| Show 0 t L 11 L iJ t I r t 1 r J I t A r r I C 4 4 t I i ie t V j 1 iti 1 I e rw ti i 00 t r 4 ro i u r f f ff 1 f fu 0 a 0 d g p v 0 0 Q 4 oo a 0 d o O a o t 0 a Q o D p o 0 0 0 H HE E house was one of a it brick row in in an un tin unpretentious l pretentious street of a manufacturing city a street given n to clouds of dust in and to amazing depths of mud in tiniS tims of rain Outwardly lIr the house was as one of r its it neighbors Within there lucre was Va little enough of originality dis displayed played to make ore doubt that its furnishings sug suggested those of oC itt iti counterparts to right or left It Jt was only when one ono passed through the kitchen and emerged on the steps that led lcd to the region known as the lie back yard that hat tile the note of distinction was sounded As far Car indeed c C dimensions d n and were concerned yard was precisely and mathe mathematically like any tine one ne of the row but where the others were given o or r chiefly to straggling growths of vine mc and an weed rith t th here and there a neglected plant this one boasted of a border bonier cir circling cir circling cling three sides of the thc minute grassplot wherein bloomed a charming if miscellaneous collection of hardy roses bluebells and that thai stood side by side in almost mili military militar military tary tar precision lila like a corporals guard on on dress parade pa parade pad rade d The Thc high hoard board fence Cence that separated the little gar garder der from the grounds of the box factory factor in in the rear vf w glorious orious ous with a tangle of honeysuckle and up tip d l a c I ii ary f tl r l r 1 1 l L I X nc ori A SPRAY SI on OF Tor RAMBLER AND sni n IT IN iC NECK ICI OH Olt III II I the thc side of the th house itself a superb Crimson Rambler Rambler ler seemed to flaunt an au n audacious defiance to the thc col colorless colorless orless town Before this apparently wrapped in contemplation of its splendor stood this sultry Summer afternoon a little old man and a f girl no more than a i slip blip lii he lie give she me nie Father rather voice cracked but out triumphant UI rose rosc as he approached the lie climax of his story tory more than a slip sl p And look at it now He waved waed a tremulous hand han at the th flaunting ng Rambler Rambler Rambler ler The girl drew a long appreciative E breath One could never have hae told from the flattering interest with which she followed Father story that this was far from her first hearing of the apotheosis of the Crimson Rambler Well Veil you ought to be proud prou F she assured him hint loudly loudl Ehl Eli said Father Hewlett he lie was very deaf She raised her voice and repealed r l tic ic compliment her face flushing with the e She was a d radiant young creature a ruddy blonde warm as to tints lints and generous as to lO proportions and buoyant with health the type of girl whom one might fancy could stand to symbolize the embryonic nic mother of a race There was as a look of motherhood now in inthe inthe inthe the young eyes that looked at the bent old man mm whose head mead scarcely reached her shoulder rell sh she called at him arent you y u going to give me Inc one Dunno as I 1 can spare one he lie yr and they both laughed was the lie invariable game that olat followed the inspection of the garden and theold the old man man delighted in it He lie broke off a t spray spra of the Rambler Rambler and she site tucked it coquettishly in the thc open oret i ne neck k of oi her white blouse she site shrieked at him Becomes yc ye he chuckled gallantly tJ Inside the kitchen window her he aunt Mrs r rs Hew Hewlett lett who was also the old mans mat mans 4 looked out at them above abo c the pan of unshelled peas in her lap he hc Iri n a q little Illie woman nan with ith a personality that suggested machin machinery ery cry still kept revolving by sheer of insistent nerves Her lIer expression t ng to one who was constantly affronted aff d and r rest l it Theres Minnie linnie pottering ro I W yard ard with lather father again she said to her sistar sister tl Mould hould think shed be cat eat alive alie with mo lod il ill hll I can do doto doto doto to keep cm em out of the with jUt ming in and coing OmS back bac there every ce few minutes m ITe rr TI gets crazier J about them lowers flowers of his every year of his life For Formy Formy my 01 part I miss cm em a perfect nuisance on wash trash days das dasHe He Ire docs does seem to take a sight of comfort in fn brit cm m said Mrs rs Denting Deming placidly Minnies mother was as a large Irge woman ample of heart and body with wilh a face that some thirty years ago ao must have been like her daughters She bore no more resemblance to Mrs Hewlett than a oak docs does to a telegraph pole This was the first visit isit she had paid her sister in some sonic years ears although their homes were less than a days journey a part She had come now more from froma a sense of duty dut than from Crom any an pleasure she might de derive deric derive rive ric leaving lea ing her comfortable home in a cool Connecticut Con Connecticut town for a stay in a dusty du ty city I think of it if she could come conic here she had explained to her daughter but what with wilh Georges father to look after and those young men from the thc mill coming in for table