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t fV W"F ym jwjpyf "&n!rmrM'ym'zFri"- nrt' ' X The Coasters. Up and down the coast from Calais to the keys, Wo havo groped with land and log Through tho castor and th for, Felt tho Ktlng of hall or whistled for a brcczo, - Till wo know tho charted coast Llko tho face wo love the most. With tho old "blue pigeon" tracking down tho sens. When the ntars aro in the sky we closely pass, flailing by within a league, Darncgnt and Chlncotcague, But wo give a wider birth to Ilatteras; For slio sits among the dunes Like a siren playing tunes, All too quick to ''change a jig to dirge or mass. When tho fog la like a wall upon our lee. And the capes havo closed tho door, Through tho murk we safely boro, While tho off shore sailors blunder back to sea. Through a ram'a horn or a gourd With tho lead wo. Iny our board, Llttlo matter what the fog or night might be. Loafing slowly down the coast with drag glng shcot, Carrying on to mako a berth When tho th&nder rocks tho earth And tho leveled rains against our faces beat. Wo have waited, we havo won, in mo storm ana m tno sun, Not to vaunt In conquest, grovel In do; feat. We will hazard all with any gale that blows, Slipping out of port at night When tho storm rlaga flap with fright And tho sea is gray with long wind driven rows, When the decks are running free Uravor road there could not be; What If Death should bar us from its happy cIobo? Gales will rago about us, toppling seas downpour; Hurling scud and driving sleet Shift the deck beneath our feet, Bnatch the canvas from us, deafened by its roar. Blind to all but duty, we Hold the course wo cannot see, Flnsh a last thought homoward, pass tho open door. L. Frank Tookor In the Outlook. fjL i VV m sjtVw "& &J VIRGINIA'S COMRADE- I SHIP Hilllard turned courteously at Lydia Donning's summons. "Will you be so kind as to run up to Ted's den and. get the book?" she asked. "Then wo can sottlo the ques Hon." Hilllard accepted the commis Hion, as befitted Ted's friend and a fel low who was often at tho house. Ho went upstairs and knocked at the door of tho den. Expecting no response, he immediately pushed It open. At tho same moment a head with a mop of brown curls tied Into a bunch at the bnck lifted itself from above a big book, a pair of brilliant brown eyes looked up into Hilliard's, and Vir ginia's face broko into a smile as he stood smiling back. "Oh, come In," she cried. "Why nre you up here? Aren't you having a good time?" "A charming time," he answered without hesitation, for Virginia waa the younger daughter of the house. "Why are you not downstairs? When Brilliant brown eyes, are you going to be old enough to coma to lllsi Lydla's parties ?" "Never, I hope," declared the girl lib red lipa scornfully. "Do you real ly Ilka them? They sound 10 stupid to ma. Think of stayiag la tha bout to dance when you might be out coast ing or akatingt Now, I've bean. coast-ingr-Just carao in. Such fun!," Hilllard sat down upon -the arst of Ted's big chair. "Tell me about it," he requested. "In the first place who took you?" Virginia closed her book and came around to drop among Ted's sofa pil lows, six feet away. She wore her skating dress, yet, ho saw; an ankle longth, fur bordered, gray affair, -ith n touch of scarlet which set off her dark young beauty tfIfectively. "Oh, I went with our set," she ex plained. "It was magnificent. I shouldn't have made Kent bring me In so early if I hadn't forgotten all about Lydla's party." "But really," ho insisted, "when are you 'coming out?'" "Why, that is a thing that's depend ent on several others," declared the girl. "In the first place, I'm In no hurry. In the second place, Lydla's in no " She stopped abruptly, look ing up at him with a shake of the head. "I don't mean that," she added quickly. Hilllard nodded. "I understand. I was sure you must bo well, nearly 18, at least." "I am 19 at most," she admitted. "If 'I should put my hair up, you'd see." "And they're keeping you back on your sister's account." "That's all right," she said defiant ly. "It does make a girl seem older to have a big younger sister around. And, besides, I really want to stay a girl as long as I can. I hate 'to put my hlr up and my skirts quite down. I don't caro straw