Year: 1871

GONG by the house that morning, sgd
ney Powers looked up at the windows and
unconsciOusly dropped into a slower gait
for the boy did his walking as he did al
most everything else, " at a sort of double
quick"


There the house stood, looking natural
as the face of an old friend that we like all
| the better for its homeliness-a large, com
| Portable white house, mounted with some
what faded green blinds and wide veran-
dab, and a green lawn in front with a
sprinkling of fruit trees and strawberries


Sydney Powers listened toe, as much
| from old habit as anything else. He al
most expected to see Joe Ripley's round,
cropped head at the window or in the
door, and hear his loud, hearty shout
Halo, there, SydI Can't you hold sp a
minute, until fellow can get up with
your" for Joseph Ripley was habitually
slower than Sydney, whether at books,
work or play; but he was not lacking in
parts, for all that.


But this morning there was no shout
nor rush of feet along the gravel walk.
How strange, and silent, and almost SOL
emn it seemedl Perhaps Joe was there,
peeping behind the blinds. at that
thought Sydney Strengthened himself up
and trudged on.


There had beer. q quarrel between these
two boys, who had been like brothers from
their infancy; it had been miserable af-
fair, springing out of just nothing at al,
as great many grown peoples quarrels
do, and take to themselves huge proper
tions. If people would only hearken to
those wise old words, The beginning of
strife is as when one letteth out t'waterlp


The trouble commenced in some paltry
dispute about respective rights on the
play ground. Neither Of the boys would
give up his side, and the dispute grew into
high words, and then both suddenly famed
into fierce and bitter rage.


Such dreadful names as they called each
other-each striving after the eoarsest and
hardestt words-until at last, by natural
process. they went from words to blows.
Each had given the other regular pound
ing. There was more than one black and
blue spot on Sydney's limbs, and his bones
had a generally stiff feeling, and he was
certain that he had dealt as heavy blows as
he received; but he didn't suppose that
Joe minded the stiff, bruised feeling any
more than he did.


But to think they should never be
friends any moreI 1t was like some ugly
dream that Joe and he had quarreled for
ever. Why, what jolly times they had
had as far back as Sydney could remem-
berl Somehow all his sports and pleasures
were in some way bound up with Joe.
Where had he ever had "gOod time or
any real fun without that boy was IN for
a share of it? How many times they had
gone nutting and fishing together how
they had coasted and skated and snow
balled through the wintersl What trollcs
they'd had climbing the trees and shaking
down the heaps Of ripe fruit in the golden
autumRs what glorious hours they'd had
in the woods in the long summer days
when they used to go out for berries and
to hunt for last years nests; what capital
sails on the river; what scrapes tossing
the fresh-mown hay in the fields, and nd
ing on the great piles to the barn; how
many lessons they'd learned; how many
nights they'd slept together. Why, he
knew Joe by heart almost, just las he knew
his old Robinson Crusoe, for instance,
with its battered corners and dog-eared
pages.


And all this was over. He never knew
before what a gap it would make in his
life to slip Joe out of it And to think
they would never have any of the dear old
times together again-Joe Ripley and hel
Hadn't they called each other liars? p
hadn't they vowed never to speak to each
other again? 1t was all very foolish and
wicked-Sydney was sure of that, now
that he came to think over the whole
thing; but then boys must keep their
word, and he wasn't going to be the first
to come round and try to make up after
that talk and fight-not he, his cheeks
tingling and his short, round, reddish
locks of hair seeming to bristle at the
thought.


As for Joe, he'd answer for himl Joe
was a good fellow, with heart as soft as
a girls, if you got on the right side of it /;
but he was stubborn as mule when his
will was up, and Sydney was morally GER
tain he'd make no concessions OF any sort
in this case. So it was settled that his
and Joe's good days were over.


Why, what was that? A sudden stric-
ture of pain across his heart and some
thing wet on his eyelashesl The way that
boy dashed it Off He. Sydney Powers,
almost twelve years old, just going to turn
girl and cry because that he and Joe Rip
ley had got mad and wouldn't speak to
each otherl How the boys would laugh
and shout Cry babyl"


While he was red to the roots Of his
hair thinking of this, the boy caught sight
of a well-knOwn figure coming up the
road-a boys figure, with an easy, leung-
ing sort of gait, a straw hat and blue
Jacket. He knew it all as well as he knew
any one thing in the world.


Joe Ripley must have caught sight OF
Sydney at that very moment, for he
seemed suddenly to bristle all over. He
Strengthened up-the halfshambling gait
was suddenly exchanged for formality Of
step and movement which, it was apparent
enough, was not at all natural, but just
assumed for the occasion, and sat rather
comically on the round figure and light
cropped head of the boy.


Sothe two went by silently, with averted
faces and lips compressed-these boys who
had been piayfellows from their infancy,
who had loved each other like brothers,
and who, now that the strong passion of
the moment had cleared away, saw all the
folly and wickedness of which they had
both been guilty. And yet neither had the
courage and the true manliness to confess
his share of the fault, and say to the other,
{" I've done wrong, and I'm sorry for it"
But each thought it was nobler and
drawer to keep up the semblance
of anger after the feeling had
passed, and each really believed in his
foolish little soul that he should sacrifice
his own rights and dignity by manfully
confessing his fault, and that somehow he
owed it to himself to still cherish feel
ing and manner of bitterness and animos-
ity. Foolish boysl And yet, dear children,
l have known plenty of men and women
no better or wiser than they.


Joe Ripley had an inveterate habit of
talking to himself, which had often af-
forded great deal of sport to the boys;
but Joe's oddities had marvellous tenaci-
ty about them, which neither argument
nor ridicule could easily overcome.


One is so apt to see a quarrel in diff
ferent light after sleeping over it. Joe's
rose up in his memory in its true proper
tio,,s ,,ox- and ba aaT clearly enough how