New-York tribune., 1920-11-14

spite Of persistent arguments on the
part Of the bait dealers and in spite
Of reductions which finally removed
80 per cent of their asking price.
He wouldn't give so cents, or 10
cents or one cent, he said, and he
couldn't furnish the address of any.
body else that would. His fish came
by express, he declared again and
again, and the only people he knew
that did any fishing were mainly
colored, dug their own bait, and
though these might possibly be will
ing to accept the angleworms as a
gift they would probably be in
clined to resent a generosity includ-
ing so many spiders, not to speak of
the dangerous winged members of
the election. On account of these
latter he jocosely professed himself
to be anxious lest the tops of some
Of the jars might work loose-and
altogether he was the most disheart-
ening man they had ever met.
Such anti-climax was never
stimulant to amiability and, after
an alteration outside the store, dur
ing which the derisive fish man con.
tinuously called to them to go on
and take that there basket out of
the neighborhood, the cousins moved
morbidly away and walked for
time in silence.
They brooded Herbert was even
more embittered with Florence than
he was with the fish man, ard Flor
ence found life full of unexpected
ness: it had been absolutely clear
and certain to her that the fish man
would say:
"Why, certainly. Here's s5; $3.50
for each of you. Would you care
to have jars back" The fact, so
contrary, seemed to wear the aspect
of deliberate malice, and she felt i'll
used, especially as she had several
physical grievances due to her as
sistance in pouring part of the cleo
ton into the jars with tops. In spite
of every precaution three or four
cf the liveliest items had made their
escape during this pouring and had
behaved resentfully. Florence bore
one result on the back of her left
hand, two others on the thumb and
second finger of her right hand, and
another, naturally the most conspicu-
Gus, on the point of her chin. These
lad all been painful, in spite of mud
poultices, but, excited in the antici-
ration of a kindly, smiling fish man,
and occupied with plans for getting
Herbert to spend part OF his $3.50
for mutual refreshment, she had
borne up cheerfully. Now, compre-
hending that she had suffered in
vain, she suffered anew, and hated
bugs, all fish men, and the world.
Nevertheless, it was Herbert who
broke the silence and renewed the
alteration. How far you eXpeck me
to go on luggin' this ole basket" he
demanded bitterly. "All the way
home?"
Il don't care how far she in
formed him. "You can throw it away
if you want to. It's certainly no
propaty OF mine, thank you"
Look here, didn't you promise
you'd carry it home?"
II said l spoke to. l didn't say 1
would carry it,"
We'll, | like to know the diff
But Florence cut him off. "I'll tell
YOU the difference, since you're SO
nXious to know the truth. Mister
ierber Atwater! The difference IS
Just this: you had no biznuss to
NEEDLE with those vile ole bugs IN
the first place, and get me all stung
up so't | shouldn't wonder I'd hat
to have the doctor, time I get home,
and if l do I'm goin' to tell mamma
all about it and make her send the
bill to your father. I want you to
know hurt!"
"My goodness" Herbert burst out.
Don't you s'pose hurt any? I guess
you don't hurt any worse than'---
She stopped him: Listen"
TROM down the street there came
4 brazen gonging, clamoring
imperiously for right of way;
it grew louder, mingling with the
Gathering and whiz of great bodies
at speed. Little blurs and glisten-
ings in the distance grew swiftly
larger and took shape as fire en-
gine and a hose cart. Then, round
the nearby corner, came perilousiy
steering, like skidding dachshund,
a long hook and ladder wagon; It
made the turn and went by, with it,