VIRGINIA LEZ ' * , < • (Copyright, lSIC, by W. Q. Chapman.) Twice within the hour Mrs. Edna | &nd W&B compelled to be content. Wmfti&k. Joim null ana' 1iwr paled. "Oh, John!" die gasped to horror, tor In a flash tbe recognised the tool aa a burglarious implement--a picklock. She had aeen such in his past career. "Don't worry, Mary," said John, with affected lightness. "I'm not going to get -Into any trouble." "But the picklock, John," quavered Mary. "It can mean no honest purpose." "I give you my word I hare not thought of retaining to my old wicked way," spoke John solemnly, and Mary was sure she read honesty in his eyes. Ube Horror in }»£ , • * *7 J. B. KU1TGKKV0K9 Danvers had seen the tears fall from 'tile eye of her hired seamstress upon the work in her hands. The latter thought herself unperceived, and when Mrs. Dan vers came directly near to her, she smiled to conceal her emotion, and went on briskly with her task. 8he broke down utterly as she was left alone in the room. Mrs. Dangers had gone into the hall. She paused there at the sound of gentle sobbing. She stole back softly Into the room. "I shaH not be home till late," he wrote Mary thUee nights later, and her soul was rent with anguish. Had John met with his old companions? Had he again fallen by the wayside? Midnight, one o'clock, two o'clock, three and then--his step, brisk and steady, his voice clear and happy, and then he folded her in his arms. "Take that." he said, releasing her and drawing forth the picklock. "Don't shrink from it. girl! It's paid a big debt, as you'll know later. Tie (Copyright.) gently lifted the work from the hands bow of pretty ribbon around it, and of her seamstress, stroked back her , hang It on the wall for an ornament, hair, kissed her and sat down facing ! Some time I'll tell you a story about her. it that will make you proud of me. iSi- "Now then, my dear," she said in her pretty, persuasive way, "tell me all your troubles, for you have some. I've found that out, and I'm going to And out the rest of it and help you, if I can and you will let me." The flood gates broke loose. It was just such sincere and soothing sympathy that the poor soul, wearing her life away over the needle, needed. Soon other tears were mingled with her own and loving arms supported her. Pitiful and impressed, Mrs. Danvers listened to a story that aroused her keenest interest. Mary Walters was the wife of a convicted felon. They had one little child, and she was now its sole support and her own. for her husband was in prison, awaiting trial on a charge of burglary. **He is not innocent," the seamstress refcsctantly admitted, "hut. oh! he tells V Go to bed, dear; I have some work to do." Then way up to dawn, John Walters sat copying in a clear, legible hand ! pages of rough penciled notes He had the neat manuscript all completed and folded as Mary announced breakfast. "I want you to take these papers to your good friend, Mrs. Danvers," he explained. "Why, John?" spoke Mary- In surprise; "what are they?" "The complete outline of the case that scamp, Boydston, has against Mr. Danvers. Don't you understand? 1 had quite a seance all alone by myself In the Boydston office last night My old trade, you know, getting past the door. The strong box was a mere bread can against my skill. I copied all I needed, and old Boydston had a forgery or two among the documents. More than that, you get word to Mr. Danvers that two witnesses Boydston plans to use on tbe stand are professional hired perjurers. I happen to know them. I've got the goods on them that would land them in prison. I'll see to it that they don't appear on the day Boydston expects them, trust me, and Mr. Danvers will win his case." j "But, oh! John, if they find out---" "That I tried my old trade for a good cause?" cried John--"let them! I'm proud of it, but they won't and Mr. Danvers will win hiB great case." And what John Walters predicted came about. The day of the trial there was a discomfltted and baffled legal antagonist and a rightful triumph for Robert Danvers--and the big fee, and fervid happiness for Edna, and for the humble burglar a new start in life when Mr. Danvers learned of his grateful part in the affltfr. M-'i You My Word." me he is a changed man. He has aeon the evil of his ways, I truly believe." And then the narrator went on to give details that impressed her tender-hearted auditor. A mighty resolve came into the mind of Edna Danvers. That evening she told her husband all of the sad story. "Save him, Robert, ,4ear; you have the influence with the judges." And the result was that two days later Mrs. Walters came to the Danvers home aglow with happiness and hope. "Oh, my good