IT was In the summer time that
Bradley Hudson decided that he
loved Trixle Twining. To be
exact, It was In a rowboat at
Bar Harbor.
He lay back against the cushions
■nd regarded with admiration the
graceful attitudes of her lithe figure
and began to build castles In Spain
wherein Beatrice Twining formed a
most charming mistress.
That he did not more than hint
his love was due to his Indolence.
Billy Twining used to say that the
only thing that kept Bradley from
being a tramp was the money his
father had left him.
| His llstlessness was proverbial,
I and the summer season came to an
end without his having put his love
Into words. He had fully meant to
do so, but the days passed by so
l'apldly and tomorrow always came.
Tomorrow would be time, he ar
gued, anu So, when the Twinlngs
took their departure the momentous
question was still unasked. Bradley
comfortably argued that they would
eee each other in the season in town.
Mrs. Marchmopt's conservatory,
between the dances, was an ideal
place for proposals. He shrugged his
Bhoulders half regretfully and went
off on Ned Champne.v's yacht.
They had intended only a short
cruise, but the crowd was more than
ordinarily congenial, and it was six
*ve«ks before the cruise ended. When
Bradley went up to town he stopped
at a florist's and ordered some flowers
eent to Miss Twining. That night
Billy met him in the club.
"The cook says she's much obliged
for those flowers," he laughed.
"I didn't send any flowers to your
cook," frowned Hudson. "I sent them
to your sister."
"And the cook got them," ex
plained Billy. "You see, the mater and
els shut up the house and went to
England. The cook got married and
ehe Is spending her honeymoon as
the caretaker of the house. Dad and
I sleep there, but ,ve live around,
mostly. When the flowers came the
cook corralled them. She said shp
•was going to the theater tonight, and
It was very nice to have them."
For a moment he was minded to
run across and test his fate before
the peerage had its chance, but an
auto party through New Hampshire
put an end to that plan, and it was
not until the end of November that
he was moved to action.
It was the first time he had ever
had a marked impulse, and that
night he sat down and wrote her a
###### A WRONG IMPRESSION
/r sy OME along, Emily, we prom-
I ised to go over early and
help Kate fix the tables for
the club meeting this aft
ernoon, and you know how she al
ways leaves everything for the last
minute."
I 11 be down in a jiffy. Flora, but
such luck as I am having. One side
of my hair is as straight as a poker
and the other I have burned off with
the curling irons. This talk about
1,8 being a woman's duty to make
herself as beautiful as possible does
n't go In the summer time."
Emily appeared in a few minutes,
adding the finishing touches to her
toilet.
"You see this skirt? Well, it does
n't meet by four inches. I have been
taking that obesity cure for the past
month and I'll wager I've gained a
pound a day—that's why I've tied
this pink ribbon around my 05-inch
waistline. But what do I care for
that crowd? Come, let's hurry
along."
They hurried down the dusty
country road, and soon came to a lit
tle cottage with rose bushes rambling
over every shutter on the lower
floor. They turned into the path
'hat led to the house, but no sign of
life was seen or heard.
"Looks more like a funeral to me
than a party," remarked Emily.
Where do you suppose Kate is?"
They, rang the bell, rang It again,
and still no answer. They looked at
each other and then rang again a
third time.
"I'll go round to the back door,"
said Floro; "they must all be in the
kitchen."
And then in a few moments
THERE are you going?"
called Sackett
If as Alma, looking par
ticularly dainty in a
most becoming dress, stepped out on
(he piazza.
"I'm going nutting," she said, with
a dimpling smile as she indicated the
tiny basket thnt swung on her arm.
"Would you like to come?"
"Not on any such fool's errand as
that," said Leonard, loftily. "Don't
you know that It is too early for
nuts? They are no good until after
the first frost."
"There are different sorts of nuts,"
she reminded.
Leonard ignored the mischievous
twinkle in her eye.
"Stuff and nonsense," he declared.
