The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-07-02
By Evelyn Gill Klahr

with the whole arrangement.
He particularly liked the idea of
every guest bringing Fife a present.
1t was at his suggestion that Effie
had stood at the gate to receive the
gift before the giver was permitted
to enter, an idea filched by Everton
from modern trolley methods. IF
fie's mother, little dreaming the truth,
had to stand at the gate to receive her
guests.
Everton himself had officiated with
her at the gate, and had even loaned
her his masculine strength when one
small child without gift attempted to
enter. The little guest, determined
to have hospitality, determined not
to be deprived of his party, pulled
valiantly at the gate.
Everton, bound that the custom of
gift giving be preserved, by force, if
need be, held the gate firmly in his
two strong, little hands and reasoned
in his grave, earnest way
"But why did you come without 2
present."
"But l didn't have anything"
"You should have bought some
thing"
But there wasn't time"
YOU'D have time to get something
now and be back before the party is
over"
And the baffled little guest had to
run home frantically, in desperate fear
of missing the party altogether and
had returned in due time, bearing his
tribute.
So the party had been perfect sue
cess, and Everton had come home
glowing with delight over the way it
had all turned out so beautifully for
the birthday child.
Ruth with her half-hearted atten-
ton gathered little of this from his
discourse, but Everton's mother gath
cred enough to send her flying to the
telephone.
Presently, a look of Mortified amuse-
ment on her face, she came out to
the veranda to find Ruth.
"That outrageous child"
Everton followed her to the veranda
and listened, gravely interested, while
his mother explained the outrage of
the afternoon to Ruth.
at was a good idea to have him
go home for the present" he insisted,
"'cause then Eff1e got the present"
"Everton, Everton!" cried his weary
mother, you've just got to stop hav-
ing ideas.
ideas are all right for grown up
folks" The explained to Ruth. Don't
you wish they was some way"
There were," his mother corrected.
There were," he agreed amiably.
"Don't you wish there were some way
you could have trap door for little
boys ideas so they couldn't get out
couldn't get out at all-until they were
grown up?"
His mother shook her head hope
lessly.
Don't l wish there were!" she
sighed. She turned to Ruth. What
am to do" she appealed to the girl,
''but spank. just plain spank?"
Ruths protest was faint, weary.
She had paid so cruelty already for
her interest in the problem of Ever
ton that she hadn't any spirit left
to go on.
But after supper when the child
and his mother gravely retired to-
gether to an upper chamber, she
waited miserably in the swing, guilty
to think that her championship had
been so feeble.
Presently Everton rejoined her on
the veranda and with a book seated
himself on his little chair. He was
very serious and quiet, but there was
no tinge of resentment in his manner,
nor indeed of any emotional disturb
ance, except that as he leafed through
his book he occasionally winked very
hard.
The bond of sympathy that draws
together unhappy souls soon brought
Ruth to the child's side, and because
it is easiest to unburden ones heavy
heart to those whose hearts likewise
are heavy it was Everton who first
heard of Ruth's broken engagement.
won't he marry you at all?" in
quired Everton.
Never" said Ruth, never in all
this world!"
He looked at her pitingly, gravely.
and though he had no words of SYM
lpathy to offer Ruth felt a little COM
fOrted