Newspaper Page Text
Page Six.
THk CITIZEN.
November 2 1, 1912.
tepyrlght, 1909, by Doubled
Page A Company.
- PROLOGUE.
..
It was in the woods that the
ftrl of the Llmberlost found her
education, her love, her happi'
neas and other good things, so,
rightly, the air of the trees is in
this story of her life. Here is a
tale for lovers of the woods and
for otherswho like a simple story
well told by one who knows the
forest, can tell about "home
folks" and can find the interest
in everyday lives. Through theso
pages flutter the brilliant batter'
fly of tangled romance, the more
sober butterfly, no less beautiful,
of noble, quiet lives, well lived,
. .. ' .. ,
and the gray moth of sorrow
borne needlessly for many years.
And if you listen closely you
may hear the buzz of the little,
busy existence of Billy, a young
tier worth your knowing.
SYNOPMS
Although a good echr ar, Elnora Cosa
ttock, entering high sctool. Is abashed by
kT country dress. She needs 129 for
Books and tuition fees. Her mother ts
sympatheUo. nnd Elnora telle her trou-
m to WMl.r flnton. an old neighbor.
When Elnora was born her father was
Crowned in a swamp, embittering her
another's life. Elnora determines to relae
Saonoy by gathering forest specimen.
The Stntona buy clothes for her.
Elnora, getting her books cheaply, finds
a market with the Bird Woman for but
terfllea, Indian relics, etc
Mrs, Comstock's devotion to ber hue
band's memory will not permit her to
sell trees or have oil wells dug on her
land. The Slnlona bring Elnora new
slothing-
Elnora I delighted with her outnt Her
mother says the must pay for It. Wes
ley and Margaret Slnton discuss the girl's
affairs.
Pete Corson, a Llmberlost frequenter.
warns Elnora not to visit the Llmberlost,
at nhrht or co far into tho awaran at am?
ttma.
Billy, a bright but untrained little chap,
with a shiftless father and hungry broth
r and sister, gets Elnora'a luncheon.
Wesley, troubled by Corson's warntnr. In
Testigatea. Slnton finds some one has been spying
on Elnora. The girl feeds Billy again.
She Is "taken up" by the high school
girls.
Billy's father dies, and the lad Is taken
home by Slnton. who makes provision for
his brother and sister.
Margaret finds Billy mischievous, but
ner heart softens, and he Is adopted.
Pete helps Elnora to collect specimens. I
mother.
"Yes, I will," replied Elnora. "But
you will have as good lunch as I do
i t ,. . . j V r ' ,
chicken, all kinds of good things, little
pies and cakes, maybe."
umy snoou bis bead, "i am going i
back home soon as It Is light," be said. '
sue uou t wont me. sao minus i in
a bad boy. She's going to whip me
If be lets her. She said so.' I beard
ber. Oh, 1 wish be hadn't died! I
want to go home." DUly shrieked
again.
Mrs. Comstock had started to walk
slowly and meet Elnora. The girl had
been SO late that her mother reached
the Slnton gate and came up tbo path
until the picture inside became visible,
f . ,a ner aD0Ut Hlnton I
lng Billy borne. Mrs. Comstock had
somo curiosity to see bow Margaret
bore tbe unexpected addition to ber
family. Billy's voice, raised with ex
citement, was plainly audible. She
could see Elnora holding him and bear
bis excited wall. Slnton'a face was
drawn and haggard and Margaret's
aet and defiant A very Imp of per
versity entered tbe breast of Mrs. Corn
stock and danced there. e
"Hotty. tolty!" she said as she sud
denly appeared in the door. "Blest If
I ever beard a man making sounds like
that before!"
Billy ceased suddenly. Mrs. Com
stock 'was tall, angular, and ber balr
was prematurely white, for she was
ODly tblrty-slx, though she looked fifty.
But .there was an expression, on .her
Usually cold face that was nttrnctlvo
jMt tncn nnd Bmjr .a8 )n senrch of
attractions.