"All nuts require frost in this lati
tude. You nre simply wasting your
time. Sit down here and have a chat
Jlke an obliging child."
"I'd rather go nutting," she de
clared, with a saucy tilt to her chin.
"It's lots more pleasant than sitting
on the piazza and being lectured on
natural history and other thrilling
topics. '
"Hut you cun't. go nutting when
titer* are no auta ripe," he reiterated
IJ
long letter.
"I know that you don't think much
of me," he confessed. "You think
I'm an Idle and useless sort of chap,
but If you will take me I'll brace up.
I don't mean to be lary, but I've
never had to hustle and' I've sort of
gotten into the habit of taking things
easy. Won't you say 'yes,' Trixle,
and give me something to work for?"
Then one night he came in to find
a telegraph envelope on the hall ta
ble. His eye caught the word "Cable
gram." and he tore It open with
trembling hands.
"Will say yes,' " it ran. "At the
Carleton as the clock strikes the new
year."
It was not signed. It needed no sig
nature, but he flung into the library.
He rang for a messenger and sent
a cablegram to the effect that he
was coming. Then he turned In and
In his troubled sleep crossed and re
crossed the ocean a hundred times.
The next night he was in New
York and his steamer ticket rested
in his pocketbook. while a suspicious
bulge in his vest pocket betrayed the
ring.
Off the banks they encountered a
heavy fog, and the speed was slowed.
Bradley watched for the day's run
and scowled when It showed 100
miles less than the previous run.
Still there was plenty of time, and
they might make that up once they
passed out of the foggy area.
The next day's run was better, and
that night, at the table, all spoke of
the marvelous burst of speed that
had made up the 100 and a little
more.
They were still around the table,
laughing and joking, when there
came a muffled roar that blanched
every face. The stewards jumped to
the heads' of their tables to prevent
a panic if necessary, and one or two
of the officers slipped quietly from
their seats and vanished from the
salon.
Presently the captain stumped in.
"There has been'an accident to the
port propeller shaft," he said, quiet
ly "There is absolutely no danger
whatever, but we shall have to go
ahead rather slowly until both screws
are in commission again."
The next few days were a torment.
It was apparent that there was some
delay in repairing the shaft, and
finally the captain admitted that it
had been found impossible to make
repairs, though twice the ship had
lain to for a couple of hours while
the machinists sought to mend the
break.
Flora's voice could be heard calling:
"Emily Emily, come on around
—here she is."
"O, girls," exclaimed Kate, "I'm
so glad you came. I'm fussed to
death. Mother's gone to the mission
ary meeting, and the hired man cut
his toe off last night and has not
been able to do a single chore for
me. Here, Flora, you take this duster
and fix up the parlor, and Emily,
turn up that dress of jours and get
busy squeezing lemons for the punch.
"Kate Price, you are the worst,
girl I ever knew. Don't you know the
girls will be here in a few minutes
and you have not a thing ready?"
With this, off came the pink sash
ribbon. "What have you been doing
all morning?" With this she loosen
ed her collar. "Just supposing we
hadn't come around." Up went the
skirt and a big pin held it well above
all danger.
"O, Emily, you wouldn't be so
mean. Like a good girl, go ahead
and do what you can, and I'll run up
stairs and dress. I'll be down in
time to make the sandwiches."
For a few moments no sound was
heard in the house. Presently Emily
appeared in the hall and called up to
Kate.
"Kate, I have finished the punch,
but I cannot find any glasses. Tell me
where they are and I'll set them on
the table."
"Mercy me—whatever shall I do?"
responded Kate fron: upstairs. "I
loaned them all last night for the
minister's donation party and they
have not sent them back. Please go
ask Samuel if his toe is not well
enough for him to step over and get
them."
"I'll do nothing of the kind, Kate
irritably.
"But there are ripe nuts," she re
torted, teasingly.
"I tell you there are none," he de
clared, with positlveness. "You will
have only your trouble for your
LEONARD.
pains. Don't be snch a little fool."
