" JHp'M'tlJUH'Ui U8-y
-
EVENING LEDGER PHILADELPHIA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1915.
19
THE LAST ROSE OF SUMMER
tl
GRAPPLE
A
By RUPERT HUGHES
'rrrT f ""
W
V
X
I
fcS--" --A i. fomf over Hobornh
' ""lif "tlnK o Tier. Ail the
sSffi'SG;n "nd pfr,on "
Swinct chrnn. . ,,0fofe, nt Mrs. Rlill;
"Sir .fjy Jh wn frowned upon an.1
'.il Wn he "i'1j' 'WihVr than Pitied.
1it ,lSn5i ncf Kone. Now Mrs.
.wtrl r ?St of n "erode nso. rtles.
'r' b the despised nnd, mocked, la
turret morning the Baiaar was open
V6.1". "ir hour Shoppers came as
l Jsilr " before. I'eoplo were as
'"! .!r to enhance their charms or
C heir flaws In a few days
'" A.. L wa back in his oiucc,
HPh IT tn his manner and his
,v A monin. " -r
. ...
tef fi,n vounger girls were be-
'i'cftho -m.tegrs. Deborah felt
,n i.trd how soon her turn would
I0 vould he a sad day. for she
Ul the worn rCcs from
L. the loolc some ...... , v
"." . AOODH.
iCto compliment her
f:
He paused now
on a sale or
hor somo of
-- III! 1PI1 Ul' .
particular (ustomcrs and Intro
most parti"""' cnmMlmcs he
Khw.l!o went down the aisle and
...id as ho Mni ,tnew
lKUtad blu hod because her fnco
!K..12.a -man who was ry-
" .i, n sample wnisis." " "- '
D horah what kind of ratine do
'f2,1 U give, you the nicest color-
ti r,.hnrnb denied that she painted
JM Deb-0LnA,rv She thoURht Deb-
hS trVinil " ro"''-,8,,t 1,BP Cm-
Ktl-c shopper had moved off Asaph
R? bout aMvardly. Finn y he put
' . . , . ........inna mi mil i.uuin.i
backs or iu ." -"".
- .. murmur:
IrSbby I w- telllnK Jim Craw-
WJ, J-'. "... . . .. ,,ir1rln irtnt-n K.lleH
iisterdny turn, j"" " ...-.- ------
B . ..' i. i.. n,n slum this last
Im ny cienv ... -
Si i really, did I'" Deborah Rasped,
? ;c , mipplnB 1'Ko electric sparks.
W itemed to Jolt Asaph; ho fell hack
jlUeaml walked away staring over his
ait' night as Deborah was washing
i dishes after supper the door hell
rrtd.
"Km so. mother, will you? My hands
t all suds.
ll,s Larrabee hobbled slowly Into tho
1 tut came back with n hurst ot un-
.pceted speed. Kho was palo with
Ida.
U'umaii1" 'he whispered.
'A man1 Who could it bo?" Dehby
,'prd.
One of those rinvlight burglars, prob-
Wnat'll we do"
M Debby. in the now executive habit
hK mind, grew bold enough to take
tat a peek at the stranger. She tip
d Into the parlor and lifted thu shade
ihtly aside She speedily recognized
'miliar suit
It's old Jim Crawford," she hald.
litre was a panic of another sort now,
ting Debby's hands dry, her sleeves
m, her apron off, her hair puffed, tho
an In the parlor lighted. Old Jim Craw-
n na some minutes oiucr ucioro lie
ii iMitiea
It was Such n luxury to Deborah to bo
sought after even with thl- hlppopota
mlne stealth that ehe rather prolonged
the suspense nnd teased Crawford ti an
offer, and to an increase In that, before
sho told him that she would have to
"think It over."
He lingered on the porch steps to offer
Deborah "anything within reason," but
she told him she would think It over.
WMlftll el.A (Lnonl.. 1. ... .... ,-, 1.
( ....... n..w uii'uiii il uer sue leu 11.
j would be base Ingratitude to desert Asaph
oiumuffT, wno nan saved her from starv
ation by taking her Into his beautiful
shop. No bribe should decoy her thence
so long as l)0 wante.l l,er.
A few evenings later there was another
ring at tho t,arraboo bell. This time Mrs
Larrabee showed ho alarm except that
sho might bo late to the door. It was
Asaph I Ho was as sheepish as a boy.
Ho said that It was kind of lonesome over
at his houso nnd seelntr their light ho
kind of thought he'd drop round nnd be a
llttlo neighborly. Everybody was grow
Injr neighborly nowadays.
Onco more Mrs. Iarrnbee vanished. As
she sat In tho dining room pretending to
knit she thought how good it was to have
n man in the house The rumble of a
deep voice was so comfortable that Bhe
fell asleep long boforo Asaph could bring
himself to go homo.
