The Holly chieftain., 1922-09-21

bird bath. Ninian said the unspell-
able "m-m," rising infection, and the
Il see prolonging the verb as was ex.
pected of him. Ina said that they
meant to build summer house, only,
there, he didn't know anything about
that. Ina was using her eyes. she was
arch, she was coquettish, she was fir
tatiOus, and she believed herself
to be merely matronly. sisterly, wom-
anly
She screamed. Dwight was at the
gate. Now the meeting, exclamation,
And Lulu, peeping through the
blind.
When "tea" had been experienced
that evening. 1t was found that light
rain was falling and the Deacons and
their guests. the Plows, were con-
strained to remain in the parlor. The
Plows were gentle. family lustrous
folk. sketched into life rather lightly,
as If they were. say, looking in from
some other level.
"The only thing" said Dwight
Herbert, that reconciles me to rain Is
that I'm let off crOquet." He rolled
his RS, favorite device of his to in
duce humor. He called it "croquette."
He had never been more irrepressible.
The advent of his brother was partly
accountable, the need to show himself
fine family man and host in Il pros
porous little hOme--simple and pa
thetic desire.
Tell you what We'll dol" said
Dwight MIN and I'll remlnisce lit
tie"
dol" cried Mr.. Plow. This gentle
fellow was always excited by life, so
fnintly excited by him, and enjoyed its
presentation in any real form
Nlnian had unerringly selected a
dwarf rocker, and he was Overlooking
1t and rocking.
Take this chair, do!" Ina begged.
"a big chair for big man." She
spoke us II he were about the age of
Monona.
Ninian refused, insisted on his re-
fusal. A few years more, and human
relationships would have spread san
ity even to Inas estate and she would
have told him why he should exchange
chairs. AS 1t was she forebore, and
kept glancIng anxiously at the over
burdened little beast beneath him.
The child Monona entered the room.
She had been driven down by Di and
Jenny Plow, who had vanished up
stairs and, through the ventilator,
might be heard in lift and fall OF
giggllng. Monona had also been driven
from the kitchen where Lulu was, for
some reason, hurrying through the
dishes. Monona now ran to Mrs Bett,
stood beside her and stared about re-
sentfully. Mrs. Bett was in best black
md ruches, and she seized upon Mo-
mona and patted her, as her own form
OF social expression; and Monona
wriggled like puppy, as hers.
"Quiet, petite" said Ina, eyebrows
up. She caught her lower lip In her
teeth.
"Well, SIR" said Dwight, "you
wouldn't think 1t to look at us, but
mother had her hands pretty full, bring
ing us up"
Into Dwights face came another
look. 1t was always so when he spoke
Of this foster-mother who had taken
these two boys and seen them through
the graded schools. This woman
Dwight adored, and when he spoke Of
her he became his inner self
- hos
while you're here, Nln," he said.
To this Ninian gave casual assent.
lacking his brothers really tender ar
dor.
Little" Dwight pursued, "little did
she think I'd settle down into nice,
quiet, married dentist and magistrate
In my town. And Mn into-say, Mn,
what are you, anyway
They laughed.
THAT'S the question:" said Ninian.
They laughed.
Maybe" Ina ventured. maybe
Ninian will tell us something about his
travels. He is quite traveller, you
ular Gulliver."
Ihey laughed respectfully.
"How we should love 1t, Mr.. Dea-
con-" Mrs. Plow said. "You know
we've never seen very much"
Goaded on, Ninian launched upon
his foreign countries as he had seen
them: Population, exports, imports,
soil, irrigation, business. For the pop
ulations Ninian had no respect. Crops
could not touch ours. Soil mighty poor
picklngs. And the business-say!
Those fellows don't know--and, say,
the hotels Don't say foreign hotel to
Ninian.
He regarded all the alien earth as
barbarian, and he stoned 1t. He was
equipped for absolutely no Intensive
observation. His contacts were negli-
gible. Mrs. Plow was more excited by
the Deacons' party than Ninian had
been wrought upon by all his voyag-
Ing.