, 1922-01-21


responsible. That's a comfort, any
how, especially as people are reading
copies OF Herberf's manifesto all I'D
and down the town. my clerk says.
He tells me that over at the Cole COM
pany, where young Murdock Halves l.
cashier. they only got hold OF D COPY.
but typewrote It and multgraphed II.
n some OF EN- have already learned
II by heart TO recits TO poor young
Halves. He's the M who sent Julia
the three nve-pound boxes Of choco-
lates all al the same time, you re-
member"
"Yes." Mrs. Atwater sighed. "Poor
thlngi"
FLORENCE Is out among the family,
I suppose7" he inquired.
"No; she's right here. She's Just
started to read Ruskin this afternoon.
She says she's going TO begin and read
all Of him straight through That's
very nice. don't you thinkT'
He seemed to muse before replying.
II think that's very nice, at her
& especially" Mrs. Atwater urged.
Don't your
"Ye-esi oh. yesf Al least, I sup
pose so. Ah-you don't think-of
purse she hasn't had anything at all
to do with thisT"
-weil. I don't see how she could.
You know Aunt Fanny told us how
Herbert declared before them all. only
last Sunday night. that Florence
Z -h@,fa na~ar hovo ~. thtn, - a.. 18th
his printing-press. and said they
wouldn't even let her come ear it,
Yes, that's n fact. I'm glad Her
bert made II SO clear that she can't be
implicated I suppose the family ar,
ali pretty well down on Uncle 10
seph7'
Uncle Joseph is being great!
blamed" said Mrs. Atwater primly
"He really ought to have known bette
than to put such an Instrument int
the hands OF a boy of that age. Of
course II simply encouraged him &c
print all kinds of things. We none OF
us think Uncle Joseph ever dreamed
that Herbert would publish anything
like this. and OF course Uncle Joseph
says himself he never dreamed such n
thing; he's said 90 time and time
again. all afternoon. But of course
he's greatly blamed"
II suppose there've been quite q
good many of 'em over there blaming
himT' her husband inquired.
"Yes-until he telephoned to a
gnrage and hired a car and went for
a drive. he said he had plenty of
money with him and didn't know when
he'd be back"
Serves him right" sad Mr.. Atwa-
ter. Does anybody know where
Herbert Isl"
mot yet"
well" and he returned to a for
mer theme. ~ am glad we aren't I'M
plicated. Florence Is right there with
you. Is she7"
yes" she said. "she's right here,
reading. You aren't worried about
her. are your" sho added.
"oh. no; I'm sure It's all right. /
only thought
"only thought whatr
well. IT did strike me as curious
said Mr.. Atwater; especially after
Aunt Fanny's telling us how Herbert
declared Florence could never have a
single thing to do win ms paper
again"
"weur-
"Well, here's her poem right at the
top OF II. and q very friendly Item
about her history mark of last June.
It doesn't seem like Herbert TO be so
complimentary to Florence. all OF a
sudden Just struck me as rather Gu
rious; that's ALL"
"why. yes" said Mrs. Atwater, at
does seem a little odd-when you
think Of IT,"
Have you asked Florence If she
had anything to do with getting out
this weeks oriole7"
"why. no; IT never occurred to me,
especially after what Aunt Fanny told
us" said Mrs. Atwater. It'll ask her
now"
But she was obliged to postpone the
Intended question. Sesame and
Lilies lay sweetly in the chair that
Florence had occupied. but Florence
herself had gone somewhere else.
She had gone for a long. long ram
BILE; and pedestrians who encountered
her. and took note Of her expression.
were Interested; and. rs they wen on
their way. several of them interrupted
he course OF their meditatiens TO say
to themselves that she was the most
thoughtful-looking young girl they had
ever seen. There was q touch OF visit
fitness about her, too: as Of ona
whose benevolence must all
hope Of comprehension and reward.