Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-27

II tho sun was
Corlett's cottage returned to its for.
mer condition as a closed up gate lodge.
When Derry trotted by Molly's side
there was apparently somebody else
astride OF her now. But--strange whis-
perlng OF sex-whoever she was the hoy
never helped her to mount, and when
she dismounted he always looked an.
other way.
Four years passed. and the boy and
girl met again. This time it was at
Government House, and the boot was
on the other leg. Fenella. a tall girl
for her age, well. grown, spirited, a lit.
tie spoiled. was playing tennis with
the three young Cell girls-daughters
OF a Manx family Of some pretensions:
When Victor, in his straw hat and
Eton jacket. appeared In the tennis
court (having driven over with his
father and been sent out to the girls by
the Governor) the French governess told
Fenella to let him join In the game.
She did so, taking q racket from one
OF the Cell girls and giving 1t to the
boy. But though Victor. who was now
at the Ramsey Grammar School, could
play cricket and football with any boy
Of his are on the island, he knew moth
Ing about tennis, and again and again,
in spite Of repeated protests, sent the
balls flying out Of the court.
The Cells Uttered and sniffed, and at
length Fenella, calling him q oooby;
snatched the racket out Q, s's hahu
and saye it back to the girl. At TINS
humiliation his eyes flashed and his
cheeks colored, and after moment ne
marched moodily back to the open WIN
dow Of the drawing room. There tne
Governor and the Deemster were sit'
ting, and the Governor said:
"Helloa! What's amiss? why areh
you playing with the girls!
..Victor!' said the Deemster. but the
bov,s eyes began to 6ll, SO the matter
ended.
There was a show Of peace when INC
girls came in to tea, but on returning
"a Rallamoar the boy communicated to
Janet in ''open court" his settled con-
yiction that girls were no good any
way"
Boy and girl did not meet again for
vet another four years and then the
boot had changed it's leg once more: by
that time Victor had made his boy
friendship. 1t was with Alick Gel.
hrothsr a. tho three Cell girls and only
son of Archibald Cell. q big man IN
Mainland, Speaker Of the House OF
Keys. the representative branch or the
little Manx Parliament. Archibald
Cells lands, which were considerable
made boundary with the Deemster ..
nnd his mansion house was the next on
the Ramsey road, but his principal ac
tivities were those Of a speculative
builder. In this capacity he had put up
vast numbers Of boarding houses an
visiting industry, borrowing from Eng
lish Insurance companies enormous
sums on mortgage, which could only be
repaid by the thrift and forethonght OF
second generation.
Alick knew what was expected OF
him. but down to date he had shown
no promise Of capacity to fulfill his
destiny. He had less Of his fathers
fery energy than OF the comfortable
contentment Of his mother. who came
of a line Of Manx parsons. always
i'll paid, generally thriftless
and sometimes threadbars. Yet he was
a lovable boy, not too bright OF brain,
but with a heart Of gold and a genuine
gift Of friendship.
At the Ramsey Grammar School he
had attached himself to Victor. fetching
and carrying for him, and looking up
to him with worshipful devotion. Now
they were together ut Hing William
College, the public school of the island,
fne lads both, but neither Of them doing
much good there.
1t was the morning Of the annual
nrixs day at the end Of the summer
term. The Governor had come to
present the prizes. and he was sur
rounded by all the officials OF man, ex:
cent the Deemster, who rarely attended
such functions. Tho boys We're on
MA tforms on either side Of the hall, and
the parents were In the body OF 1t, with
the wives and sisters Of the big people
in the front row, and Fenella the Gov
ernor's daughter, now a tall girl IN
white. with her French governess, in
the midst Of them.
At this ceremony Cell played no
mart, and even Stowell did not shine.
One boy after another went down to
tumult Of handclapping and climbed
When StOwell's turn came, the prin-
cipal, who had been calling out the
names Of the prize winners, and making
little spcecheA in their praise, tried to
improve tbs occasion with a' moral
Now here" he said, making one
Of his birdlike steps forward, 'is a
boy OF extraordinary talents-Quite
ext raordinary. Yet he has only one
prize to receive. Why? Want Of ap.
p!ieatiS9n! , II eoys Of. Of such l;.,s great eat
most say genius, would only apply
themselves, there is nothing whatever,
1t school or ip after life. ."
PshAw During this astonishi,,s
'peech Stowell was already on the plat. !