I bout the stars all evening. I" took my seventh black per fecto'from my mouth and grinned again. "Oht not the kind that hums 'Sweet Genevieve' four notes out of tune in horrible minors when he thinks there is no one listen ing," she finished, and fled into the house, leaving me to fume over the discovery of my weak ness. Eventually I was jmt to intro ducing Prof. Graham, Bartlett, the mayor, and Horatio CateS,' editOT of the Fairfield Bugle; and so great was the Little Witch's niad charm that each of the gen tlemen stood ready with offers of heart and hand. But she tossed her head again and turned back to me. Then I turned upon her fn ex asperation. "In the name'of Hy men, what would please you any, how, you maddening Little Witch?" She looked at the clo'ud streaked moon. "I ( like these comfy, tranquil old codgers of 35, who think everybody else is a bet ter match than themselves," she observed. "Er ahem!" I sputtered. "I never, saidT thought all these fel lows were better than I. Mrs. Melton-Langham -said" "Oh, I don't mean the kind who do everything Mrs. Melton-Lang-hamsays and try nothing on their own account," declared the Little Witch. After that I took heart from John Alden and got busyon my own account. And whe'n I made I my shameful report to Mrs. Melton-Langham, that capricious woman telegraphed: "Congratulation. Virginia and I were after you all the time."j 3ft oq THE COMFORTER By Berton Braley. Mother, Mother, Mother, I'm a man full grqwn sj And I thought I didn't need youjj I could stand alone, s But the. fight has been too cruel, And the whole world's bluea And Mother, Mother, Mother, I have need of you 1 I want your hands to soothe mej As they always can, , 2 I want your voice to still me- Though your boy's a man, I want to find you waiting v As you used to do, v z For Mother, Mother, Mother, 7 I have need of youi ,r My love has led to sorrow - And my trust was vain, And I've tasted bitter failure ? And I've known deep pain ; v I've tried to bear them bravely; As a man should do, But oh-my Mother. Mother, I have need of you! I want to sob my story At your aproned knee, f And to feel your fingers tremble As they comfort me. I am spent and sick andsweary,( And my heart aches, too, And oh my Mother, Mother, f , I have need of vou ! ' t The average girl's favorite? flower is the "marryg-old." Jl -. a Jiiv nh