Ho had previously sought diversion In
the society of somo of the very young
nnd very pretty salesgirls In his store,
but he found thnt, for ull their graces,
their prattle bored him. They talked about
themselves or their friends. But Debby
talked to Asuph about Asaph
That long-silent doorbell became a
thing to listen for of evenings Jim
Crawford dropped round now nnd then.
tnjjthe tlrst malo waller Deborah had
id since her mother could remember.
it vquld hive befitted a Ulnir. That ho
s a muuwt-T iinu. lot unruiaKe,
withy, may have had something to do
Ui It A fantastic hopo thnt at Inst
W exdtcd her mother po thnt sho took
ffi.if -.. . . ...
f'tcu uui in itiu way ua noon as mo
jUher had been decently discussed.
bit. Crawford made a lone nnd ponder
Sj effort at small talk nnd camo round
M ill rmnr1 ti'ltli 4lm ui.V.tlnt.. n ....
litn liner warping into its slip. At
Flirt ha tniiml.ln.t 4 1. n b la rl -v.t
ra-. v inuuiun.il tllUk II IJM3 XJUUUy
lf 9lt llra.1 Dklll.l .. it -
- wf iiii,u ui iiuuiutr a mere was a
pee he might make a placo for her In
U own state.
LIS
W IP
"It's ii man!" sho whispered.
Throo times that year Newt Meldrum
was In town and called on Deborah. Sho
asked him to supper onrc and he simply
raved over tho salt-rising biscuits nnd
tho peach pusscrves. After supper ho
asked if ho might smoko. That was tho
last word In masculine possession, if
frankincense and myrrh had been shaken
nbout the room, Debby and Mrs. Larra
bee could not have charlshcd them ns
they did the odor of tobacco In the cui
talns next day. Mrs. Larrabeo cried u
little. Her husband had smoked.
Deborah was only now passing through
the stages tho average woman travels in
her teens nnd early twenties. Deborah
was having callers. Sometimes Asaph
and Jim Crawford camo tho same night
and tried to freeze each other out. Deb
orah knew tho superlative female raptuio
of being riuarreled over by two males.
And finally she had a proposal from
Asaph, from Joslo's and nirdallnc'a
Afiaph! They had left him nlono with
Debby onco too often.
It was not n romantic wooing, and
Asaph was not offering tho first lovo of
a bachelor heart. Ho was a trade-broken
.widower with a scries of assorted or
phnns on his hands. And his declaration
was dragged out of him by Jealousy and
fear.
Jim Crawford, after numerous failures
to decoy Deborah, had nt last offered her
the position of head saleswoman; this In
cluded not only authority and increase of
pay, but two trips u year to New Vork
as buyer!
Deborah's soul hungered for thnt Jour
ney to Carcassonno boforo sho died, but
she put the temptation from her as nn
Ingratitude to Asaph. Still, when Asaph
called the next evening It amused, her
to tell him that she was going to trans
fer herself to Crawford's Just to sec
what he would rav and to amuse lilm.
Her trilling Joke brought a drama down
on her head.
Asaph turned pale, gulped:
"Vou'ro polng to leave me, Deborah!
Why, I I couldn't got along without you.
Jim Crawford's In love with you, tho old
scoundrel. Hut r got a nicer house than
what he has for you to IKe In, too.
There's tho chlldem, of courso; but you
llko children. They'd lovo )oU. They
lwed mothering romcthlng awful, t been
meaning to ask ou to malry mo, but I
thought I oupht to wnlt about thirty days
more. Hut 1 couldn't let you go. Voti
won't, will you? I want you should marry
me. You win, won't you?"
Deborah stared nt him agape. She had
often wondered what sho would say If
tho Imposslblo should happen nnd a man
should ask for her hand. And now It
had como In tho unllkellest way, nnd
what she said was:
"Sakcs alive, Ase, one of us must bo
crazy!"
Hut he was in a panic, and he besieged
and besought till sho told him sho would
"think It ocr," The sensation was too
delicious to be finished with an Immedi
ate monosyllable. He went away blustsr
lng. Her mother had slept through the
cataclysm Deborah postponed telling
her and went to her room In a state of
ecstatic distress.
Deborah was experlcnclmr the raptur
ous terror that assails young brides, tho
dread of tho profoundest revolution In a
woman's life. Only In her caso the ter
ror was tho greater from the doublet du
ration of her maidenhood. Sho was still
a girl and yet gray was In her hair
The thought of marriage was almost
Intolerably fearful, and yet It was almost
Intolerably beautiful.
