Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-01

seat, Of the double sleigh, helped Ruby
into the back seat, motioned Corr
nelius to get In there with the girl and
drove away. See that Ruby Is
wrapped up warm, Corny,. he COM
manded as he 0icked his. spirited black
horse, with che whip. There's plenty
Of robes in there. ~
"All right, Uncle Jim, And It was
spparent that Corny didn't object to
q fair lady. Ruby had always held
him aloof-perbaps 10 was because she
was afraid she would like him too well.
Cornelius was a nice boy and he was
making lots of money with his model
chicken farm, but Ruby. In spite Of her
IDLE chatter, was afraid OF love, and
somehow Cornelius represented love,
though she had never recognized that
TACT: Now the two of them rode 81
ently side by side. with a moon break
ing. through the clouds to starte at them
Meanwhile Mr.. Busby racked his
brain to think of some way to make
them talk. and while he worried about
IT the spirited black horse brought
about the desired result without being
consulted at all. There was q patch
OF white near the graveyard. a staring
white monument erected that year,
and the moonlight fell upon It. The
horse had seen 1t before and shied at
1t every time. and 40 tonight he shied
again and danced around with sharp
turn of the sleigh that neatly dumped
Ruby and Cornelius into a great soft
snowbank that muffled their cries Of
dismay. In moment the sleigh was
righted and Mr.. Busby had driven
away blissfully unaware OF the acci-
dent.
Ruby and young Cornelius sat up in
the snow and stared at each other.
Then they began to laugh at their
plight. and the laughter seemed to melt
the strangeness Of their being together.
Cornelius helped Ruby out of the snow
and wiped her face dry with his big
white handkerchief. His fingers shook
little as he did so; her cheeks were
soft and round like baby's and her
hair was soft. He wiped dry her cold
little hands and brushed off the snow
from her garments. "You look like an
Easter rabbit" he said armiringly.
.! feel more like a snow OWL
laughed Ruby. There, Corny. you
better look out for yourself. You'll be
catching cold! ~
"We better walk home the rest OF
the way" suggested Cornelius. eve
can warm up, and don't believe Uncle
Jim will miss US till he gets to your
house,
So he tucked Ruby's hand under hit
arm and they set off down the road
finding their tongues loosed, and dis
covering that they liked the same books
and the same dances and the sam'
phonograph records. Ruby related how
she had told his uncle that very after
noon that nothing eyer happened II
| Tal. hat hoI
happened tonight she cried.
That's right !" agreed Cornelius il
an odd voice, and after that they wer
both very quiet, but he held her ham
close in his arm all the way. Whel
they reached Ruby's house Mr.. Bush,
was just driving back after them. Afte
all the explanations had been made an
Mr.. Busby had coughed great dea
and patted the black horse very ap
provingly, he told Cornelius he woul
take him home II he was ready to go.
I'm going to stay and have suppe
"She asked me to.
The next morning Ruby came int
the postofice looking very happy
Going to be a dull day. Ruby" san
out Mr.. Busby. Nothing ever. hap
pens in Lakeside. wish some hand
some drummer would come alon
Or"
."Mr. Busby," interrupted Ruby wit
threat in her voice and a laugh in he
eyes, "if you say anything more lik
. that-I'll crochet some table napkin
for your wife,
Keep 'em for your hope chest,
chucklcd the postmaster as he dodge
: out of the door.
| II wonder" said Ruby. as sh
8 opened the wicket and gave a packag
to little SAMMY 3, Jones who 40. stared aI in IN
, everything, ! s'pose,' and she WASH
thinking about Sammy Jones at all.
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