The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-02-19

(COpyflSots 1917 Oy tuo "e0LoEu aSS"so
paper Union)
AS summer bOarder Marcus Dale |
| was a general favorite. He was about |
twenty-five years Of age and rather
pale and delicate looking, but that,
! the MOrtOns understood, was due to
nervous breakdown from overstldy.
| ''They say he is going to become
great lawyer and is very rich," Mrs.
Morton told her nearest neighbor,
| Wanda Bruce.
Wanda had noticed the young man
when he arrived. He took to the Nor
, ton children, and these latter invited
over the Bruce brood of five, who came
back to Wanda with marvellous stories.
Honest, Wanda" declared her
brother Willis, che made balloon out
OF tissue paper that went clean up out
Of sight,"
yes" added little 1dalia, excitedly,
land he'll 80 up to a tree and say,
Give me some chocolates, Mr.. Tree,
and they'll fall right of into his hand
And he picks gum drops of OF
blackberry bushes affirmed wonder
eyed little Martha.
Wanda smiled, pleased and admiring
this stranger who was willing to de-
vote his time to entertaining the chill
dren. It showed good, kind heart,
and one day when this amateur magi-
elan and lover Of children came dash
ing through a downpour of rain, a lit
tie one in each arm, Wanda saw him
close ut hand for the first time and
realized how manly and handsome he
was
After that, Marcus Dale divided his
time between the two houses. Wanda
hoped that with the garnering Of the
crops her father would see his way
clear to provide her with a new pretty
! summer suit like Alma Trevor wore.
There was a spice of jealous rivalry in
this conception, for Alma had made a
determined set at the handsome Str;n-
GER, although he did not seek particu-
lary to notice her.
: II am anxious to have you do some
thing for me. Miss Bruce" spoke Dale
one day. 81 have always dabbed in
an amateurish way with sO-called
magic, and my ordinary tricks OF leger-
den,an have so fascinated the little
ones that I have sent to the city for
nv parlor outfit in that line, and |
/! want you to gather in all the juveniles
in reach and give them Il party. l
I will provide for the ice cream and the
like and we will try to give the tots
the time Of their lives
Wanda liked that 1--WE" and diligent-
ly carried out her part of the program
y Some older folks came to the enter
tainment, and were as pleased as the
| little ones. Dale made quite a pro
y grain with his "magic wand" He lured
, nuinberiess rabbits from an empty
= bag made q cake in a silk hat, found
a dozen eggs in the clothing of little
: Willis. turned stick Of filewOod into
a bewIdering pot of roses, and caught
shower Of bright, pretty toys, appar'
emily falling through the air from no.
where.
Little Willis got possession Of the
magic wand later, and amused them
; all by trying to bring sweetmeats from
. trees and doves from all kinds OF
. places 1t was shout week later
!" when Wanda's father who had driven
= to the county seat oil business, re-
turned, bringing into the ldtfse long
= deep paSteboard box. He had picked
> it az on the road, where it had HoUht-
less fallen from some touring autoll''''
:, bile.
"YOu take charge Of it, Wanda" he
said. ut seems to be some kind of
feminine fummery;;" in which he was
, correct, for when Wanda opened the
box there was revealed q complete
bridal trOusseau. She sighed as she
wondered if the time would come
when she could glow and gladden. over
like tinery of her own Mr.. Bruce had
sent word to the county seat of his
find and doubted not that the owner
Of the box would sooner or later ap-
pear.
One afternoon all the folks had gone
. away from the house except little Will
lis and Wanda. willis was amusing
, himself with ribbOndecorated wand
, Dale had made for him. Wanda had
given way to a temptation she could
: not resist. SHE had brought the trous-
seau outfit down to the sitting room.
where there was large mirror. had
donned the attire and was surveying
herself at full length when, ,mnoticed
by her, Mr.. Dale came into the hall
=, "Why, hello, Willis!' he hailed, in
II his usual genial way. CAL alone% And
working away with the magic wand?
Tn afraid I have put a lot of nonsense
in that bright little head of yours
81 tapped the chicken coop with it
this morning." Wanted Willis, land
four rats ran out See me! Appear
Il Appear!" shouted the little NEGRO
f. mancer, Shaping the door with his
wand and repeating the summons he
had heard Dale employ when conjur-
ing material presentations from odd
places. "Oh see-it's a fairy!'