How wonderful that she should bo
asked to marry tho Ideal of her youth
She could liuvo a husband, a homo nnd
chlldien of various ages, fiom the llttlo
tot to the grown-ups. Sho had given up
hope of huvlng babies of her own, but
she oould acquire these ready-niado All
her stilled domestic Instincts llntned at
the new- cinplro offered her.
And then she temembered Josle nnd
Josie's sneer: "l'oor old Debby. Sho never
was n tose."
And now Josle was dead a year and
more, anil Joslp'a children nnd Josie's
lovor were submitted to her to take or to
leave. What a revenge It would bo; what
a squaring of old accounts! How sho
would turn the laugh back on them! How
well she could laugh who waited to tho
last!
Then she shook her head. Whut had
sho to do with revenge? We can nil denl
sharply with our friends, but wo must bo
magnanimous with our foes.
Deborah waited to announce her de
cision till Asaph should call again. Then
she told him what she had decided, but
not why. Ilo suspected every other rea
son except the truth. He was always n
quick, hard lighter, and now Deborah had
to enduio what Joslo had to endure all
her life. Ho denounced her. threatened
her, cajoled her, pleaded with her; but
Joule's ghost chaperoned the two, forbade
tho banns.
The net day In the store Asaph looked
wretched. Deborah grew tho more de
sliable for her denial. He had thought
that he had but to ask her; and now shu
hud refused his beseeching. Ho paused
boforo her counter and begged her to re
consider. Ho called nt her homo every evening.
Ho went to her mother nnd Implored her
aid. The poor old soul could hardly be
lieve her ear.-) when she heard that De
borah was not onlv desired, but dltllcult.
Sho promised Attn pit that Deborah should
yield, and ho went away happy.
There was n weird conflict In the for
sak'en house that night. The old pictures
nearly fell off tho walls at tho sight of
the stupefied mother trying to compel
that lifelong virgin to tho altar. Mrs.
Larrabee pointed out that thero would
never be another chance. Tho A. G. and
St. I. Itnllwny was In the receiver's
hands. They would starve If Deborah
lost her Job.
Deborah's only nnswer was that she
would go to Crawford's. Her mother
could not shako her decision and hobbled
off to bed in senile dismay. Sho had al
ways been asking what the world was
coming to, mid now It was there.
(CONTINUED TOMORROW.)
THE PADDED CELL
-Punch,
Proprietor of Dullboro's Emporium (with admirable presence of mind) Mr.
Blnks, forwnrd'
Good Shot
FARMER SMITH'S RAINBOW CLUB
GOOD-NIGHT TALK
Behold!
Here you see the Rainbow Button the badge of our
club. It is very wonderful nnd very beautiful, and there
is no other button just like it.
Every boy and girl in Philadelphia and hereabouts
will want one. We are sending them out as fast as we
can, but it's first come first served. So do not delay
sending in your pledge.
Yes, the pot of gold is there, right in the middle of
the button. When you don't know your lessons or things
seern to go wrong, look at the Rainbow on the button,
for thn Rninhnw is the sicrn of Hone.
X When you eet vour button vnu must keen it. Wo onnnot send a second
itton to any one without charging two cents for it so keep yours safe.
. alake the button mean somethinrr to vou when it arrives. Read the Rain-
Wf Club news every night write me letters and keep the club as lively
?' u now.
tt you haven't n lmrrrm ennd fm if trwlnv rnnv thn nlpdcfl on n nosfnl
rf xi save a cent.
FARMER SMITH,
Children's Editor, Evening Ledger.
jfi (M U'.ri,
FARMER SMITH, The Children's Editor,
The Evening Ledger, Philadelphia, Pa.
I wish to become a member of your Rainbow Club and agree to
DO A LITTLE KINDNESS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
SPREAD A LITTLE SUNSHINE ALL ALONG THE WAY.
NAME , ,.
Address ,,...,.,.,,,,,.,.,,,,.,,...,., , .
Age ,, ,.,..., ,,.,,..,.
School I attend ,., ,,.
I
i Our PoRrnflW Tin
JJ'Helninn. TTnn.I I)i.i,n, rlt. t
n00d street corwio : i,i;,l
r?p&e The secretary, Miss Anna
L , , al tne following members
W-eanfa ni .. . ...
It - -"aus; Catherine UoUins,
My i """' virion uaiy, urace
r& Marie Gahegan, Mary Collins,
Ef 5Ussy and her own busy little
Rs, Qtirely these HtHn firia
"8 sunshine along the way!
Lfc UQ unti tt.:l - it' .....
mfa, nun ot mis mue
WarPsi-mc;i. ...
IwUii- """in ve are so in-
Q in your corner and my brother
mort t0 oin the Rainbow club
ter ner Plains evervthint tn ua.
