Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-13

| less socks. At length he lounu pair,
one solitary pair among fifty pairs or
, so that were more or less uusound.
Il can manage to wear these to-
morrow and Monday" reflected Peter.
'and I'll get one Of the girls to mend
some up on Monday
So Monday morning he approached
the middle sister. Janet.
"If you haven't anything else 10
do. some time today he began with
what he thought considerable diplo'
macy, you might mend few OF the
best of the socks I've laid out on my
| bed. I've such skad of them that l
don't like the idea of buying any more.
so if you haven't anything else to do
Janet interrupted:
Peter, Petcr.' she began in dulcet
but rcprOving tones. "1hat'S just like
/ man. He assumes because woman
has no regular business that she hasn't
when | marry Tom he'll have to look
at things from n different angle. Really,
it is so ridiculous. Men spend for
tunes educating and cultivating women.
! They send them to college. have their
voices trained. have them learn all the
arts and all the graces and then they
say: Since you haven't anything else
! 70 do. please darn my socks Really.
| Peter. ! don't want 10 he disagreeable.
{ Its the principle of the thing.
7 Peter excused himself from the fcmi.
nine circles of sisters little early. In
| his own sitting room he unwrappcd Il
small parcel containing darning cotton
and silk. large thimble and Il paper
of needles.
! There was rap on his door. But
before Peter had time TO gather his
mcnding equipment together Sister
Maud had come in.
"peter. Peter" said Maud. scorn
in her voice an | in her eyes. II can't
| imagine Il brother Of mine doing any
thing Ike that. | thOnght you were Il
regular man. but | see you aren't. |
hope that you don't toll our friends that
you have to mend your own stockings ~
Peter gathered the socks and the
mcnding things together with hang
dog look and then asked his sister TO
take seat. But Maud did not. She
I had been too seriously shocked.
The next Saturday afternoon Peter
made neat package containing ten
or fifteen pairs OF socks and Jared
| forth. lie was going TO try TO find
some oldish person who would be WILL
! ing to darn socks If well paid. lie had
no idea where he was going TO find
one. He started thinking that an In
SpIrntion might come. But before any
thing like an inspiration had come he
Spiod his three sisters coming up the
street No street to turn down lay
between him and the trio. One of them,
probably Janet, true daughter OF
Eve, was sure TO ask him what was in
the package. Peter looked about for
somewhere to vanish. Just ahead stood
the coolndgc house with n wide veranda
stretching inviting awnings out to him,
lie turned into the driveway, and was
mounting the inst steps of the vcranda
when he galantly doircd his hat tc
his sisters. doubtless consumed with
curiosity to know why he was calling
at III" Cooledges'.
Daphne Coolidge. serene and indo.
lent, rcclincd reading on II chaist
tongue. II occurred to Peter that thcll
ideas Uf passing a pleasant summer
afternoon were identical. daphne rost
and met him. offered her hand with
much cordialty. and budc him sit down
She took II straight little bent hickory
chair near him.
'l'm So glad you came she said
II was just Wishing somebody very
very nice would come. 30 you know
you haven't been 10 s-- me Tor tn
longest time
Peter stnmm"rod something abou
never making calls anyway.
But why should you?" said Daphne
"Wlth three charming sisters at hom
you don't need to. I'm afraid you r.
too content, l'rtcr.'
Daphne wUs II very pretty girl ant
nobody who knew her took her bland
ishmcnrs very seriously. Still Pete
was stirred with a feeling Of self
woman was apparently glad to see him
To be sure he hadn't called on he
much lately. When he did the sister
always reprovcd Sometimes they said
"Pctcr, Peter. | am afraid that 20,
are taking Daphne seriously. She is
desperate little iiirt.'
Peter didn't tell Daphne this
They talked Of number of thing
for ten minutes. Daphne had bee
eyoing his bundle, resting on the foo
beside him.
"Pctcr, I'm dying to know what
in that package. You didn't bring III
some candy, did youT'
"I'm So sorry,' stammered Peter
"Well, ! may as well tell you. Tha
package contains some socks that nee
mending. I was trying to find som
scamstress or something that woul
darn them for me. | thought mayh
you'd tell Inc of some one.
You poor dear" said Daphne yer
Swcetly. You have three sistcrs-an
/. no one to darn your socks. If | had
). brother-but then I'm not clever lik
l. your sisters" Daphne paused, and he
d lovely eyes dropped. Then she locke
up at Peter temptingly. Il don't hap
a pen to know seamsrress-but. reall!
y Id be SO happy if you'd let me dar
r. them for you. viii you?' She hest
J. itated, and as Peter did not object 81
% reached out for the package and pl
y, :, it in the chair beside him.
. Daphne, you're roo good" Pet
4, heard himself saying, looking intent
y. ~ in her face. lie was wondering wheth'
y she was having immense sport with hi
!. or whether really she cared for hin
:. Any man living would give his rigl
hand to possess the love of Daphr
> Coolidge. lie had never taken her vel
n seriously because it never occurred
( him that he had cnance among a
! her admirers.
(Al "Petes-Peter dear" Daphne sal