my aunt as Mrs. Bashford-it
seemed ridiculous to call her Aunt
Alice-and In the heat of our argu-
ment as to whether witches are neces-
sarily naughty and malign beings !
had just uttered the 'Alrs." when she
bent toward me and said gravely and
with no hint of archness: Cant we
make 1t Alice and Bob? l think that
would be lot friendlier."
experienced curious fiutter Of
the heart the first time l tried 1t, but
after that 1t came very easily. She
was simply the jolliest, prettiest girl
that had ever crossed my horizon, and
to be talking to her across the table
gave me thrills compared with which
sliding out of clouds in an airplane Is
only rocking-chair pastime for old
men.
We had coffee on the veranda (Alice
thought 1t would be nicer there). and
as Antoine gave me my cup he edged
close to my chair to whisper:
THAT party. sir. If he should