'iff) are er. i x , . . .:
S? nt vl "aiw to near auout it :
ttmf J-JMy Httle brother says to '
.'"! did a Httle kindness v(o,. .
drS,?,ine a Uttle lun mother
i Tor rece i. He
small he gets hungry, you know. He
gave it to a poor little boy that does
not get any lunch, as his mother has
to work; so now he says he will always
divide it. I am going to give somo of
my last year's toys to some boys in
our school, and that will be doing a
little, don't you think? May I write
again? With lovo und success,
BURTON C. HOUSER,
Girard avenue.
We think that the spirit of the Rain
bow is shining straight out from
every one of its words!
13 S
Do You Know This?
I. What is more wonderful than a
horse that can count? (Five credits.)
2. Why is Philadelphia more apt to
have earthquakes than any other city ?
(Five credits.) 3. What sentence
can you form from this name,
CHARLES DICKENS? (Five credits.)
Great Doings in Henville
II! I'M going to
have some fun
with Mr. Rooster,"
s a i d Mrs. Leg
horn, as she tuck
ed her egg under
her wing a n d
hopped carefully
(1 o w n from the
roost.
Sho deposited
the egg outside the henhouse
door and waited. It was tho same
egg she had scratched nn "L" on in
cider to know it was her very own
'.
By nnd by nlonfv camo Mr, Rooster.
"Good morning, Mrs. Leghorn," he be
gan, "I hope you nre happy this
morning."
"I am very unhappy," said Mrs.
Leghorn; "I can't find out what 'L'
stands for."
"It stt-nds for 'Leghorn,' " said Mr.
Rooster.
"I know that," replied Mrs. Leg j
horn, but there are other things, too,
'L' sometimes stands for 'lonesome
ness.' "
"No one can be lonesome at Christ,
mas time," answered Mr. Rooster. "I
thought perhaps 'L' stood for
LOVE.' "
"What is love?" continued Mr,
Rooster.
"You have never seen fluffy little
heads pop out of a shell or you
wouldn't ask such a foolish question.
Go ask tho wise old owl what love is,"
said Mrs. Leghorn.
So off trotted Mr. Rooster in search
of the WISE OLD OWL.
fe3'
For the
Wee Ones
Q&M
Kitty's here,
I wonder why?
Froggie's sick,
From eating pie!
Kitty's cross,
I wonder why?
Maybe it's 'cause
He ate her pie.
Used Too Much
Tho Sketch.
Tommy (his rifle nt the cnemy'n scat
of affection) Ilnnda up; or I'll blow
your brains out!
Too Hnrd Up
Customer This stuff liin't any good.
You told mo It would malco the hair
grow, but It's falling out
DrugglBt You'ro ustnir too much of
It. and the hairs aro crowing so quick
that they como right out. Keep on
with It.
f
ONCE IS ENUF!
i " ' I ' ""'" " ' "
WlllQ, Wf. Vf-FALL, N01VT Vou) I CM, NOW MUCH ARE. ) f WON DO VOU
L COME SWOPPING VJfTH IAE? 7 THKELOVEC VSElLMadw,
pxp5 y l-i
feEy, J,?JE)ni I VJERE OUST IN TlfAE FOR. LUMOfl fO MRMt&MU (NOT ME -O
lOr AMpMOaiBgCHgCgS (IK THE DE UJXETEA-RQOW .' Jr7rTN ccnte 'TO THIS ONCE S
"Uy tho way, Judd, can you pay
that llttlo bill of mlno today?"
"That llttlo bill of yours? Why, I
can't even pny my own little bills!"
The Locum Tcnens
1 ,"piiiiito(KH(in8i "
A Good Substitute
The Iljatonder.
Asqulth (remembering Leech's plc
tnre of the Chineso cook and the po
llccmnn) Me am kitchco!
ibss yf,
A FEW MILITARY TERMS EXPLAINED
Comedian I've brought you a pet
monkey to amuse you, darling.
Lending Lady Oh, how kind or
you! Now I shan't miss you while
you're away.
-AND THE WORST IS YET TO COME
sk EeSfLrsL Is -Jl C. v- &&
gfr itrwtilng-ror
Kf
.PRESENT ARMS -1 BAYONETSf''
V4
HALT 1
S3 DISMISS!
-Dally Sketch.
She Couldn't See It
She Should Worry
Bert I have been told that X was
handsome.
Ucrt-'Nlien was that?
Bert Today.
Gert No X mean when were you
lumUi.Piue?
She Xo, Percy I like you. but I
can pver be our wife.
He V vcr mind. There are other.
SI"- I K iqw icre a"" ( accepted
c- ,e el t- em ibis inortuu.
k