"Thank you, sir, for your compli
ment," she said, with an elaborate
courtesy, "You grow more gallant
every day."
With an exclamation of anger,
Leanord flung into the house and
The days dragged on until It was
New Year's eve, when the ship
picked up land and exchanged the
long pitch of the open sea for the
choppy waters of the channel.
Bradley had a chat with the cap
tain and then sought out the wire
less operator in his little cabin. An
hour later as he paced the deck a
steward approached him. •
"It's all right, sir," he said, touch
ing his cap. "The special will be
waiting. They'll get you into Wa-
TO BE EXACT, IT WAS IN A ROW BOAT AT BAR HARBOR.
terloo at hurf arfter 11, sir. Thank
you, sir."
Bradley stamped around until the
mud pilot came on board. Then he
went down to his cabin and packed
his satchel, arranging with his cabin
steward to have his trunks shipped
the following day. He was standing
by the gangway as the ship warped
into the docks.
Bradley ran down the gangplank,
through the customs' shed to where
Price," said Emily, as she flounced
back to the kitchen.
"ICate—Kate," wailed Flora. "I've
dusted the room and fixed the tables,
but I can't find the cards—where are
they?"
"Brother Tom was going to get
home on the 2 o'clock train and
bring some new ones, but he hasn't
come yet—O, dear, what shall I do?"
Before Flora had time to express
her inward feelings, the front, door
bell rang. Each girl waited for the
other to make the move, but no one
cared to take the initiative. Flora
and Emily met in the hall and gasped
to hear Kate's voice calling out of
the upper window.
"Please ring again, I don't think
the girls heard you."
Flora dropped her apron and
started for the door. She turned the
catch, she pulled, she put her knee
against it,and pulled some more.
"O, Emily, do come help me. We
simply must let them in."
So together they pulled, then the
girls on the outside began to help by
putting their combined weight
against it and pushing. All to no
avail.
"Kate Price, come down here this
minute and let the girls In —we can't
budge this door."
Kate appeared as fresh as you
please in a dainty white dress, and
as she came down the stairs her face
plainly showed a whole expression
of contentment.
"O, we had that door painted yes
terday, and I suppose it has stuck
fast." Her pretty brown head ap
peared at the front window as she
called: "You will have to come in
the back way, girls. The door is
stuck."
Alma, still smiling, tripped off down
the road. The smile played about
her lips, but the lips quivered a little
at times.
She was very fond of Leonard, but
his positive ways sometimes made
her afraid that their married life
might not be as pleasant as she
hoped. >
More than once nhe had been on
the point of returning his ring and
telhng him that she dared not trust
her happiness in his hands, but al
ways her love triumphed over her
fears and she bore meekly his domi
neering manner.
Left to himself Leonard soon re
turned to the piazza to reflect upon
feminine foolishness. I; was absurd,
he told himself, to go looking for
nutg so early. It would have been
much more pleasant to sit on the
piazza and perhapa Mrs. Shelly
would have brought out some lemon
ade and cake, aa she so often did.
But It was lonesome work, enter
taining himself with thoughta that
were far from cheerful, and at last,
with a gesture of dlaguat, he caught
up hla hat and atarted off.
He knew about where Alma would |
go. He would go after her. In an
the only train stood waiting.
The cars always suggested toys to
Bradley, but there was nothing child
ish about the speed, and as they
passed the town and gained headway
he settled himself back in the seat
and lit- a cigar. He would a little
more than make It.
But a fresh disappointment await
ed him. As they ran into the sta
tion but one shabb hansom was in
sight. There was an excursion just
In, explained the porter.
"There aren't many cabies about
anyhow this time of night. They're
hanging about the theaters tryin' to
get a fare. There'll be a lot here
presently, though. There's a boat
train comin' up from Southampton."
"If you think that that relic can
live as far as the Carlelon, I'll try
him," said Bradley. "Call him oVer."