lady!" she sobbed Joyously, "your husband is surely our good angel. He took my husband. John, before the Judge and John confessed all. Your husband pleaded for •him. They have given him a thirtydays* Jail sentence. Oh, think of it-- in another month John will be home with us! He would have been two years in the penitentiary only for your kind, good husband." "And now," spoke Robert Danvers to.feic wife the nest day, "having lent myself to another of your philanthropic notions, suspend the series until I give my unrestricted attention to my great case." -- "There is a 'great case/ then," said Edna. "And a royal fee, if I win it," declared her husband. "I am fighting the smoothest lawyer in the city, that is Hugh Boydstoil. He is slick, tricky, unprincipled. He works in the dark, and it is going to take unusual wit and ability to circumvent him." Of that case Edna knew all the details from time to time. The "great case" became the constant theme of thought and anxiety for the family. "So much attached to winning it-- In fact, fame and fortune," the lawyer asserted. Mrs. Danvers had further need of the seamstress, and Mary Walters came often to the Danvers home. Edna often spoke to her of the great case. Then it came about, when John was released and came back home and started in to earn a really honest livetlhood, that Mary referred to the case and John listened with interest. "I'm a#grateful man," he said thoughtfully, "and I shall never forget this Mr. Danvers." John continued to ask Mary constantly for further details of the case. Bit by bit he burrowed out the sentiaat facts. M8o the case hinges pn what kind of a case that tricky Boydston is going to put upr* he remarked. "The weakness of Mr. Danvers is in not 4 tnpwing what the defense is to be, eh? I'll wager it's a black plot, for I ' know Boydston. He's a hard, cruel, crooked man," John Walters said little after that, bat one evening shortly afterwards an Incident occurred that shocked and ^termed Mary. Little Freddie, toddling about his father, had pushed from his eott pocket a toot Me Asks Thief to Fight. One of the most curious offers ever made to an unknown thief was that once made by a Monmouthshire farmer. He had occasion to slaughter a cow. and the carcass was placed in the outhouse. Next morning it was found to have been denuded of every particle of suet, whereupon the farmer issued the following notice: "If the person or persons that robbed my cow of the suet are really in want, I will give them a stone of flour to make dumplings with. Should it be that they are not hi want, and the,thief is a man and will come forward, I will fight him in fair open battle; if he beats me, I will give him 5 shillings and let him keep the suet." The delinquent did not accept the challenge, as the farmer's fistic ability was well known.--Cardiff Cable to Philadelphia North American. Important Postscript. Apropos of the rapid displacement of the pen by the typewriter, a story which has just come to light id told in Scotland of the famous duke of Argyle, the author of "The Reign of Law." The duke was, to say the | least of it, not a brilliant calligraphist. and one day a well-known geologist received from him a letter which he found some difficulty in reading. He managed, however, to decipher it all save the postscript. This was beyond him, so he took it at last to a handwriting expert, who after some study pronounced that It read: "I hfive been totally unable to make out half of your letter." Roses and Carnations. Cut flowers remains fresh for such a brief time that any means of prolonging their life is eagerly welcomed by the flower lover. Many experiments have been tried along this line by modifying the water in which the flowers are placed. Thus roses, carnations and orchids have been found to keep three times as long if « small quantity of sugar is added to the water. This is taken up and helpa to keep the cells of the flower from collapsing, and thus wilting. A «™»n lump of starch has also bee* found beneficial. No Wonder. "How was it Doctor Knowlt got suoh a big fee from Talkative?" "Because when he was called to attend Mrs. Talkative for a slight nervous trouble he told her she had an acute attack of Inflammatory verbosity." "Well?" "And recommended absolute quiet as the only means of averting paroxysms of cacoethes loquendt. She's soared dumb."