for dressing up and going to receptions and teas and parties. Lydia loves it. I love coast ing and skating and riding and swim ming, and all the rest of it." "So do I," he said heartily, "and It's a long while since I was 19." She looked at him critically. "Yes, I should think you must be about 95. No, you can't be, because you were at college with Ted." He laughed. "Not quite that," he said. "It won't bo long before I am, though. But I should like coasting as well as ever. I wish I had been out withyour party -to-night. It's years Binco I've coasted." Virginia's eyes turned longingly to ward the windows. "It's a heavenly night." she said. "Let's go!" She looked at him, smiling- daringly. He stared at her for a minute, then ho leaped to his feet with a laugh. "Como on," he cried, under his breath, "There's nothing I'd like to do better. But how shall wo manage it?" "I didn't really mean it," said Vir ginia; "but if you do wo might have just one coast, and nobodxwould miss you. We'll slip down the side stair case, and Lucian's bobs are where we can get them." "I'll tell you," said Hilllard rapidly, his eyes dancing. "I'll just tako this book down to your sister, mix in the crowd, slip away in ten minutes, and then we'll be( free see?" This plan was carried out. The two stole silently away from the house, and in ten minutes moro were at the suburban hill, whero a few joyful coasters still lingered. "Can you steer?" demanded Vir ginia. "Unless I've grown old faster than I feel as if I had, I can sure." Ho took his place, she started the bobs, and flung herself on behind thorn. It was a long, swift, breathless flight, and then they stood at the bot tom and looked at each other, laugh ing. They sailed down tho hill again and again, until Virginia realized the dar ing of this unauthorized, unchaperoned performance. Hilllard-never hated to do anything la bis life so much as he bated to put up those bobs and go in. He lingered in the shadow of tho.sida entrance. He pulled off his glove anfl held out his Hand. "It's the beat fun I've had in a dot en blue moons," he said enthusiastic ally. She nodded, smiling. He retained her hand for a moment, then he gent ly drew off luo scarlet silk mitten. 1 doa't like toehake haads with a go4 tetaNdwlUitlorM,6a' he!, plained. She -let aim have the warn flfm .little band a atetneat a very short ne draw-It daaurely away. "Good night, Mr. Hilllard," ahe said. I've enjoyed It; too." "Miss Virginia," he urged, taking a step after her, "I've a favor to ask of you. Couldnlt yoa wouldn't your sis ter be willing for you to appear at her evenings now?" "This-is nicer and so.is all the rest of my world, Lydla's too much in-, doors. I donlt like to wear my best clothes, Mr. Hilllard." "Try it. It's more fun than you. think; Come down next-time please,. Miss Virginia. I can't grow young again and get back into your world. Vou could put up your hair and put on a trailing skirt and come into my world. Miss Virginia" "I rcaIy must go." Sho was on the top step, her .hand on the door. But she could not escapo him. He was at, her side in two leaps. "I should like to be in the same world with you," he said rapidly. "Minn VlMrtnl nnmA -Anmrn novf Hma '" , vwtuv vwnu uvw will you? It will just jnean that you than her appearaaea down ttatri would have bsta. The thought swept him off his feet. "I always liked -to dress up," she breathed. "It's a childish trick." "You told mo you hated your best clothes." "I do ! vehemently. "Then why did you put them on?" "I you Mr. Hlllisrd!" Sho raised her head and -tried to meet his lok with dignity, but the lashes fell be fore the light -in his eyes. "Virginia" he took a step forward and bent to whisper the words "you did do it for me, only you didn't daro come-down, Tell me, wasn't it so? You were willing to be comrades after all just comrades for awhile, Vir ginia till you get used to it," he add ed, under his breath. Ted's step waa on the stairs. 