The porter blew two blasts on his
whistle and the cab rattled over.
"Carleton, double quick," called
They all turned and came around
to the back door, where Kate let
them in with the air of a well
trained hostess.
"Just look at my dress, all green
paint—l won't have a thing to wear
to the hop." Dear me, this organdie
is ruined—lt won't wash," were just
a few of the greetings she received.
Kate rose supreme, however, to all
such trifles, and che had soon man
aged to pacify all of the girls, and
they were seated around the tables,
when the bell rang again.
Out the window went Kate's head,
and the minister's voice was heard to
say:
"My dear Miss Price, I've run over
with the glasses that you sent last
night, and Mrs. Perkins asks you,
please, to accent these few goodies
that were left over from the dona
tion." A large, substantial-looking
basket was handed in the window.
"0, Mr. Perkins, do come in and
meet the girls, and have some lemon
ade. Will you climb in the window
or come around the back way?"
"I'm coming in, Miss Price, just
long enough to preach a sermon to
one of your party. I met Tom down
the road sitting on a rail fence in a
most dejected frame of mind, and, by
the way, here is a package he gave
me to deliver. Now a rail fence on
a hot afternoon is no place for a
young man to be sitting with a
broken heart, and I propose to send
Miss Emily down to tell him so."
"He can sit there till the fence
gives way," snapped Miss Emily.
"I'm not going."'
"O, yes, you are, Miss Emily. Tom
told me all about it and it's quite
your own fault. Sam did cut his toe.
You are wholly to blame, so go tell
ticipation, he was already enjoying
the triumph of an "I told you so"
when he should find her with an
empty basket and a doleful face.
Baker's woods was the best place
for nuts. It was where they always
went, but though he covered the
beaten tracks and shouted until he
was hoarse there was no Blgn of
Alma.
He went on to a woods further up
the road and repeated his search, but
with no more success and hot and
tired and with the unpleasant reali
zation that it was long after the noon
dinner hour, he plodded back to the
house.
Alma sat on the plasca as cool and
dainty as she had been In the morn
ing. Leonard scowled as he came up
the walk. The sight of the girl in
her cool white gown, so markedly In
contrast with his own hot and dusty
feeling, was an added irritation.
"Where have you been?" she
asked as hs came up the steps. "I
hurried back to have a little chat
on the plasca before dinner and you
had gone without a word to anyone."
"I do not have to glre an account
of myself," he paid, crossly. "If you
want to know, I was looking for
Bradley, as he stepped in. The cab
man peered through the trap.
"Club or hotel, sir?" he demanded.
"Hotel, and hurry," cried Brad
ley, and then the long lash whisked
over the horse's flanks and they rat
tled up the Incline.,
"I'll make It," he whispered to
himself, "I have little leeway, but
I'll get there."
But the hoodoo hold. The horse
lost its footing on the slippery pave
ment and crashed to the ground.
Bradley sprang out. while the cabby
and some passersby sought, to get the
horse to his feet.
It only took a moment to show
that his leg was broken, and thrust
ing a coin in the driver's hand, Brad
ley reached for his bag and looked
about for another cab.
This time he was more successfiul
and it was five minutes of 12 as he
rattled up to the lio'.el.
The clerk eyed him askance as he
him so before he succumbs to 'a sun
stroke."
It took the combined pleadings of
Mr. Perkins and the club members,
but after much persuasion, and even
threats, Emily started for the rail
fence that ran around the orchard.
THEY WERE SEATED AROUND THE TABLE.
She diplomatically approached
from the rear. There, Tom sat,
hunched up like a blackbird in the
rain.
"Tom," called a rather weak voice.
"Emily, darling!" and with a
bound he was at her side.
"I'm sorry I didn't let you in last
night, Tom, but you see I thought
you stopped in to see Lucy Wright,
and that made you late."
i you."
"Where did you go?" she asked.
"Surely not to Baker's woods?"
"That was where," he admitted.