"Do you llko boys?" be questioned.
"ir mere is anything I love It Is a
boy," said Mrs. Comstock nssurlngly.
Billy was on the floor.
"Do you like dogs?"
"Yes, almost as well as boys. I am
going to buy a dog Just as soon as I
can And n good ono."
Billy swept toward her with a whoop.
"Do you want a boy?" bo shouted.
Katharine Comstock stretched out
her arms and gathered him In.
"Of course I want a boy!" she re
joiced. "Maybe you'd llko to have me?" of-
s' . ,. . . ,,..,
Sure I would." triumphed Mrs. Com-
atock. "Any one would llko to have
yoa You nre Just n real boy. Billy."
"Will you take Snap?"
"I'd like to bnvo Snap almost as well
as you."
"Mother!" breathed Elnora Implor
ingly. "Don't! Oh. don't! He thinks
you mean It!"
"And so I do mean It," said! Mrs.
Comstock. "I'll tako blni In n Jiffy. I
throw away enough to feed a little
tyke like him every day. nis chatter
; would bo great company "while you are
I , . soon pfln ' ...
right food and baths, and as for Snap
I meant to get a bulldog, but possibly
Snap will serve Just as well. All I ask
of a dog Is to bark at tbo right time.
I'll do the rest. Would you llko to
come nnd bo my boy, Billy?"
Billy leaned against Mrs. Comstock,
reached his arms around ber neck and
gripped her with all his puny might
"You can whip me all you want to," be
said. "1 won't make a sound."
Mrs. Comstock held blm closely nnd
her hard fnce was softening. Of that
there could not bo a doubt.
"You like boys!" exulted Billy, and
" "Y"" .". -
"to n unspeakable content
his head dropped against Mrs. Com-
I "Yes, and If I don't have to.carry you
the whole way borne we must start
right now," said Mrs. Comstock. "You
arc going to be nsleep before you know
It."
I "Billy, ore you going to leavo with
out oven saying goodby to me?" asked
Slntou, with a great gulp in his throat
I Billy held tight to Mr. Comstock and
Elnora.
I "Goodby!" he said casually. "I'll
come nnd see you some time."
Wesley Sluton gave n smothered sob
and strode from the room.
Mrs. Comstock started for tho door.
.dragging at Billy as Elnora pulled
I buck, but Mrs Slnton was before them,
her eyes flashing,
j .Kato comstock, you think you are
nilguty smart, don't you?' sho cried
"1 ain't In tho lunatic asylum, where
you belong, nuywny," said Mrs. Com-
Btock. "I am smart enough to tell a
dandy boy when I sco him. and I'm
good and glad to get him. I'll lore to
have hlml"
"Well, you won't have him!" ex
claimed Margaret Slnton. "That boy
la Wesley's. Ho got blm and brought
him here. You can't come In and tako
blm llko that. Let go of hlml"
Wesley Slnton appeared behind Mar
caret In th dnorwav. nnd sho turned
to blm.' "Make Kate Comstock let go
of our boy!" sho demanded.
"'""'y. Bi wnta you now." said
Weslev Slnton. "Sho won't whin vou.
and she won't let any one else. You
can havo stacks of good things to eat,
ride lu tbe carriage and havo a great
time. Won't you stay with us?"
Billy drew away from Mrs. Corn
stock and Elnora.
Ho faced Margaret, bis eyes shrewd
with UDcblldUh wisdom. Necessity
had taught him to strlko the hot Iron,
to drive the bard bargain.
"Cau I baro Snap to llvo hero al
ways?" be demanded.
"Yes, you can havo all the dogs you
want," said Margaret Slnton.
"Can I sleep closo enough so's I can
touch you?"
"Yes. Tou can move your lounge
np so that you can bold my band,"
i8jiLMajareti ,
""Do ydTT loTe 1110 now)" questioned
Dill;.
