The Washington times., 1929-02-11

privilege of using II. When I'm
permitted only to be q model for
expensive and exclusive tailors,
how can / kid myself into be.
Iieving I'm man?"
Aunt Ellen was startled.
Freckles' American frankness of
expression often shocked her.
"And beside that" he went on,
'I don't care for the qualities Of
your gentlemen; they may bc
perfect examples of parlor eti-
quette. but their etiquette outside
parlors Is not so good. They don't
amount to q damn--but then,
neither do I!'
Aunt Ellen gasped. She had
never seen her nephew quite 50
vehement before.
Terrence. dear, you must be
hungry"
Yes, I'm hungry. out not for
food; looking at him Aunt Ellen
saw that his eyes were not seeing
her, nor anything n ths room
ther were seeing mary miles into
space perhaps as FAR as across
the ocean.
"And as for the daughter of
your friends, ask her 70 live here
by all means; no doubt she is
lovely, but / am lot inter-
ested--" Freckles' voice trailed
off into silence.
Abruptly he rose. where is
Uncle MAXWELL"
I'm the garden, dear. but I
think It best that you do not
talk to him in your present
mood?'
well, don't agree with you!
1t may wake him up TO find that
the mood am in today is off the
same piece as the one he is in
all the time. No doubt he will
stamp his foot and grow purple
in the face, but its all q bluff.
Anyway, I'm used to it. Funny,
why these explosive old men
never realize that ii they pre-.
sented their arguments without
assuming that they know every
thing in the world, and in a
calm. sane manner, someone
might pay a little attention to
them sometimes.
Aunt Emma sighed. Yes dear,
I've lived with your Uncle Max
well 40 years.
They went down stairs, and
Freckles strode out through the
gardens. The awful gardens!
They gave Freckles the creeps
every time he looked at them.
Walks and flower beds were all
laid out in geometrieai precision.
There were no birds. because the
hedges and shrubbery were all
trimmed so closely there were no
secluded places for birds to hide
their nests. To Freckles. half the
beauty of q garden were the
voices OF the birds singing or
calling to enc another. Every
thing was artificial. Nothing had
the graceful beauty Of things
growing naturally. There was
not even q friendly little weed.
or a stray runaway" to mar the
symmetry Of the whole.
In the center was a perfectly
round pool with q cement edge,
and on the water flOated two
large white swans, as dignlfied
and cold as their master and
mistress. Freckles held out his
hand to one OF the swans, but it
rose on its feet. tapped its wings
protestingly, and struck ut him
vici0usIy.
Even the trees and shrubs
have to grow as he says; they
get no more freedom than the
members OF his household; what
spiritless, emotionless place this
is-"
unconsciously, Freckles had
thought out loud, so he was
startled when he heard the curt
tones OF Uncle MaxwelPs voice:
Eth what's that--what's 3 that?''
Pardon me--I sometimes get
50 lonely for someone agreeable
to talk to around here, that
talk to myself, Freckles said as
he sat down beside his uncle.
Uncle Maxwell glared, and
Freckles wondered what pleasure
he derived from keeping others
unhappy.
Uncle Maxwell, can't stand
this any longer
Just what is this that you can
not stand?"
I've told you before-the idle.
ness nothing to do-haying no
incentive to live for. I'm "a now.
I'm not child any longer
Tt seems to me that you are
pretty lucky young man. / think
have dome very wen by you. You
have everything done for your COM
fort, entertainment and convent.
ence; most men In your shoes
would consider themselves ex.
tremely fortunate. And Uncle
Maxwell favored F'reckles with j
self-satisfied smile.
The men you have In mind
must be pretty spineless inaividu.
ais IL they would be contented with
as useless and as uneventful exist.
ence as this-we don't live at All.
What 40 you want me to do"
LET me so into the city ana go
to work. I've got to get some
pride and self-respect--1'm slowly
dying OF dry rot this way" There
was still that far-away look in
Freckle's eyes. There is some
thing / want to do---very badly
but / can't do it until have made
something of myself--I can't do
1t IL ! remain here-a parasite"
WT cannof saaryp1ff van "a 90 ~