--Baltimore American. Treasure Found in India.. A bronze goblet secured In a copper vessel, which contained some copper coins bearing certain inscriptions which are indecipherable, was recently found by two Indian agriculturists. The coins bear the Impress of an Image on one side and, being of archeological nterest, have been forwarded to the curator of the Government museum, Madras. They are believed to have b<?ea In use during the reign of Tamer- Bananas! Bananas everywhere 1 Dosens of 'em! Hundreds of 'em 1 I leaned against the wall of the car and sighed contentedly. I pinched myself to see if it was me--me In a car of bananas. It was me, and there were the bananas, sack upon sack of them, piled three-fourths of the way to the celling. It was kind of dose quarters. for solid comfort, but as long as I could eat--eat bountifully, luxuriously, unstintedly, I sure didn't have any kick coming. Then I thought of the seal clerk with the spectacles, and I laughed as I reflected how I'd crawled under the car from the off side, with him not ten feet away. Well, I had beat him to It I was sealed In, and hoboing had its soft spots after all. Everything was so comfortable that I began to fcast around for objections. I found one. It was cold in that car, darned cold, and I proceeded to turn up my coat collar and snuggle cosily between two sacks. I must have laid there at least three minutes before it occurred to me that I was hungry. Think of It three whole minutes In a car of bananas, and not realize you're hungry! Well, anyhow, I got my knife to work and ripped open a sack In a jiffy. I was a pirate all right Who wouldn't have been a pirate? It was hours later, and I'd transferred my attention to another bunch. No, I hadn't finished the first sack It was mostly green, but I'd made a pretty good-sized aperture In the second when my knife slipped fvoin my fingers. I fished around In my pockets and dug up a match. It was the last match I had. I lit it with some reluctance and held it far down, but the knife had clean vanished. As I was transferring the burnt end to my left hand to prolong Its life, I happened to glance at the rent I had made in the gunny sack, and, as I did so, I sat bolt upright, nearly butting a hole through the roof. There---not two feet frotn my face-- was a big, hideous, hairy creature, about the size of a silver dollair. For a second I sat staring at it, transfixed. The match seared my fingers. flickered, and went out and then suddenly 1 came to my senses and began to crawl. I fled, terror-stricken, to the doors and threw my weight against them. I beat and pounded them frantically. I bumped and tore around over those sacks like a man bereft of reason, and then, as the full realization of my position forced itself upon me, I screamed at the top of my voice. I thought of all the stories I had heard and read of tarantulas, and as they stood out vividly, every miserable, soul-racking detail of them, I was wild with horror. I didn't have a chance against that thing there in the dark. It might even now be making its way stealthily toward me. I pulled myself together and rolled over into a corner, weak and shivering. Then the thought that there might be others--others right where I was lying, brought me to my knees again with a groan of despair. There must be others! There were others! A cold sweat stood out on my body, and 1 knelt there bereft of eveYy atom of manhood, quaking and cowering in the dark. Through the vortex of my emotions there caine suddenly a new impression the sensation as of something crawling. It was nothing definite, but it was Intensely real. Something was crawling! Crawling slowly and methodically up my left leg! No, It was my right leg! Again it was my left leg! I started to reach for It, then suddenly stopped, my arm poised rig- Idly. If I did reach--It! touched it It would sting--sting quicker! I sat there in an agony of suspense, waiting for it to strike. Waitingwaiting-- waitingi for an eternity, but it didn't strike! It had even ceased crawling. s I chuckled softly, then I laughed. I was going insane. I reached down suddenly and clapped my hand over the spot where the crawling had ceased, but there was nothing. I ran my hand over my entire body, still there was nothing. I felt sick and faint, and leaned wearily against the car wall. As I did so, my face touched something cold-- cold and clammy and soft. I started back screaming, then I laughed again was Insane--I had leaned against my own hand. To assure myself of this, for I was sure of nothing, I ran my palm slowly along the splintered surface of the wall, and then with a howl of terror I rolled over on the sacks. I had touched something hairy something soft--something-- I sat up with an impelling desire to reach out again. I could stand the torture no longer. I wanted to -know where I stood. I wanted a fighting chance. I had suddenly lost all sense of fear. My nerves were ,strung to the snapping point. I groped my hand along the wall, up and down and