"I'll try to lore you It you are a
good Iwy." Mid Margaret.
I "Then I guess I'll MnyV said Hilly.
I walking over to tier
I Out In the night Klnorn and her
mother went down (ho rend In the
moonlight, and every few rods i(n
Comstock laughed Blood.
"Mother. I don't understand you,"
sobbed Kluorn.
"Well, mnybe when you have gone
to high school lone you will," said Mrs.
Comstock. "Anyway, you saw mo
bring Mas Slnton to her tenses, didn't
you?"
, On Sunday, while Mri. Comstock was
In town with the Slntons, Klnorn, al-
I though repeatedly cautioned not to en
ter the Llmberlost alone, went after
specimens and was soon carrying lira
flno cocoons of different sicclcs as
ber reward. SI10 pushed Trnck ber
( hair and gazed around longingly. A
( few rods Inside sho thought slio saw
cocoons on a bush, to wblcb sbo
1 Trent and found several Senso of cau
tion wns rnnlillv rnnUliInf ih mtm
'in n fir tvnr n fr.rf .-..,t,f n
4 ... --n- ' 'V nun
plunge Into tho swamp when she
' thought she heard footsteps coming
down tho trail. She went back and
came out almost facing Pete Corson.
That ended her difficulty. She had
known him since childhood. When she
sat on tho front bench of the Brush
wood schoolhouse Pete had been one of
Came Out Almost Facing Pete Corseru
the big boys at the back of the room.
Ho hud been rough nud wild, but she
never bad been afraid of him, and of
ten be bad given her pretty things
from tho swump.
"What luck!" she cried. "I promised
mother I would not go lnsldo the
swamp alone, aud will you look at the
cocoons I ve found! There are morn
Just screaming for mo to come get
them, because tho leaves will fall with
tbo first frost, and then the Jays and
crows will begiu to tear them open. I
haven't much time, since I'm going to
school. You will go with me. Pete!
Please say yes! Just n little way!"
"Wbut are those thlugs?" usked the
man. his keen black eyes fast uikiu her.
"They are the cases theso big cater-
pillars spin fur winter, aud In the
spring they come out great night
moths, and I can sell them Ob. Pete,
J I cau t-ell them for enough to take ma
I through blsb school and dress mo so
' like tho rest that I don't look differ-
cut, and If I have very good luck I
I can save Bouie for college. Pete, pleass
j go with me?"
"Why don't you go like you always
have?"
"Well, tho truth Is, I had a little
scare, said l.lnora. "i uever um mean
to go nlouo. Sometimes I sort of won
dered Inside farther than I iutended.
chasing things. You know Duncan
' gnve me Preckles books, aud I bare
' been gathering moths llko ho did.
Lately I fouud 1 could sell them. If
I can make a complete collection I can
get $300 for It Three such collections
would tako mo almost through college
nnd I'vo four yours In the high school
yet. That's a long time. I might get
them."
"Can every kind there Is bo found
here?"
"No; not .all of them, but when I get
more than I ueed of ouu kind I can
triido them with collectors fartber
north and west so I can cumplcto seta.
It's tho only wuy I seo to earn tbe
money. Look what I have already.
Big gray cccroplus come from this
kind, brown polyphemus from that and
green lunas from these. You aren't
working on Sunduy. (Jo with mo Just
an hour. Peto!"
The man looked at her narrowly.
Sbo was young, wholesome and beau
tiful. She was Innocent, Intensely In
earnest nnd sho needed tbe money he
knew that
"You didn't tell mo what scared you,"
he said.
"Ob, I thought I dldl Why. you
know, I bad Freckles' box packed full
of moths and specimens, aud ono even
ing 1 sold some to tbe Bird Womaa
Next morning I found a note telling
me It wasn't safe to go lnsldo tbe
wamp. That sort of scared me. I
think I'll go nlone rather than miss the
chance, but I'd be so happy If you
would take care of me. Then I could
go anywhere I chose, because If I
mired you could pull mo out You will
take care of.mj;, j'ctt?"
