Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-02-01
CHAPTER XIV.
Flrst lave Ana nessle R,,ers.

| Ter and Charlie in vacation time
school iife has gone on as il used to
10. but We were not so hoisterous as
80 once had been. La fact, have
crown tall and strong, and begun 70
strut with lordly stride and imagine
am a man Nor are Arthur Hawkins
md / longer bosom friends. but glare
ieFeelY at each other as we pass by,
snd each longs 10 lay lance al rest
md lay the other low; for We both
toye madIy the same "ladye- fair" and
Jessie Rivers is the queen Of both our
earts.
How many dreams dreamed OF
leeds OF knightly chivalry. How
many valiant knights slew in
Imagination 10 prove my proves TO
ny lady-ioye1 would have con-
luered all the crowns OF earth, 10 nay
them hunbiy at my Iady's feet!
Arthur my once dear friend, now
mated, rival. was slain and carved up
IN thousand ways oh, Waiter
SCOTT Oh. Walter Scott! How many
oolish dreams you have put III boyish
leads. And how many absurd ey
ravagances YOU have 70 answer for.
Then. too would sometimes sing
with Moore: or sometimes pat =
laughing deyit' IN my sneer. and roam
ne ocean as bold corsair. with Bes-I
lie as Medora IN MY island fast. and
rev poor Arthur down as seyd, the
Pasha.
My dreams we're endless bu
meantime. my actions were as silly az
~ thoughts were grand ] would
arance and strut and glare, and vain
" strive to find some beauty in tne
ough reflection given back from my
ooking-glass Alas! there was none
here to fiRd: for all the glass gave
hack was an awkward. uncouth boy,
nth rather heavy chin. and a nose
title large. forehead that might be
handsome by and by and q thick
hook Of wavy red brown hair. The
one redeemtng feature was the eyes
knew they muse be good, for a
range lady had once asked ON the
treet, Who is that usly boy with the
ovegy eyes and besides they locked
little like Evelyn's. But could eyes
lone win the notice OF a ''ladye-
fair?"
And Arthur was dreaming these
sGme dreams. and We each longed FOL-
me others gore. # BESSIE could have
followed in the train of all our noble
thoughts. she might have been more
ind, and not have shattered all our
raignty dreams with ono fell word
licwever great her establishment may
lave been st finding her two best
friends changed from jolly laughing
oys into two strange. incoming. glar-
ag young animals. that lowered about
| Ter at all youthful gatherings. But
she was not a rnind-reader dear girl
nd one day, at picnic. as Arthur
nd were glaFiug At each othcv
cross her lovely head and vainly
wing to form sonle noble speech, she
| Erieked the bubble OF onr vanities b.
anrsling in silvery laugh, and
aging,
oh. Frank. you and Arthur ought
is be able TO come ous here and look
& yourselves. OF all the silly boys
scr saw, you are tie worst. And
now. am tired OF you, and you can
Noth go away. ana NOT come back nli-
| II yem have recovered from your
ilopes"
We Gods TO be called boyss And
1 ytnxgn aYS~ V&,sef,+vv no ~sian naIfoa tho
hopes!
Arthur and | wero cured, and soon
hecame dear friends once more; and
he looking glass became thing of
little use again.
| Bessie laughed right merrily when
j told her afterwards of our dreams
l md Of the two doughty knights" her
magic words had transformed into
awkward boys
tWhy. Frank" she said with =
merry peal. You may have done FIR
ION Quixote. for surely you were ugly
md doiefnl enough; but for any ether
Knight fear sou will never pass.
md / laughed With ner. though not
heartily Is sometimes did; for
Ter words still gave a twinge 10 my
aoyish vanity
Bessie vas the prettiest OF all the
younger girls IN the whole country
side, and the only ore ] tlionghi nigh.
rival Evelyn. She was the grand
daughter of Colonel Rivers. and all
he family the war had left him Her
father had died of fever in the wilder
aess. aud her only brother mach
elder than herself -beea killed al
Petersburg. Her mother. whom | re-
member SIS a delicate beauty with the
Face Of an angel. had not long snr.
viyed the double shock. and laad fadei
away fe1 months after the war had
closed.
II was q touching sight 70 sac tic
old man ard tbe little girl together
4 III hin an the devotion and feeling oi
broad naturg were conferred III fhia
last fragile bud of his blasted fan1iIS
tree; and she richly repaid il with I
>s1.s...