Evening star., 1923-12-16

ECAUSE' COME FROM LONDON"
source. A powerful aroma OF beer
descended upon the little girl. What
name would you like him to be call
cd, lady?"
She twisted up her face. Il should
like him to be called Black Beauty"
That's what he is called" said the
driver .hoarseiy.
: Although he's brown?" said the
little girl quickly.
The driver raised his head and
gazed despairingly at the porter. He
lis names black. lady. an is tail"
so they are! So they are!" cried
the little girl. do you mind IL
click him OFF,
"Not a bit, lady" said the driver
relieved
Tick! Tckw clicked the little
girl Gee up. Black Beauty"
x **
THE driver thought hard during
the long drive to the Old Court
house. He was in violent sympathy
with the strikers and he had q sullen
notion that he was playing false to
them by permitting a relative of the
hated Bassett in his cab. The cab
overlook, passed through and left the
ranks Of the marchers. Then the
roof-trap was agitated from beneath
and he raised 1t and looked down
The little girl. who had climbed
upright to get at the trap. was re-
settling herself upon her curled-up
legs. "I just wanted to say" she
said, please nick those flies off Black
Beauty's ears. Thank you. You
must watch them, you know. Where
were all those men going to?'
The question was pleasant to the
driver He had the feeling that his
horse must be thinking him a fool
or gone mad thus f1nickingly to ap-
ply the lash he customarily used with
all his arm behind it. He said with
harsh emphasis. They're going to
see your dear uncle"
Are they?" cried the little girl.
rs it a party?'
Party growled the driver.
"Party?"
You've been drinking beer. haven't
you? said the little girl.
Yes lady said the driver. and
closed the trap.
The Old Courthouse was an
preached, by massive iron gates and
a short drive, and the front door
stood within cavernous portals. The
driver descending, rang for her the
bell-pull, climbed to his perch, and
drove away.
A very tall, thin man opened the
door and looked all about him till
the little girl coughed, when he
looked toward his boots and observed
her.
IF you please" said the little girl,
i've como to stay with my dear
uncle" and she stepped over the
threshold and began very industri-
ously to wipe her feet on the mat.
:, The man stared down with the air
OF ono watching an astounding and
uncanny phenomenon. "Is it Mr.
Bassett you mean"
Excuse my not answering before"
said the little girl after a pause in
which her feet continued vigorously
to work. 81 go nine times with each
foot and have to count. How many
times do you go?''
I'm afraid ! couldn't quite say as to
that" said the tall man. With the
porter and the driver he found him
self as it were mesmerically over
powered.
The little girl regarded him in
terestedly. 81 suppose it's a habi.
with you. My dear mamma says that
in time it becomes a habit. and then
you stop counting. Do you do the
backs of your heels like this or like
this?'
I'm afraid I couldn't quite say as
to that, MISS" said the tall man. He
cleared his throat. II was ,inquiring,
miss, il 1t was Mr. Bassett you meant
for your uncle?'
"Oh, yes" said the little girl. MY
dear Uncle Henry. 1t couldn't be
either Of my other dear uncles, you
see-my dear Uncle Barnabas or my
dear Uncle William-because my
dear mamma says they're not on
speaking terms with my dear Uncle
Henry. $50 they couldn't be here,
could they?'
"Pm afraid couldn't quite say as
to that, miss" said the tall man. "I
don't seem to recollect the gentle
men," He made an uncertain mo-
tion toward the Interior of the hall.
What name might it'll be, miss?"
Lucy said the little girl" What's
yours?" -....
"Cleggs, miss" said the tall man,
speaking like the porter, on the re-
bound OF surprise. He drifted up the
hall and, knocking discreetly, passed
through doorway. ASsF
A.&*
THE proprietor, Of Bassett's Paper
Mills sat At writing table, hn-
gering some; papers and looking the
man impervious to any reasoningi
but his own, the solitary and embit-
tered man with a grudge against ali |
men, the man proud to the marrow |
and hard to the bone, that he was !
to be and that unquestion- |
ably he was.
He looked up and spoke in an aus
tere voice. rIf that's the deputation, |
& - ! .--a r<isf
Cleggg began, -'I beg your pardon. |
I'll. 5t&--. and turned at some- ]