TEhf" was" flic tliiTsTiThg stroke.
"Yes. I'll lake care of you," prom-
1 Ised Pelo Corson.
"fioodyl" said Klnorn. "l.et' start
quick t And Pete, you look at theso
closely, and when yon nre hunting or
going along the road If one dangles
tinder your nose roil rut off tho llttlo
twig and save It fur mu. will you?"
"Tcs, I'll save y-iti all I see," prom
ised Pete. ITa pushed back ht hat
and followed Klnorn. Sho plunged
fearlessly through bushes, over under
brush and across (lend logs. One mln
uto sho was crying wildly that hero
was n big one. the next she was reach
ing for a limb nhovo her bend or on
her knees overturning dond leaves un
der a hickory or oak tree or pushing
aside black muck with her baro hands
as sho searched for burled pupae
cases. Por the tlrst hour Pcto tcnt
back bushes and followed, carrying
what Klnora discovered. Then ho
found one.
"Is this the kind of thing you aro
looking for?" ho asked bashfully as
he presented a wild cherry twig.
I "Oh, Pete, that's a promcthea! I
didn't even Iiok? to find one.
i "What's the bird like?" asked Pete,
"Almost black wings." sold Elnora,
"with clay colored edges nud tho most
wonderful wine colored flush over tho
tinder side If It's a male and stronger
wine nbove and Mow If It's n fe
male. Oh, aren't I hnppy!"
"How would It do to nmko what
you havo Into a bunch that wo could
leavo hero and conic back for them?"
"That would le alt right."
, Hollered of his load. Peto began
work. . First he narrowly examined
the cocoons Klnora had found. Ho
questioned her as to what other kinds
would lo like. Ho began to uso tho
eyes of n trained woodman and hunter
In her liohalf. IIo saw several so easi
ly and moved through tho forest so
softly thnt Klnorn forgot the moths In
watching him. Presently sho was car
rying the seclniens nnd he wns mak
ing the trips of Investigation to seo
which wns a cocoon and which a curl
ed leaf, or ho was down ou his knees
digging around stumps. As ho worked
ho kept asking questions. What kind
of logs were best to look beside, what
trees were pupae cases most likely to
bo under, on what bushes did cater
I pillars spin mint frequently? Time
'passed, ns It always does when one's
occupation Is absorbing.
When the Slntons had taken Mrs.
Comstock home tbey stopped to seo If
Elnorn was safo. Sho was not at
borne, and they hnd not seen her along
i the way. Mrs. Comstock called about
I the edge of her woods and received no
'reply. Then Slnton turned nnd drovo
back to tbo Llmberlost He left Mar
'garet and Mrs. Comstock holding tbo
team and entertaining Billy and en
tered tbo swamp.
Elnora nnd Pete had left a wide trail
behind them. Heforo Slnton bad
thought of calling ho beard voices and
approached with some caution. Soon
he saw Elnora. her Hushed faco beam
ing as she bent with an armload of
twigs and branches and talked to a
, kneeling nan. ,
"Now go cautiously," she was saying
1 am Just sure we will find an Im
Iperlalls hero. It's their very kind of n
lilac- There! U'lint did I ti-11 von!
'isn't that splendid? Oh, I am so glad
you rnme with me!"
Slnton stood and stared In speech
less astonishment, for tho man bad
risen, brushed the dirt from bis hands
and held out to Klnora n small shining
dark pupa case. As his face swung
Into view Slnton almost cried out. for
! he was the man of all others Wesley
1 1
knew with whom he most fenred for
i Klnorn's safety She bad him on tils
, knees digging pupae cnes for her from
the loose swump lonni.
1 "Klnnm!" called Slnton. "Elnorul"
( "Oh. Uncle Wesley." cried tbo girl.