"I did not And you, so 1 went on to
ALMA.
the Oraham tract."
"But there are no nuts there," she
said, with a ripple of laughter, "You
told me io yourself this very morn
ing."
entered the lobby and demanded that
his card be sent up to Miss Twining.
"Have you an engagement with
her?" he demande'.
"I have," said Bradley. "For 12
o'clock tonight. I came all the way
from America to keep it."
"It's a long ways, sir," said the
clerk, blandly.
"It doesn't matter how long a way
it is," he scowled. "Send up that
card, will you?"
"In just a minute, sir," he prom
ised.
"You send that card right upstairs
>or I'll come around there and punch
your head off. Do you suppose I've
taken all this trouble to be here on
time to have you ..poll it all?"
"Not in the least," argued the
clerk, "This gentleman will take
you up." |
Bradley turned to face the tall
commissionaire who had come up be
hind him.
"Do you know the number of the 1
room?" he demanded. ,
"Yes, sir. That's all right, sir," :
was the prompt, response. "Just come
with me, sir." i
His guide pushed open a blaze
door and passed into a corridor in i
odd contrast to the elegance without.
Bradley glanced about comprehen
sively. "Going up in the servants' i
lift?" he suggested.
The comniissonaire's hand gripped i
his arm. "The lady is stopping in an
other hotel. I'm to take you to her," ]
he said.
"Nonsense," cried Bradley. "They i
always stop here."
"But we're full," said the guide,
patiently. "We had to send them on i
to another hotel."
"What's your game?" demanded 1
Bradley, angrily.
"Better come quietly," said the i
commissionaire. "Here, Jim, catch
his other arm."
A husky porter sprang to his left
side and gripped that arm. Bradley, ]
thoroughly angry, struggled to free
himself, but he was as a child in i
their grasp and ths only result of
his endeavor was to have n>e sleeve
torn out of his overcoat and that gar
ment ripped down the back. 1 .
He was carried through the ser- ! i
vants' entrance and bundled into a !
waiting cab. A policeman stood be
side the door and when they had
bundled him in, still fighting, fol- '
lowed and sat opposite him. »i
"I wouldn't make a row, sir," he
counseled. "It'll only go against you i
in the morning." ' j
"In the morning?" he echoed. "Do
"No, dear. I told you the truth.
Sam did cut his toe off and I had to
go for the doctor."
"I know it now," admitted Emily.
"Mr. Perkins told me, and then, be
sides, I've seen Sam." Then with a
shy little glance she stole up to Tom
and said:
"I know where Mr. Perkins is now,
Tom."
"Emily, can it be? Will you really
be mine today?"
"Yes, Tom, today, if Mr. Perkins
thinks I've attoned sufficiently for
my sin."
They found Mr. Perkins prying
open the front door in order that the
club members might at least make a
"But that 1b where we always go
nutting," he insisted. "Where did
you go?"
"To the village," she explained,
as her smile deepened. "You see,
Len, I was going to explain my little
joke, but you got so positive that I
could not go nutting until the frost
came that 1 didn't remind you that
we were going to have a taffy pull
tonight, and I wanted some nuts for
the peanut brittle. Peanuts are ripe
before the frost."
"And you let me go to all that
trouble?" he demanded.
"I asked you If you wanted to
come," she reminded, "and you would
not. How was I to know that you
were going to change your mind?
You are so positive about things that
you are hateful sometimes, and I'm
glad that your bad temper punished
you. I wish you had walked clear
into the next county. If you had
not been go superior when I came
out you would have known all about
It. You deserved all you got."
"I guess I did," he admitted,
humbly, taken aback by her vehe
mence. "See here, Alma, the next
time I start in to know it all, Just
say peanuts' at me. That will shut
you mean that I am under arrest?
Is it any crime to ask for a lativ
stopping at a hotel?"
Kather unusual, sir," suggested
the officer. Bradley groaned.