sideways. There was nothing--nothing! It was another prank of the Imagination-- It was-- My fingers tightened! My blood seemed to congeal! I felt it! I had hold of it! It gave easily under my fingers! Why didn't it sting? Why didn't it even hiss? I couldn't let go--I was riveted to the •pot--<*fVrv£>:, •; . ' r. rense? ftometl jb then I kne#*e niorfe. HoW long I laid there 1 don't know. When I regained consciousness I was stretched out on a pile of sawdust In the shadow of an Icehouse, and a was bending over me with a bucket. There was a circle of curious faces leaning close about tne. The sea! clerk had found me when he opened the car for inspection and ventilation. I told him my story, and even climbed back In tbe car and pointed out the 4ack where had forked the venomous horror. While they were prodding about with sticks and clubs, my eyes swept the walls. Then I started for the door. There It is f* I yelled hoarsely. "Over there I Seer Somebody swung a lantern around so that the light fell directly on the spot "Huh!" shouted a voice. "The bo's dippy." I looked closer, then swore. For there in the exact spot where I had run my hand--where I had suffered momentarily the tortures M hades, was a good-sized bunch of sack ravel- Ings, held securely by the splintered surface of the wood. I didn't wait for any more. I climbed out of that refrigerator and made a quick getaway, for there had come to me the sudden realization of what might happen if they failed to locate the tarantula and found the slashed banana sack instead. But it was in there--heaven knows It was there,' and here's hoping they* found it C II THIS HOME Rooms Designed to Give Maxi- * ^Bum in Comfort. IS OF THE BUNGALOW TYPE Heme Builders Find 8maller House* Easy to Care For and Prp. 'vide All Comforts of Lar^'i'/ Dwellings. ' INGENIOUS TRAP FOR WOLVES Device Employed by Eskimos Result* Frequently in Practical Wiping Out of Entire Pack. Wolves are a plague in Alaska, where the natives are commonly obliged to store their food supplies on platforms erected seven or eight feet above the ground, thus putting them beyond the animals' reach. Most Ingenious of all wolf traps is one of extreme simplicity used by the Eskimo. It consists merely of an Iron spearhead--or a suitably shaped blade of chipped flint will serve--which is set point upward in the ice, so as to be frozen securely in position. A chunk of seal blubber is wrapped about the spearhead' or flint blade and tied fast Alaskan wolves are marvelously keen of scent. It does-not take them long to find the attractive bait, about which a snarling pack of them will gather, licking and chewing at the blubber. Presently one and another of them cut their tongues on the sharp edges of the flint or iron. Blood runs. They do not know that It is their own blood, and the taste of it drives them crazy. Presently they begin to aftac^t each other, the weaker being overcotne by the stronger. Blood flows in streams over the ice, and soon all are killed or badly wounded. The pack is nearly destroyed, only a few perhaps being able to limp away and nurse their hurts* Christening Customs. ' . The rural English people h«we>mme curious superstitions regarding the christening of infants. The manner in By WILLIAM A. RADFORD. .. Mr. William A. Rtdfonl will mmimp Questions an<! give advice FREE OK on.all subjects pertaining to the Mnll r\ bulldlnK. '°r the readers of thla ~ _ On account of his wide ^xpenejice as Editor, Author and Manufacturer he jy.'f*!out doub», the highest authority on all these subjects. Addresp all inouiriei to William A. Radford, No. 1827 Pralri! tawvoen-cueen, t Csthaimcapg of.o r IIrIe.p, lya.n d only e»n«d«t»a«s•a• The present-day home builder is to b* congratulated. In the hemes that are designed and constructed in this generation there has been a complete change in the idea that a house to be comfortable has to have innumerable rooms that are seldom used. The modern home contains only as many rooms as the owner can use continuously. but those rooms are designed so that they give the maximum in comfort, and at the same time do not overburden the housekeeper with work. And what is of greatest importance is that this idea of conservation of space "without sacrifice of comfort has made it possible to bdlld a home more cheaply. The home shown in the accompanying illustration embodies the features mentioned. This is a small house that Is not; costly to build, but it contains accommodations for the average family, and the rooms are so arranged that It is an exceptionally comfortable and convenient home. Also it is a home that can be erected on a comparatively small lot, as its dimensions are only 27 by 31 feet. As