"see what luck we've bad! I know we
have a dozen and n half cocoons, and
' we have three pup-ie cases. It's much
' tinnier to get the cases because you
j have to dig for them, and you cant
' where to look, Hut'Pute H fine at
-(It He's found three, and he says ho
iuiii seep wnicn uioug mu ruuus mm
through the wood ns be bunts. Isn't
thnt splendid of blm? Uncle Wesley,
there la n college over there on the
western edge of the swamp. Look
closely and you can see tbo great domo
up among the clbuils."
"I should say you have had luck,"
snld Slnton, striving to make bis voice
natural. "But I thought you wero uot
eouilng to the swnmp?"
"Well. I wasn't." said Elnora. "but
I couldn't find many uny wliero else,
honest I couldn't, and Just ns soon as
I tu mo to the edge I began to seo
them here. 1 kept my promise. I
didn't como In nlone. Pete came with
me. He's so strung lie Isn't ufrald
of anythlug nud bo's perfectly splen
did tojocate cocoons. He's found half
of theso. Como ou. Pete. It's getting
dork now, and we must go."
They started for the trail, Pcto car
rying tbo cocoons. He left them at
the caso. while Elnorn and Slnton
went on to tho carriage together.
"Elnora Comstock. what docs this
menu?'' demanded tier mother.
"It's all right One of tho neighbors
was with her, nnd she got several dol
lars' worth of stuff," Interposed Sln
ton. CHAPTER XII.
Wherein Elnora Discovers Violin and
Billy Disciplines Margaret.
I.NORA missed the little figuro
at the bridge the next morning.
She slowly wulked up the
street and turned lu lit the
E
wide entrance to the school grounds.
Sho scarcely could comprehend that
only a week ago sbo bud guue there
friendless, alone, and so sick at heart
that she was physically III, Today she
had dctnLcJotbtiig1.l!ooksfcfrli'nds and i
.her mfiul wns aC In wurE on her
.studies.
As she approached boiuo that night
the girl paused In ninnrement. Her
mother hnd compniiy. and she was
laughing. P.l Horn eitercd the kitchen
loflly nnd peoHil Into the sitting room.
Mrs Comstoek sat In her clmlr hold
ing a book and every few seconds n
10ft chuckle broke Into it rent laugh.
Mark Twnln was doing his work, while
Mrs, Comstock was not lacking In a
senso of humor. Klnora entered tbo
room before her mother saw her. Mrs.
Comstock looked up with Hushed face.
"Wliero did you set this?" sbo de
manded. I "I bought It," tald Hlnorn.
1 "nought It! Wltli all tho taxes duel"
I "I paid for It out of my Indian mon
ey, mother," Bald Klnora. "I couldn't
bear to spend so much on myself nnd
notning at nil on you. I was atrnia to
buy tho dres I should havo liked to,
and I thought the book would bo com
pany whllo I was gone. I haven't
read It, but I do hope It's good."
"Good! It's tho biggest piece of
foolishness I havo rend In nil my life.
I've laughed all day ever slnco I found
It I had a uotlon to go out and read
some of It to the cows nnd see If tbey
wouldn't laugh."
"If It made you Isugh, It's a wise
book," said Elnora.
"Wise!" cried Mrs, Conutock. "You
can stake your life It's a wise book. It
takes tho smartest man tbcro Is to do
this kind of fooling." And sho began
laughing again.
Elnora, highly satisfied with her pur
chase, went to her room and put ou
ber working clothes. Thereafter the
made a point of getting a book that
sbo thought would interest her mother
from tho library every week nnd leav
ing it on tho sitting room table. Every
night she carried home at least two
schoolbooks and studied until she had
mastered tho points of each lesson.
She did her share of tho work faith
fully, and every avnllablo mlnuto she
was In the fields searching for cocoons,
for the moths promised to becomo her
best source of Income.
