Show t k f mi by 1 Donald Yar HE most delightful part of my T TIIE life was that age when boys and girls freely mingle with each other as friends half boy and girl half man and woman There was one Thanksgiving when the head of our large family invited ever every member that could be reached to spend a ft week In his large country house including Thanksgiving day Those of us o of m my generation went In for a n good time together The girls were of that age when a taste for mischief mischief mischief mis mis- chief predominates One night when wilen I was getting ready for bed I found the legs of my pajamas sewed up When I had ripped the sewing got gotthem gotthem gotthem them on and tumbled Into bed I found the sheets scratched I had turned off the light so springing out of bed I tiptoed hastily to the door opened it find and andIns was Ins in time to grab the last of a bevy of girls who ran away in the darkness Throwing my arms around my captive captive cap cap- tive I gave her a smack she struggling struggling gling to be free then let her go Slipping back into m my room I turned on a n light and there sticking sUcking onto the breast of my pajamas was an nn elongated pin of chased gold set In InI I- I she he e center with a n single sapphire The problem was to identify the girl I had hod kissed by discovering the owner of the pin I with my men cousins and it was WiS decided that I should put the article up at auction at lie he Thanksgiving dinner bids to tobe tobe be accepted only from the men I Accordingly when wh n the nuts and coffee coffee coffee cof cof- fee came on I took the pin out of my vest pocket and holding it up before the company said I found this ari ar ar- i f h 1 w s sT T I i 1 i is 2 s y 0 1 12 U 43 S I Will Put It Up at Auction title tide recently and would be happy to return it to the owner if he will claim It and prove ownership I swept the board hoard with m my glance but saw no sight of a give-away give on onan an any girls girl's face Then Ihen I continued Since there Is no claimant for the article I will put it up at auction reservIng reserving reserving re re- re- re serving the right to bid to the men present of my m own generation the proceeds of the sale to go to charity I called for bids and find one of my cousins Jack Somers bid 2 25 cents There was an an exclamation of disapprobation disapprobation disapprobation probation for such an oft offer r and when lieu another of my confederates bid 50 cents It was repeated The gem alone could not have been worth less than 25 When every man who was per per- to bid had done so was the highest offer received I knocked the article down to the successful man nian Jim Atwood and he handed me the money v What luck he exclaimed holding the Ue pin before him admiringly Ive wanted something something something some some- thing like this for a n gift to my fiancee e and now I have found it The fact of another girl possessing her ner jewelry was too much for its owner Becky Aldrich showed by her I expression that she was at least to be suspected I took the pin from Jim and tossed It to her A telltale blush confirmed my suspicion and the eyes of all the company compan being concentrated on Becky it deepened Into scarlet Then there was vas a u burst of laughter In which everyone joined heartily but bul Becky Becky pretended to be very much offended with me for the course I had taken This caused me to feel uncomfortable uncomfortable and I endeavored to placate her Becky for a long while refused to be appeased To make a Ion long sto story y short Becky Beck played me ns os an on angler would play pIa n a trout till I was madly In III love with will her Iver Having refused me she seemed to be satisfied and thereafter treated me so considerately that I tried again and was t successful Naturally the anniversary of Thanksgiving brings to me interesting memories Copyright 1317 1917 by the McClure Newspaper per Syndicate |