the doings of the neighbors; and pleasant to him, because the
next house was her home, and from his seat at the head of
the table, he was permitted occasional visions of a slight,.
petite figure.
They were soon chattering away over buckwheat cakes,
so dear to the heart of a boy. Aglow with the fire of love,
he vivaciously told her stories of college life. He told her of
jokes on the profeSsors and boys; and she was laughing
heartily at his tale of the attempt of the Freshmen to steal
some ice cream, when he suddenly became sober. Coming
up the street he saw a red skating cap; and he recalled that
May had been taking music lessons in Philadelphia. "Can
it be one of the University men coming to see her ?" lie
anxiously asked himself. "No, no, it cannot be." But
straight up the walk came the figure, stalwart and strong,
and turned in at the gate.
It seemed to him then as if a heavy weight had been
placed upon his heart. The earth was no longer bright and
gay; but the sky leaden colored, and the earth. polluted.
''Are you sick?" anxiously inquired his grandmother,.
the mirth dying out of her face.
"No, Grandma," he answered, "I was just thinking."
And he ate another cake, although it was hard work to do.
so.
But Barry's answer did not satisfy her, and she began
to worry about him; and when lie announced his intention of
going skating, she remonstrated.
"I think you had better not go to-day. dear," she said..
"I am afraid something might happen to you,''
But Barry was immovable, and seeing the utter useless-.
ness of her objections, she said nothing more. And so after•
breakfast, as he was preparing to go, she brought out a red,
white and blue skating cap, and wished him a pleasant time.
Kissing his grandmother . good-bye, he started out. But
it was indeed a sick boy that now moved down the alley to.
the creek below the house. However, lie thought it would