She gathered largo baskets of nests,
flowers, mosses. Insects and all sorts
of natural history specimens nnd sold
tbem to the grade, teachers. At first
she tried to tell theso Instructors what
to teach their pupils about tbo speci
mens, but, recognizing how much
more sho knew than they, one after
another begged her to study at homo
and uso ber spare hours In school to
exhibit and explain naturo subjects to
their pupils. Elnora loved tbe work,
and she needed tho money, for every
few days somo matter of expense arose
that she bad not expected.
When tbo mnslc swelled from tho
school orchestra Klnorn's heart almost
broke with throbbing Joy, for music
always had affected ber strangely, and,
since sbo hnd been comfortable enough
In her surroundings to notice things,
sho hnd listened to every note to And
what It was that literally hurt her
heart, and at last sho knew. It wns
tho talking of tho violins. Tbey wero
human voices, and they spoko a lan
guage Elnorn understood. It seemed
to her that sho must climb up on tbe
stage, take tbo Instruments from tbe
fingers of tho players and mako tbem
apeak what was In her heart She
fairly prayed to get hold of one. If only
for n second.
That night sho said to her mother:
"I am perfectly crazy for n violin. I
am sure I could play ono; suro as I
live. Did any quo" Elnora never
completed that sentence.
"Hush!" thundered Mrs. Comstock.
"Be quiet Never mention those things
before mo ngnln-never as long as you
live. I loatho tbem. Tbey nron snaro
of tbo very devil himself. They were
made to luro men and women from
their homes and their honor,
. If ever I
gers I will
!, but sho
er sho bad
see you with ono In your fingers
smash It In pieces."
Naturally Elnorn bushed,
thought of nothing else after
done Jii8tl"o to ber lessons. At last
tbcro came n day when for somo rea
son tbe lender of the orchestra left bis
violin on the grand piano. Thnt morn
ing Elnora mado ber first mlstaka In
algebra. At noon, as soon as tho
great building was empty, sbo slipped (
Into the auditorium, found tbe sldo
door which led to the stage, and, go
ing through tho musicians' entrance, j,
sbo took tho violin. Sho carried It j
back into tbe llttlo sldo room where
tho orchestra assembled, closed all tbo
doors, opened tho case and lifted out
tho Instrument
She laid it on her breast, dropped ber
cbln on It and drew tbo bow softly
nerods tho strings. Ono after another
sho tested tha open notes. Tbey re
nil tided ber of things. Gradually her
stroke ceased to tremblo nnd she drew
tbo bow firmly. Then her Angers be
gan to fnll, and softly, slowly she
searched up and down those strings for
sounds she knew. Standing la tbe
mlddlo of the floor, sbo tried over and
over. It seemed scarcely n mlnuto be
fore, the hall was filled with tbo sound
of hurrying feet, aud sho was forced
to put uwuy tbo violin aud go to ber
classes. Of food she uever thought un
til she uotlced how heavy ber luuch
box was on tbe way home, so bIio sat
ou tbe log by tbo swamp nnd remedied
tbit Tho next day sbo prayed that
tho violin would bo left again, but her
petition was not answered.
That night wbcu sbo returned from
tbo school she mado nn excuso to go
uown to sco umy. no was engngeti in
bulling waiuuts uy anving mora
luruugu uuies iu a iKmru. mu uautis
were protected by a pair of Margaret's
uld gloves, but be bad speckled his
face generously. He looked well and
greeted Eluvra hllurlously.
"Mo ait' tho squirrels aro laying up
our winter stores!" bo shouted. '"Cos
Ihe cold Is coming, an tbo snow, an' If
wo have any nuts.wo havo to tlx 'em
nojv,. llut L'hi abend, 'cos Uncle Wos-
ley mailt' me ITiH Don'ril, and Teati hull
11 big pile while tin- old squirrel does
only lt one with bis teeth."
i:innra picked hi in up mid kissed him.
"Hilly, aro you hnppy?" sho asked.
"Yes, nnd so'h Snap," tinswcred Billy.
"You might to set him mnkc the dirt
My when he gets after n chipmunk."