4111 liard turned and closed the door be hind him; he set his foot against it. Virginia looked up appeallngly and found herself for one breathless mo ment inhls arms. "Just comrades till you get used to It, darling," he repeated softly, "and then, more more!" "Hello, old man!" called Ted, out side. "Did you find It?" "Yes, I found it," answered his friend's voice, with a happy laugh. "Come In." "Tell mer wasn't it so?" aro willing to be friends comrades in the same 'world. You don't know how king I've been waiting for you to get old enough for that." She was gone before the words were fairly finished. Presently he was back in tho hot rooms and the crowd, a faint -flush on his .smooth cheek, and a singular sparkle in his eyes. When at last Lydia entertained again, Hilllard found 'himself entering the crowded rooms at the Dennlags' with a quicker pulse than any social affairs had ever caused him. Aa the evening drew to a close and no Vlr glnia came, he blamed himself for an unwary hunter who had been follow ing his game down the wind. "Louis," said Ted'Denning's voice in his ear, just as he had made up his mind to go dejectedly home, "come up to my den for a minute, will you. or --you run up first, and I?ll be- along. I've something I want to show you." Willingly enough, Hilllard escaped to seek the familiar spot, He opened tha door unceremoniously; then stopped, with a rush of warm blood to his heart, With a llttlo cry of dis comfited surprise Virginia tried to pass him, but his tall, broad-shouldered figure filled the doorway, and he stood determinedly still. But was this Virginia this lovely woman with the blushing face, the sweet, bare neck and the trailing white garments? A transformed and glorified Virginia, then! He stared at her, a joyful smile breaking over his grave face. But with her head bent down pulling a filmy scarf over her shoulders, she waa implorlag like a frightened child who has been caught at mischief: "Please let me go by, Mr, Hilllard. I was not going down-sUirs-T-reaily I was not I just dressed up for fun for for Ted to see. I It was just for fun" -You didn't do it for me, then?" He would not stand aside an inch. -He felt with a thrill that her sudden In tense shyness was far more significant Her First Railway Trip. An old lady on her first railroad trip remarked the bell cord overhead, and, turning to a boy, she pointed to the cord -and said: "Sonny, what's that for?" "That, marm," he said, with a mis chievous twinkle in his eye, "is to ring the bell when you want anything to eat" - Shortly afterward the old lady reached her umbrella up to the cord and give it, a vigorous pull. The whis tle sounded, the brakes were put on, the train began to slacken its speed, windows were thrown up, questions arked and confusion reigned among the passengers. The old lady sat calmly through it all, little dreaming IViat she was the cause of the excite ment. Presently the conductor came rush ing through the train and asked. "Who pulled the bell?" "1 did," replied the old lady, meek ly. I'Well, what do you want?" snapped tho official, impatiently. "Well," said the old lady, medita tively, "you may bring me some ham sandwiches and a cup of tea, if you will." The Irishman's Answer. "Tho son of the Emerald Isle will get In his work," declares Private John Allen, whose stock of good stories never runs low. "Patrick O'Flanagan and a good fellow named Sanders, the latter a great fighter in his. day and who was at the time this story was born In the employ of Jus tice of the Peace Shook, before whom the twomon were arraigned on a charge of breach of the peace. "OTlanagan and Sanders had been engaged in a scrap, a set-to which was called In those days a 'fist and skull.' The evidence had been submitted and it was clear that both parties were at fault, but O'Flanagan more to blame than Sanders. The Irishman was fined a ten spot and Sanders got oft with a five. O'Flanagan didn't relish tbis, and complained to the justice that ho had shown partiality to his employe. "i would have you know, sir," srapped the justice- angrily, 'that I would neither respect Neptune for his trident nor Jupiter for his thun der. " 'An' are ye shure,' answered Pat, 'ye wouldn't git on yer knaze to Bac chus for bis whisky?'" Washington Times. Plan to Admit Chlpese. A new scheme has just been devised in California for amending the Chi nese exoluslon act. It proposes to permit Chinese laborers to come to tho country, but to forbtd them going to the cttlea and to permit them to remain only from three to four years, r- JL3JS-.-ZJuC.iVl , H,r.,V u "1,h'