Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-01


voice in the library.
'Mrs. Francis speaks strange Ian.
guage," she said, smiling to herself,
"but 1t can be translated into bread and
butter and apple sauce, and even into
shoes and stockings, when you know
how to interpret 1t.
"But wouldn't It be dreadful IL she
had no one to express IL in the tan.
giblc things Of life for her. Think Of
her talking about proper diet and aids
Well, it seems to be my mission TO
step into the gap-I'm n miss with a
mission was slicing some cold
ham as she spoke--''I am something OF
a health talker, too"
Camilla knocked at the library door,
and in answer to Mrs. Francis's in.
vitation to enter, opened the door and
said:
AIRS. Francis, would it not be well
for Pearl to have a lunch before she
starts for her walk into the country !;
the air is 30 exhilarating, You know. y
How thoughtful you are, Camilla "
Mrs. Francis exclaimed with honest
admiration.
Thus It happened that Pearlie Wat.
son, aged twelve, began her journey
into the big unknown world, fully
satisfied in body and soul, and with
great love for all the world.
At the corner Of the street stood Mrs.
Mcclure, and at sight Of her Pearl s
heart stopped beating.
"It's bad luck" she said. "I'd as
lief have a rabbit cross me path as
her."
hut she walked bravely forward with
no outward sign of her inward
trembling.
ye?" the old lady asked shrilly.
Eyes m" Pearl said. trembling.
shes a tarter; she's a skinney
she's n damner; that's what she IS
She's my own first cousin and know
her. Sass her; that's the only way tc
get along with her. Tell her / said
so. Here, child. rub yer j'ints witt
| this when ye git stiff" She handed
Pearl a black bottle of home mad'
| liniment.
Pearl thanked her and hurried on
| but at the next turn Of the street sh'
met Danny.
Danny was IN tears Danny WASH 7
going to let Pearlie so away; Damn!
| would run away and get lost ant
| runned over and drownded, now
PEARLS heart melted. and sitting OF
the sidewalk she took Danny in he
arms, and they cried together. a whir
OF wheels aroused Pearl and looking ~
she saw the kindly face Of the younI
doctor.
"What Is it, Peari?" he asked, kind
ly. "Surely that's. not Danny ! see
spelling his face that way!
Its Danny" Pearl said, unstead
lily. "It's hard enough to leave hir
widout him comm afther me an
breakin me heart all over again.
THAT'S what it is, Pearl, the doc
tor said, smiling. II think 1t is might
thoughtless of Danny the way he is act
ing"
! Danny held obstinately to Pearl
skirt and cried harder than ever. II
would not even listen when the doctc
spoke Of taking him ror a drive.
Listen to the doctor" Pearl com
mauded, sternly, '',or he'll raise a gum
boil on ye.'
Thus admonished. Danny ceased h
sobs. but he showed no sign of intere'
when the doctor spoke Of popcorn. an
at the mention of ice cream he locke
simply bored.
Hes awful fond Of hoo hung can
dy," Pearlie suggested in a whispe
holding her hand around her mouth
that Danny might not hear her.,
"Ten cents worth of hoo hun
candy to the boy that says good bye :,
'. his sister like a gentleman and rid
. home with me.
Danny dried his eyes on Pearl
skirt, kissed her grayely and cllmo'
into the buggy beside the docto
, Waterloo was won!
Pearl did not trust herself to loC
back as she walked along the deep
beaten road.
The yellow cone flowers raised the
heads like golden stars along the roa'
side, and the golden glory of the az
preaching harvest lay upon everythln
To the right the Tiger Hills lay {
the horizon, wrapped in a blue mis-
? Flocks of blackbirds swarmed over q
ripening oats. and aDgrily fought wit
each other.
"And il not costin' them a cent
Pearl said in disgust, as she stoppt
to watch them.
! The exhilaration OF tho air, the. Gloi
| of the waving grain, the profusion
r wild flowers that edged the fields vii
l purple and yellow were like wine
her sympathetic Irish heart as 81
q walked through the grain fields al
! drank in all the beauties that Ii
around, and it was not until she can
r in sight of the big stone house, gloon
: and bare, that she realized with a sta
e of homesickness that she was Pea
!, Watson, aged twelve, away from hor
for the first time, and bound to wo
t three months for woman OF reput
= ill-temper.
CONTINUED TOMORROW