I U give five pounds to anvon«
who will get word to MissTwl'nln*
of my predicament," he ofTered.
1 he thrse men looked nervous, but.
did not speak. But as they were
taking him out of the cab in front
°* the station the commissionaire
whispered, "I'll take the message,
"Tell her that Mr. Hudson—Brad
ley Hudson—called," he said. "Ex
plain what happened. She will un
derstand."
He managed to get the note out of
his pocket and pass It to the man.
Then he went quietly enough to a
cell.
For nearly two hours he paced ths
narrow cell while the ribald songs
and laughter of the holiday cele
brants filled the place. Then Trixie
came, and with her a dapper little
fellow whom he did not know."
"You poor boy," cried Trixie as
she caught sight of his face through
the bars. "They told me that th-i
steamer was late and that the train
would not be up until morning, so
I never thought of sending wo-d to
the desk."
"So it seems," he smiled. "It was
evident that I was not expected."
"But it will be all right now,'* she
promised. "Lord Kllton will vouch
for you and you can come back with
us."
"But I'm too late," he said, as the
little man bustled oft to confirm the
identification.
Trixie held her watch up to thr
bars after she had fumbled wi<h i
for a moment. The hands stood jus'
at 12.
"You darling," he whispered. "An.!
you will marry me?"
"Yes, dear," she whispered. "Hufli.
here comes T,ord Kllton.
The officials were profuse In thei"
apologies, and they were soon out of
the station and in the four-wheele;.
Lord Kilton raised his hat..
"Mr. Hudson will see yon horn »
safely," he said. "Will you pardc-i
me if I delegate my escort duties tc
him?"
"What a brick that chap is," sai i
Bradley as the cab rolled off.
"It was thoughtful," agreed Trixie
as their lips met, "particularly as he
wanted to marry me himself."
"Can you blame him?" laughed
Bradley, "when you make even
Father Time halt in his progress?"
proper exit, and the two told every
body of their plans.
There was a quiet little wedding
in town that night, and the club at
tended in a body. Sam recovered
sufficiently to drive the bride and
groom to the station, and to this da;
the members of«the Bridge club liav
always contended that Emily \vc
the prize at their last meeting.
LITTLE COUNTRY WEEKERS.
Bishop Frederick Burgess of Lon-
Island was praising the beneficen:
work of those associations that semi
the pale little children of the slum:
to the country every summer for n
week or two.
"One child, found gazing with pas
sionate interest at a lot of hens, wa
asked if he had never seen chlckc-u
before.
" 'O, yes, I've seen 'em before,' le
answered, 'but only after tliey WUT'
peeled.'
"There was another little chap,"
continued Bishop Burgess, "who re
fused to be a country weeker.
would'stay in the city. No countr.
for him.
" 'But why?' they asked him.
" 'Because they have thrashln' ma
chines out there,' said he, 'and it's
bad enough here, where it's done hjr
hand.' "
HARD ON THE PURSE.
The bonny bride of gentle June!
To know a dozen seems a boon;
But when you count the presents up:
The china sets, the silver cup,
Cut glass galore—why, It's no Joke:
Great Heliotrope! It leaves you broke.
me up."
"I'm glad something will," sh«
said, ungraciously. "1 was sorely
tempted to give you bad; your ring
this morning."
"I'm cured," said Leonard, humb
ly. "Don't rub it in on a fellow."
"And you'll shell the peanuts?"
she bargained.
"Anything," he promised, humb
ly.
"I think," said Alma, demurely,
"that the peanuts will rub the lea
son In. I'm sorry I didn't buy u
bushel."
CONVINCING. I
"Do you believe that domestic ar
guments are at all convincing?"
queried Younghub.
"Sure," replied Oldwed. "Each of
the parties to the agreemnt is fully
convinced that the other Is wrong."
WHAT THE JUDGE DID
Two soulf* with but a single thought;
Presto! The thine is done;
They patronized a divorce judge who
Quickly made two of one.