will be seen by the perspective Hew this is a most attractive home from the exterior. The roof starting at the ridge runs In a graceful curve out over the wide front porch, while In the front is set a gable dormer raoms open off f central hall, otto at the front of the house and the other at the rear. In one gable at the end Of the hall Is the bathroom, handy to both of the bedrooms. Built Into the other gable and opening off the bedrooms are alcoves, with shelves on one side and a box seat on the other. Both the exterior ang interior of this home are of the sort that will appeal to many hundreds of the thousands of persons who now are planning to buiid homes of their own. It has the advairteflMMtf being economical to build. {n'i jij»j "AA* 14* 13 . i1*- -'i "V V . •• • "i?.* \ 1' - • . ".. i t-V* i , v - pecond Floor Plan. easy to care for and of being attractive in appearance and exceptionally comfortable within. Banks throughout the country now are conducting "Home Building Savings clubs," and thousands of members have started to save consistently for homes of their own. The plan is simply that those who want homes of their own begin to save certain sums at stated intervals, weekly or monthly. When the savings have reached the amount required for the first payment on the home, the house Is erected and the owner lives In 11 while paying the balance of the cost in monthly installments, just as the renter pays his landlord. The difference is that within a few years the home is paid for and belongs to the, family that lives in It. Every member of these> "Home Savings clubs" should be deciding on the PEG'S 8AGMFICE , *nr'j.,' By MARGARET WILDER. fcswww&r iwwwisiitdiwiHwii n-.iT Peggy was exe)t«tt sad "happy. Sitting hi?for« the big mirror,<abe brushed ; out the tangled curly hair, singing to , herself. Tonight oh, what fun ! That 1 great big marvelous dance she had looked forward to for the last three •.V..-. weeks was really about tp "happen.** ' Before her on a chair lay the blue evening dress and slippers, and they " tctually seemed to match her shining eyes. » "Oh, mamma," she cried, as the door opened, "I'm Just crazy to go~»why-- ...... why mamma, what is it?" ' Surprise and alarm were mingled la ^ Peggy's voice. Her mother, sweet and jroung looking, came to her daughter s Side and put her arm around Peggy's "" waist > "Darting, I--I can hardly tell yon. " "* 0b, Peggy, what If 1 should ask yon to give up that dance tonight?" , * Peggy's eyes lost some of their glow. ^ "Why, mamma--what's happened!"/ She managed to say. . / ' Mrs. Palmer's voice broke a V 'iwindow that breaks the lwhich a child is carried into the church The stucco columns of the porch give suPPosed to affect the character and the home a more substantial appeardisposition In after-life. The nurse, or ance. The porch is 26 feet long and whoever carries the baby, should enter 10 feet wide, making it commodious the church with the right foot, step- and inviting. ping briskly and dancing the baby in The arrangement of the rooms, their her arms, so that the little one shall • sizes and the convenient manner in grow up cheerful and light-hearted. which they have been placed are Another old-fashioned theory is that- shown on the floor plans. The five If a boy Is baptized in the water previ- rooms consist of living and dining ously used for a girl he will grow up rooms and kitchen on the first floor, feeble and effeminate; while if the and two bedrooms and bath on the case Is reversed the baby girl will second. The living room is 23 by 13 grow up lacking in womanly attributes, feet and has the fireplace set in the In every country white is employed for i center. The location of the fireplace all baby garments, but where a little I where the flues are not exposed to the color Is Introduced the superstitious I outside air conserves fuel; also it costs mother takes care that It Is a lucky less, as the brick walls of the chimney shade. Red is said to be a lucky color, pink and Mne are also favorable, but gree«. the color of jealousy, and yellow symbolize strife. Things You 8lmply Cannot Do. You can't sta:ad for five minutes without moving, if you are blindfolded. You can't stand at the side of a room with both your feet lengthwise touching the wainscoting. You can't get out of a chair without bending your body forward, or putting your feet under it; that is, if you are sitting squarely on the chair, and not on the edge of It. You can't break a match if the match is laid across the nail of the middle finger of either hand, and passed under the first and third fingers of that hand, despite Its seeming so easy at first sight. You can't stand with your heels