He espied Wesley and ran to show
1 him n wnlnut tun big In go through tht
' holes, and Hlnorn and Mnrgnret went
luto the homo.
They talked of many things for a
time, and then Hlnorn said suddenly,
"Aunt Margaret, I like music."
"I'vo noticed that In you all your
life," nuswered .Margaret.
"1 ran niako a violin talk'," announc
ed Klnorn, and then In amazement
watched the fnre of Margaret Slnton
grow palo.
"A violin!" she wavered. "Wliero did
,. Ret violin?'
, ,hpv tnrr .Ccmed to snoak to mo
In tho orchestra. Ono day tho con
ductor left his lu tbe auditorium, and
1 took It, uud Aunt Margaret I can
1 tnalo It do tho wind In tho swamp,
tho birds and tho animals. I can
make any souud 1 ever heard on It.
If I hnd n chance to practlco a llttlo
I could niako It do the orchestra music
too. I dou't know how 1 know, but I
do."
"Did did you ever mention It to
your mother?" faltered Margaret.
"Yes, and sho seems prejudiced
agnlnst them; but, oh, Aunt MargnrSW
I never felt so about anything,
even going to school. I Just feel as
If I'd die If I didn't have one. I could
keep It at school and practice at noon
a wholo hour. Soon they'd ask mo to
play In tho orchestra. I could keep
It In tho caso and practice In tho
woods In summer. You'd let mo play
hero over Hnnday. Ob, Aunt Marga
ret, what does ono cost? Would It bo
wicked for me tn tako of my own
money and buy a very chuop ono? 1
could play on the least expcnslvo ono
made."
"Oh, no, you couldn't. A cheap ma
cblno makes cheap mnslc. You got
to havo n fine fiddle to make It sing.
But there's no sense In your buying
one. Tbero Isn't n decent reason on
earth why you shouldn't have your
fa"-
"My father's!" cried Klnora. Sho
caught Margaret Slnton by tho arm.
"My father bad n. violin! Ho played
It? That's why I cant Where Is It7
Is It In our house? Is It In mother's
room?"
"Elnoral" panted Margaret "Your
mother will kill mo! Sho always
hated It!"
".Mother dearly loves music." said
Elnora.
"Not when It took the man she
loved away from her to make It"
"Where Is my father's, vlollnV
"Elnora!"
"I've never feen a picture of my fa
ther. I'vo never heard his name men
tloncd. I've never had a scrap that
ix-longed tQ him. Was be my father
or am I a charity child llko Billy, and
so she bates" moT'
"She's got good pictures of blm.
Seems she Just rnn't Iwar to hear blm
talked alxtut Of courso. he was your
father. They lived right tbero when
you were txini. She don't dislike you.
She Just trtc- to make herself think
sho doe-t. There's no senso In tho
world In you not baring bis violin.
I'vo a great notion"
"Una sho got It?"
"No. I've never beard her mention
It It was not at homo when bo
wheu he died."
"Do you know where It Is?"
"Yes. I'm tho only person on earth
who does, except tho ono who has It"
"Who Is that?"
"I can't tell you. hut I will seo It
they have- It jet and get It If I can.
jr"sarpr
j
I ' 1
"My fathsr1.!" cried Elnora. 8he
caught Margaret by the arm.
Hut If your mother finds it out she
will never forglvo me."
"I can't help It," said Elnora. "I
want that violin. I want It now."
"I'll go tomorrow and get It if It has
not been destroyed."
"Destroyed! Oh. Aunt
Margaret,
W0Uia uny ono dure?"
"I hardly think so. It was a good
Instrument He played It like a mas
te&T (Continued next week.)
Pellucid English.
A sign la a tailor shop attraots
"Longfellow's" eye, and ha sends la
a copy thereof as follows: "Notlosl
Work that Is made hero when altered
after ninety days Is got to be paid."
Newark Nfews.
: 9.
