Evening star., 1922-08-27

N RS. LURELIA ELLIS took the
NH cranberry pie from the oven
and set 1t on the back of the
L Il stove. 1t was a successful
pie. il she said it as shot ldnt: crisp.
faky brown crust; crimson. juicy
Filings: a very good pie indeed But,
good as it was, it was not too good
for Obed Nothing was too good LOT
"a husband like Obed Ellis.
They had been married but a month.
She had come from Cape Ann to cape
Cod TO act as housekeeper and COM
panicn for old Mrs Bailey at Trumet.
On the first of September she had
taken days holiday, and in common
with at least one-half of Irumets S
population excurdoned to the country
fair at Ostable. There, lonely in all
the great crowd, she had stopped be-
fore the booth where one might. for
the small sum Of five cents, toss three
rings at a rack Of pegs. These pegs
were numbered. If one were fortu-
nate enough-or skillful enough-to
ring a peg. one received a prize. the
prizes were more or less valuable
principally less. A red-faced person
with pink and white shirt sleeves
made strenuous announcement.
Here v are, ladies and gents" he
bawled Here y are! Toss 'em in
and ring 'em out. A genuwine guar
anteed prize for each and every
ringer. Look at 'em. ladies and
gents, look at 'em. Australian solid
nickel-silver scarf pins! Genuwine
New Jersey ivory napkin holders
Alaska diamond studded hair combs
for the ladies. Three chances for
nickel. half a dime. hve cents! Toss
'em in and ring 'em OUT.
URELIA noticed that while many
l. tossed them in. but few succeeded
in ringing them out. Then newcomer
laid down a nickel and prepared to try
his luck. He was. she thought,
striking looking man, thick set.
broad-shouldered, sunburned. wearing
a blue uniform with brass buttons
and a blue yachting cap. Like her,
and therefore unlike the majority of
the people on the fair grounds, he
seemed to be quite alone. She had
been on the point of moving on; now
she stayed to watch him mako the
trial.
Two rings he tossed and each shot.
although close, was a miss. The third,
however, fairly encircled q peg. The
red-faced person lifted both pink and
white skirt sleeves in the air.
Look a that" he beloved. Look
at it, The gent rings number thirty
two. winnin' the genuwine Alaska
studded drmond lady's hair comb!
He lays down five cents and he takes
away a hundred dollars-more or less.
There you are, sir! There's the genu-
wine Alaska. Shall I hand it to you
or will your wife put it on now and
give the congregation q treat?'
Lurelia was standing beside the win
ner of the prize. Tho red-faced per
son was dramatically Offering her the
comb. She blushed furiously. The
Iookers-on. divinfng the mistake.
cheered and laughed. She hurried
away moment later she felt
touch on her elbow. The broad
shouldered man in the blue uniform
had followed her. His embarrassment
seemed to be as great as hers.
"Ma'am," he stammered: II wish
you'd take it. I'D like you to have
IT first rate. I'm all alone and-and 1t
amt a bit of use to me. honest"
She drew herself up. Lurelia was
nothing il not proper. She had never
hirted in all the thirty-dve vears OF her
life Having read q great deal. she
knew exactly what and how to reply.
"SirI' she exclaimed.
"Yes'm' said the man, removing the
Yachting cap. Il wish you would
take it. That-that feller was fool,
and if you say so, I'll punch his nose.
Shall I?''
She was. momentarily. startled out
of her propriety.
"Oh. no" she exclaimed.
Il will. IL you say so. He's smart
aleck and he'd ought to be licked.
But-but, honest, do wish you'd take
this thing. 'Twould look nice on you
and-and l amt got nobody Of my
own to give it to. I'm a stranger
here Won't you take 1t, please?
IL don't mean it fresh nor nothin'."
T URELIA looked at him. He was
Il about her own age. or little
older He had an honest face, II she
ever saw one. He was blushing and
did not at all resemble the bold bad
lady-killer. of whom she had read in
her favorite romances.
She hesitated. Then-well. then her
own romance began.
Before she returned to Trumet that
evening she had learned much con-
cerning the man in the blue uniform.
His name was Obed Ellis. He was a
bachelor, had been to sea in his
younger days, had since worked hard
1t various employments on shore. and
was now acting as watchman and
,aretaker, in charge of the property
of the big hotel at Orham. During
the summer he was in command Of
the hotel pier and boats. but now. as
the season was over. had more leisure.
His wages, he informed her with sat-
isfaction, went on just the same,
summer or winter" He was q
Methodist. q republican. and his life
was insured for two thousand dollars.
He was alone in the world. just az
she was.
r--~.h>. .h>v ,nsu>ctAd tha naulfrv