against the wall and pick up something from the floor. You can't, unless you are quite a clever person, return to an upright position when placed two feet from a wall with your hands behind your .baclt aad your head against the wall. * Use for Distilleries. Recently a distillery at Rome, Pa., was sold and is to be turned into an ice-making plant. Now announcement Is made that a distillery on the outskirts of Lancaster has been purchased by a chemical company of Delaware county dye manufacturers, who wl'.l remove their entire plant to the Lancaster location. This dye manufacturing company Is a war development. It has been proved that America can manufacture Just as good dyestuffs as the Germans made. All Forgiven. "You don't get angry with that telephone girl for giving you the wrong number." "No," replied Mrs. fUmgilt. "She insists on mistaking us for some of the most elegant society people In the community." The Idea. "Why do they have civil weddings?" "I guees it Is because folks think they aro the peoper thing ier poMfee society." Up-to-Date Beau. JflTTh^ 18 one thln« *bont Ediths young man, dear; yov don't have to get up every night to send him off. Pa--No; thank heavpp'oie of tnr girls has picked out a selfistafter.-- Boston Evening Transcript. Hardly Flattering. Ml«s Passay--What do you ^ my latest photograph? Miss Young--Splendid I Isn't It* derful what they can do I do not have to be so thick. The dining room, connected with the living room by double doors, lis 12 by 16 feet I IDiningRm. flBE PLACE UVINGfiM., M'k I* Z7-0~ sort of home that he wants and of the design for that home, for planning the home that is to be built should not be done hurriedly. I\ should be remembered that the home 'as Anally planned and built will be lived in for a number of years, unless the owner should decide to sell, and the design should be selected accordingly. There are thousands of good house designs that are easily obtainable. A consultation with the banker, the lumber dealer, the local architect, or the build ing contractor will secure for the prospective builder designs of homes of the sort that he thinks he would like to have. A study of these designs will give the home builder many good Ideas of home planning, and will aid him materially In picking the homfe that he wants to spend his money for. Building a home is the best move that any man of family working on a salary can make. It not only gives him a real home that he owns, but It enables him to save his money, and In the course of a few years he has a most valuable asset And while he Is accumulating this asset he has the satisfaction of living In his own home. Firs* Floor Flan 6 Inches. The kitchen also Is largely 9 feet 6 Inches by 13 feet, but what will appeal to the housekeeper is the convenient arrangement of its fixtures. 8ink, table and wall case are located under the windows, so that there Is good light; the range is directly opposite, so that the shortest possible distance will have to be traveled in doing the work.' The cupboard for the dishes is between the kitchen and dining room, while the refrigerator Is set Into an alcove. In the entryway, between the kitchen proper and the rear are l6eated^lhe washtu^s." This' takes the washing out of the kitchen, but saves the w^rk of running up and down the basement stairs. Here also Is space for a/ chemical closet, which Is a great convenience and comfort in rural communities where there Is no water system. On the second floor tbe two bedrd Rooted the Agent One of our honest old farmers came In the house and found a sewing machine agent demonstrating to the women what fine work it would do. The agent asked the farmer to bring in a shingle and said: "I will show you that the Wonder Worker machine will do heavy work, for I will stitch right across the tip of the shingle, where It Is at least on#sixteenth of an Inch thick."' "Not interested." said the farmer. "Over 'crosst here 'bout three miles northeast a young man built a house laRt summer and I'll be durned if his wife didn't take her Mechanical Wonder sewin' machine and stitch on ev'ry blame Course of clapboards from gables and eaves clean down to the sills." As the agent slammed his machine Into his light truck and chugged away the farmer turned to his wife and said: "Well. Rita. I sewed that agent np all right, didn't !?' Now let's have supper." France Needs Farm Machinery. With France forced to import such a large percentage of its farm machinery, and with commercial shipping forced into the background by the Heeds of the war, it is a natural Inference that the French dealers now have practically no stocks of farm machinery. The failure of new stocks to arrive