board sites bound hand and foot had a pretty hard time of it since George died poor Em I and its ilsa a pity pit if I cant make a visit isit to the only sister Ive Ie got in the world once in in five fie years Mrs JIrs Deming was a widow Minnie was her only child and the thc affection between them than would never have hae permitted a separation that could be bc avoided by b the simple expedient of two being un comfortable instead of one As a matter of course Minnie had hau come with her mother Presently a factory factor whistle somewhere blew rau raucously raucously and Mrs Hewlett sprang to her feet as at an a order Ive Ic got to hurry The boys will be b here cre in ina a few minutes she said Jim usually home by b this time anyway Since you and Minnie have hae been here he seems to beat the sound of the whistle I dont know what hell do when tomorrow w conies comes and md youre gone Mrs Denting laughed unconcernedly That a ayoung ayoung young man should be attentive to a pretty girl was wasa a fact so accustomed to herway her way of thinking as is to be unnoticeable Minnie was nineteen and since her I cr earliest car school schooldays schooldays days had never neer failed to have hae a certain number of callow admirers at her heels with all of whom she sh had laughed and chummed as unconsciously as if each had been her own sister If romance had ever ee touched her with a very er fingertip she had given no no evidence of it it Mrs Hewlett pursued the subject cr as she shean and an Mrs Deeming laid the long table in the gloomy t j jWell Well Vell hes a real nice fellow and hes got nice parents too His father was a friend of Georges in Chicago how he lie happened to come to me for board when they the sent him hint here to take charge of the th new steel works Hes awful handy around the house loo docs lots of little things that a woman cant manage and fathers no more use than titan an n old tomcat Yes I guess hes real pleasant t agreed Mrs Ill rs Denting Deming I must say he seems as far oc those thos young younS men from Cram the mill as a church spire from a fence though I dont donl doubt good honest boys Its been real nice for Minnie lionie to have some somebody somebody body hody to take lake her around a little trolley ride rille to Electric Grove Groc last night and going to Luna Park Saturday J 1 was glad she had the chance chan but b lt land landI I nd 1 I 1 guess s he h wont miss us nuch as you t think Why r they the known each other two weeks until to tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow morrow I guess theres nothing to worry about a out oud Y known Wilbur one month to the day you OU ran off with him Mrs Hewlett retorted Mrs Demings face grew rosy as youth itself and an she laughed Those hose hose were different times she he said sail People are arc snore more calculating calc these d i Im not not fraid afraid of f Minnie doin Join anything ally hing like ilia tt e a funny girl I never neer dared tease hr about bout the boys boy for all her laughing she can flare jJ lip up like iah I J She Site resumed resume her h r scat seat in the window with wilh her palm palmleaf palmleaf leaf lea fan and promptly dismissed the subject of Mr Ir Elton from her mind She was quite sincere in the opinion she had to her sister and md she was even cen amused at Mrs speculations If I Iwas Iwas Iwas was to tell Minnie 1 nnie that she site be mad I she thought Presently she heard Minnie and the he old man come corne comein cornein comein in from rom the cand soon after the three young men m n from the mill came in awkwardly and took their places at Jt the table their hair damp from front recent brush brushing brushing ing in and their faces shiny from conscientious ablutions They shot an occasional awed glance at al t Minnie innie as s they ate but bul they never addressed her In fact she em embarrassed embarrassed them diem terribly much in the way an affable alT ble angel might an humble family by b suddenly appearing appear l g gat at their board and by hy his hi very radiance ra confirming the immeasurable distance between himself and md them Minnie and her mother sat at the tile end of the tile table with Mrs Hewlett Besides Mrs Irs Hewlett was as ItOl empty chair He must be working late Kite tonight Its funny hals keeping him she complained to Mrs firs Deming and Minnie I never neer knew him to te be beas beas beas as laic late as this Oh Olt I guess hell be along presently said Mrs rs Denting Deming Minnie offered neither consolation nor comment She went on steadily with her supper though she was aware of ofa a certain anxious bewilderment that sur stir surprised surprised her It docs does seem strange and our last night here herc too loo she told herself her in itt excuse of it Presently she went out and joined Father rather Hewlett on the narrow porch at the front of the house hou e The Theold Theold Theold old man had had his supper at the kitchen table and had tonne conic out here with his pipe The girl sat beside him hint and he admired the lac touch of crimson at It her throat Guess the miss yc ye tomorrow he ventured She smiled absently at him himin in truth she was occupied occupied occupied occupied pied in m endeavoring to explain her own unwonted emotions concerning lilton and she was as annoyed with herself f to find H