Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-02
THE EVENING STORY

! "N-no, I don't think so, though he
| isn't here The children over yonuef
are eating lots. He couldn't stop them.
I guess you might have few
| There was a quick vault and the
youth stood beside her. He was good
| ly to look upon, too, in spite of rough
clothes and a scar across one cheek,
as from a recent scratch. Anna Lou
lisa had not looked upon many youths
so close as this, and charming color
stole into her face.
| Aren't they good, thought? said
f, the youth, throwing berries into MS
mouth almost as fast as she did into
her basket. why don't you eat?
Don't you like them?"
"Of course. But I'm awful busy.
can't spare time for eating single
one" Then, as though fearing TINS
wasn't quite hospitable to even achance
| tramp who had forced himself upon
her, she hurriedly explained the fea'
| son, with still more color coming to
| her face.
The youth listened attentively, nod
ding his head Understandings. Nov,
you look here" he burst out when she
| finished, why can't / step into this
breach? l need job awfully. tried
to find something to do all day yester-
day, and this morning / was so hard
no fish are there. lit would be do
| ing me no end of a favor"
She looked at him doubtfully. DO
| you know how to pick? Being a
tramp-going around SO much, mean
-and-and-Uncle Swank don't like
| the berries mashed"
''Of course not" he agreed, with a
grave face. but ! think / can do it
pretty well. My fingers are nimble
and quick to learn Now watch" he
took an empty basket and commenced
on the row next to hers. She watched
| him fill it, not ceasing work herself.
"Fine." she commended when the
basket was filed You'll do it all
right. You pick. better than some of
| the children now"
Then you'll hire me?"
1--we only got 81 cents of my
own"
THAT will do nicely" he agreed.
cit will be enough to buy me a pipe
| and 'baccy and something to drink,
and I'll eat one strawberry out of
every seventeen I pick. and
| She had turned to him with startled
dismay in her face. Then she snick-
cred.
You're fibbing," she accused. "A
smoker and drinker never had such a
| clean, nice face as yours"
well, then, chocolate creams, he
amended. II do like chocolate creams.
You can't dispute that
Anna Louisa laughed softly. IAN
right" she said. Go ahead and pick.
You can eat two out of every seven
| teen if you want to. And-and seem
to see that 450 boxes in the packing
room and me in a new dress at the
party"
"And I may be there to see, -
hummed the youth. setting aside his
second box and picking up third
empty one.
After that they got on finely to-
gether. working side by side, their
shoulders occasionally touching, their
eyes now and then flashing into each
others. In an hour she had forgotten
he was a tramp or a man very much
in need of work.
The second morning he came as
soon as she appeared, and the third he
was ahead of her.
When they rose from the vines at
sunset on the third day, with the 504th
and 505th heaping baskets in their
hands, they looked at each other, and
then, as though by single thought,
sauntered back behind a line Of grape
vines. There the youth puckered his
! lips in suggestive way. which Anna
happy face toward his and the lips
came together.
That's the seal of our engagement,
sweetheart said the youth, rather
gravely, And need not tell you I'm
the happiest fellow in all the world
And mind I'm going to claim every
dance at the party
win you be there?" she asked, in
surprise. but with her eyes lighting
at the thought.
Naturally, as It's my party smil-
ing at her lovingly. I'm Hugh
Wyman.'
"But why--why didn't you tell me-
and the old clothes?''
| I'D been fishing. you know. and
didn't dare tell, for you would have
been sure to turn me down. But
there's some one calling you--likely
your aunt. Now give me one more
kiss and III hop over the fence
THE END.
! fCopyright 1927