has caused the sale of the machinery left on hand In past seasons. The farmers object, not so much to the high prices as to their inability obtftlp tfcejieeaed mach|P«^f at any Your Aunt Alice Is 111 out in Chi- , : cago. I just received this telegram ; from Uncle Jack, and he wants me to ! ! C come there tonight. And--and--you know, Peg, I can't leave a two-yearold baby alone In the house and since be Is not well anyway, I hate to entrust him to a neighbor, yet I hat&-» Peg, I hate to keep you home!" Peggy's heart seemed to J>e sinking within her, but her sweet Hps turned and smiled at her mother's wistful face. "Run right along, mamma. Of course " I'll stay with Bob Boy."' Give my love -• to Aunt Alice, and Just make her get " \ well. Probably knowing you are near ' will do her more good than any amount of medicine." Mrs. Palmer, kissed .her daughter -- several times, and Peggy understood the deep sympathy and^ appreciation which her dear little motaer could not express in words. At eight o'clock that night all was still in the Palmer house. Peggy sat by little Bob Boy's crib, musing. The music was starting now, she knew*. She could picture the orchestra Jazzing away at their many different instruments, and she wondered what the girls were wearing, and how pretty they looked. * Bob Boy was sleeping peacefully. Peggy's mother heart went out to her tiny brother; and she was glad a hundred times over that she had stayed with him, instead of leaving such a warm little bundle with some careless neighbor. But she could not help that dull ache In her heart tn spite of everything, but not a tear passed her eyes. An hour dragged by, and the houie was still as a mouse. Peggy leaned over her little brother and kissed him, straightened the cool sheet under his pink chin and then tip-toed quietly down the stair?. She went to the par- " . lor window and looked out What a night! A glorious moon hung low In the sky, and every little star twinkled and flirted with her, as if trying to entice her out into tbe night. As she looked she saw a tali, slender soldiet boy limping along the sidewalk. She rested her head against tbe window sash and her thoughts flew back ovei the space of a whole year. She. toOr had had a soldier boy, but he had not been her sweetheart. They had not known each other long enough for that Yet why had she watched the paperc for every battle fought, In hopes of seeing his name, and why had she felt that stab of keen disappointment when the postman had failed to bring even one of those longed-for letters? She was watching the limping soldiet at he approached with dreamy, wistful eyes, and not until he had actually turned and came up her front steps did she realize the trut*h. She bearo the bell as In a dream; then the colot rushed Into her face, and she went quickly to the door. f. Tli,e boy entered and looked intently into Peg's flushed face. "Peggy! Are you surprised?" His voice was eager as he awaited her reply. Peggy couldn't speak. She didn't trust herself, just then. He continued: "1 hope y<*u dont mind my running In this way. Our ship arrived this afternoon. I have a day or so to go home in before I leave for camp. My ticket is for the OM o'clock train tonight--n Peggy suddenly took his big hand la hers. "Roy, why didn't you write everr "Because," replied Roy slowly, "JuSI one little girl's Image has been In my mind for this past year--It was youta, Peg--I didn't believe you cared--ap-- so--I was afraid to writt for fear^Wl r say too much." ' Suddenly Peg was ift his arm& "You--never, never could say too much'!" She was half-laughing, halfr sobbing. Late that night after Roy had left Peg received a telegram. The crisis was past--Aunt Alice would get well --and they would pack motaer oC home tomorrow. , - Peg prayed long and earnestly that night She thanked God for bis many blessings. - . . (Copyright, ttlt, MeClur* Newspaper qpiM n dicats.) • >•':"-:X Got Busy Quickly. "Well, what's*the first thing son did after graduating from that pensive college?" "Touched me for $800 to buy girl an engagement ring."--KanMP City Journal. MtiaTngi of Marietta. Before a man's married you'd think he hadn't another thing in th' world t do but court you, ap' after bo's wedded he's so busy all th' time ha plumb forgets how. Hidden Hand Whisper*. A correspondent of an English paper recently indulged in this bull: "Lest a whisper of the hidden hand be heard--." Was It an English clergyman who said to his congregation: Brethren, the muddy pool of politics was the on which I split"?--Outlook. ^ ' ' • > ' Mr*, ffreen "So your htwheet*^ ... tn trouble again T" Mrs. Jones-- no I He is out of trouble now. Bsftl V.-,- • -.\V " .4 . % -