it l necessary She Site had no idea that she had tad become so interested in inthe I the young man Sh liked his kindliness his strength his evident desire to please lice her They had become good comrades s in the little while she hall haU known knon him but nothing of a sentimental nature had ever occurred between them even of the slightest even cen though for the last week she had been subtly aware of a vague intangible undercurrent in their companionship that fascinated while it startled her When they thc had patted parted pJ ted the night before his hand handclasp handclasp handclasp clasp the last look he had given her seemed to con convey convey convey vey more than mere friendliness and despite herself her heart had leaped to answer it Well Vell 1 I must have been mistaken she told lold herself mercilessly Mr Mfr Elton Ellon was good to me and look me around just as he would have hae taken any other girl that happened to be here Ive Ivee been a fool to think thin anything about him at all or to flatter myself that he would rush home tonight to night because e he wanted to be 1 with me nu lie Hc Ic probably dont know or care whether were going home iconic tomorrow or not and it serves me right r hl I stint think of him again if I live to be a hundred One of the who lodged in in the next house where Mr Elton also had a room appeared on onI this his h s own steps with a banjo and without warning I burst into melody Mrs Hewlett and Mrs Deming from behind the in the little parlor stopped the swaying of their to listen Mrs Hewlett appeared at It the door Ed she said to the young man Jim Elton Ellon come corne in jet theres nothing wrong rong at the works is there 1 Nothing as far as 15 1 1 know he hc replied and resumed his interrupted melody melodyA A t sudden thought trade made the girl start to her feet with the thc very hideousness of it No there was nothing wrong at the works Jim Elton was staying away purposely I 1 No doubt she site had shown too plainly her joy at his attentions and anil had horrible thought 1 I pursued him This prearranged ranged absence was simply to give her vanity vainly ly a lesson For a moment she winced with humiliation then she took look hold of her fine courage with both bout hands though th idea with every moments passing seemed d to grow more probable Ive lve had about enough of this nonsense she told herself He can come conic or stay slay as aa he lie likes its nothing to lo me rte one way or the theother theother theother other She went into inlo the parlor in ill a few minutes with her head high I guess Ill go up and finish packing she said to Mrs Deming and then go to bed we have hae to start early carl for the train you know knot Mrs Deming came panting up the thc stairs and amI sat st heavily on the lie side of the bed d as her daughter packed In I n the lands land name dont work so hard I 1 she said aid finally Youre going goin at that thal trunk as though you hated it real vicious I l IThe IThe The girl flushed hotly hotl then she laughed Perhaps I do she site said Well therell be one person here going to miss you if I know it il resumed her lter mother and anti Father Hewlett I Its tickled him him to death to have you fussing around those flowers of his as though never seen one before Lefore Em lint dont donl seem scent to have much sympathy with ith him Sympathy 1 l her daughter repeated If lf I f you ask me mc mother I think sites downright mean to him poor old man I I only wish he was coming coating home lt inte with us Suddenly her face worked and she burst hurst into stormy tears tear above ahoe the skirt skirl she was folding down downright downright downright right mean to him I she sobbed passionately Why Vh rhy what on earth is the matter with you said Mrs Denting Deming She drew Minnie linnie close in in iii her motherly arms a amused Why V hy the idea id of taking laking on so about Father Hewlett I Eui Eln looks after him a as though he lie was a baby hab You worry that he Why Vh the ideal idea I Her daughter averted her face I gue guess s this heat has magic you nervous Ill be glad when cre home said aid Mrs 1 rs E Demint For some time after she site was in bed tied Minnie linnic heard the t c young man with the lor in singing tunelessly tunel sly to himself Presently Pre she heard him go in and shut the thedoor thed door d IM nr Early ns as it was when w cn her mother and herself came down the I he next the young men from fr m the mill had cairn ml nd gone their way vay r 1 l I T Mrs Irs Deming and Minnie ate breakfast with their lists hats h ls on They were to leave in to a few minutes If Mrs Mars rs Hewlett had received any an word from the absent Elton ElLon she had no chance to impart it Father Hewlett came C into the room as they rose from the table ai at huge bunch of or crimson ramblers in his h s trembling old hands He lie had cannily planted planned to appear at al the last moment and surprise and delight Minnie e with a bouquet of o his favorite bloom as a parting gift ift He IC had risen risen almost at dawn to have hac plenty of time for this labor of love Though he realized the magnificence of his gift he fried tried to present it lightly light I Heres just a little lillie posy picked lo to go home with you yon he hc said as he lie put pill it into inlo the girls arms Mrs |
