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Show f FARRAR THE WAIF. 1 Jf BY HI CHARD B. S HELTON. Iicopyrlght, 19M, by Richard B; Shel-laFnrrar Shel-laFnrrar had never before numbered philanthropy among his sins, but ifhce Miss Curlls had taken charge of i he Fresh Air Fund home in the Ht-le Ht-le village where he spent his summers . i farrar had evidenced a decided Interact Inter-act J fat ln the movement. J Heretofore he had labeled children P , if the fresh-air-fund variety and oth-,.r,'; oth-,.r,'; jrwise as unmitigated little nuisances, a0 i vhose chief aim in life was to annoy heir elders and bring people's hearts i nto their mouths by falling In-;o In-;o the river or crossing the street in !ront of a speeding automobile. JK He had even complained to the town authorities before Miss Curtis took charge, of course, of the noise creat-ed creat-ed bv the fifty or more youngsters who resided a few doors below his place, A uid he had suggested that the home be j removed to the woods outside the .: town. ; ifcBut with the advent of Miss Curtis, '; ETarrar's attitude underwent a sudden ' ind thorough change. From the mo-ment mo-ment he laid eyes on her young, earn- J est fact, and looked into her clear 1-1IoTay eyes all this was at the post- Ifllce while he was apologizing for uinplng unceremoniously against her -Farrar thanked his stars that the own authorities had not listened to lis suggestions concerning the removal f the home. It was because of Miss Curtis that he youngsters of the home held fre-uent fre-uent and boisterous picnics in Far-ir's Far-ir's pine grove; It was because of er that they often rode a dozen at time in his automobile and picked Is gooseberries and currants unmo-t'&.ed. unmo-t'&.ed. It was Jimmy Morrissey Assessed of all the precocious wisdom t East Side childhood who summed fp the situation in the declaration: IHully gee! De gazabo's dead easy, cause he's daffy on her, see?" Certain it was that the fresh air ' colony ruled Farrar, who explained His change of heart by stating that he Had discovered that they were "Interesting "In-teresting little brutes." It is extremely ex-tremely doubtful, however, If this Interest in itself would have been sufficient to induce him to drive his 8 'automobile to the village postofllce .with a dozen unkempt urchins clinging cling-ing precariously to the mid-guards. His interest in "the little brutes" was II haided and abetted by a frank smile , ifrom a pair of clear gray eyes that (greeted him when he returned his screeching load to the home. Instead of cursing the noisy brood at the home, he smiled indulgently at 9 jtheir vocal exertions, for that noise ,was Intimately connected with Miss ; jCurtls, and Miss Curtis all uncon-jsclously uncon-jsclously on her part had entered Into the place In Farrar's dreams reserved I'i lor the one woman in the world. ' ifFarrar walked down the street to-! to-! wards the home in the red glow of an ' ugust evening, a huge basket of currants cur-rants in one hand and a bundle of wst-off but still useful clothing. pegged personally from young mat-; mat-; rons of his acquaintance) In the other. J Behind him strode his solemn-faced gardener. similarly accoutered. and iyldently of the opinion that the boss -' iyrs out of his head. JOn tn(? veranda of the home Far-rar Far-rar dismissed the gardener, and en-. en-. terlng the house found Miss Curtis in r h'cr cool little ofllce. it.'Tve foraged more or less success-f success-f fully for the clothes you wanted for . your charges." he said, depositing his load, "and I brought you all the currants cur-rants that are ripe. You can use them, I suppose?" "You're more than kind," she said, gratefully. "You have given me the first ray of light in a long, wearing day. Sometimes I think they're very ungrateful little beasts, and I'm almost al-most tempted to give up this work." "Do,'' he said, eagerly. She smiled wearily. "If It wasn't for tho question of bread and butter involved" "Try something else," Farrar Interrupted. Inter-rupted. "I'm certainly open to suggestions," she said, with a sigh. "Well," said he, "I know a place 3'ou're admirably adapted to. I know a waif that has some sterling qualities and many faults. I'd liko to seo him under proper care. If tho faults were corrected and the sterling qualities developed, I think ho might make quite a man. I wish you'd take him and experiment with him." "And starve in the meantime?" Bhe asked. "Oh, no," he said- "The waif is not liko these here. Ho has plenty of money in trust for him, and a part of it could be set aside for his education. What he needs is a personal interest taken in him. He's a friendless sort of a chap. That's why I call him a waif." "Tell me more about this," she urged "What could I do for him?" ,rVnii rmilri mnke ri mnn nf hlni. I'm convinced," he said. "Where are his relatives?" she asked. "In heaven I hope," said he. "Poor chap, and he's all alone?" "Absolutely." "And you think I could get a position posi-tion as sort of governess to him?" "No," he said, flatly. "I don't." She lifted her brows. "I think you could make a man of him as his wife," said he. She looked at him In amazement Then she noticed that his eyes sought hers eagerly and that his hand, lying on her desk, trembled. "He's a lazy, rascal waif," said he haltingly, "but with some one to care for him he might be different." Miss Curtis rose. The gray eyes seemed looking beyond him and Into the future. And evidently that future was satisfactory, for she laid her hand gently on his shoulder and smiled. "Dear, lonesome waif," she said. And because of all this, the fresh air fund home is yearly supplied with fruit from the Farrar place and tho fresh air children who come, a new lot each year, stay as much with Farrar and his wife as at the home. |