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and aunt, and bavin* the blood of me and your grandpa in your veins? Truly these times must be in the last days. What do you think of the way you are livin’, Christiana?” “It does not matter in the least what I think about it all, grandmother. You must remember this is Julian’s home, and everything is conducted just as he wishes.” “And ain’t you his wife, and ain’t it your home, too? Don’t what belongs to a man belong to his wife, too?” “Os course,” replied Christiana, now in a listless way. “But Julian has been a grown man for a number of years, and has very decided ideas of his own. He looks upon me as a mere girl yet. He has always lived in another world to ours, and among very different people. Suggestions from you or from me as to how he should conduct a New York house hold would only amuse him.” “Anyway, I am goin’ to do my duty by him, and give him a piece of my mind.” “Grandmother, please do not, let me beg you. It would never do. You do not know him well enough to understand him at all. It might make him very angry, and I wish him to like you. He has hardly gotten over your being so opposed to our marriage.” “Now, Christiana, I am a goin’ to do my duty, and you needn’t say a word.” “Then, if you will do it, grandmother, wait awhile till you know Julian better. Do not say anything about it to him just yet. Promise me that much, grandmother.” “Oh, I’ll wait for my chance. A child like you shan’t dictate to her grandmother who has raised her and her mother, too. There has got to be a turnin’ about of things here. Haven’t I raised six children to he grown, and ain’t that trainin’ enough for me? I was the only nurse you had, and it seems to me you was pretty well taken care of. That’s the way with this new generation, though, always a wantin’ some new fangled somethin’. I don’t be lieve in nurses takin’ the place of mothers. I’ll never take to lots of the new fangled city ways, and what’s more T don’t want to. While I think of it, I just want you to tell me who that high flyin’ girl was that come in to see you yesterday? “That was Miss Isabella Conrad.” “I suppose she is a sample of one of your New York friends. Is she a play-actress?” Christiana could not help laughing. “No, "-rand mother. She is one of our society girls. She is unite gay in apnearance and manner, but she is all right at heart. She has been one of my best friends, in fact has been perfectly lovely to me. You will like her when yon know her better.” “You need not tell me what folks are. I have not lived nigh onto seventy years not to know a real lady or gentleman when T see or hear one talk. Now. mark my words, that girl will bear watehin’, Christiana.” “I did not like her at first, but she has proven to be all right.” “Well, take my advice and prove her a little lon ger. Then, while I’m speakin’ my mind, I want to know how you can stand to have all them naked men and women hung up on your walls and standin’ round in the corners? I always said, when you was a chit of a girl, that you had powerful queer ideas, and you’ve certainly come up to the queerest. You propose to keep a decent house, don’t you? I tell you, when I got into that picture art room I thought to myself, l Am lin a decent house or not?’ I never heard tell of the like before, and I must say don’t know what to make of it.” “Julian brought most of those from Paris and Pome, grandmother, and paid thousands and thou sands of dollars for them. They are, said to be some of the finest paintings and statues in the world. I fear he would tell you that you were not educated in high art.” “Well, I’m glad I’m not. If everybody in New York is educated up to high art, as you call it. and that is high art, I don’t want to stick my head out the door while I’m here, and I want to get back home as quick as I can, and never leave again. The Golden Age for May 31, 1906. Have you got any folks at all here that think like folks do down in Tennessee?” “Thousands of them, grandmother.” “Then, I wish you would send for some of them, for I’m gettin’ homesick already to see somebody that looks and talks natural like. When I look out the windows I see the queerest shaped women prancin’ up and down the sidewalks with great long trains sweepin’ up the dust. And them queer look in’ buggies with only two wheels and the driver settin’ up on top, gets me. What do they want such outlandish rigs for?” “Those are just delightful, grandmother, and one gets such a good view, with no driver sitting in front of her. I shall take you out for a drive in one of them some day.” “And have me feelin’ like a plumb idiot. Not a bit of it, you won’t. If you can’t take me out in a decent carriage, you needn’t take me at all. Style, style, style! I reckon your grandpa will be for ketchin’ on to every new fangled doin’, but I’m not goin’ to have my head turned just because I’ve come to a big city. I intend to hold on to my common sense to my dyin’ day, if I don’t hold on to nothin’ else.” “Common sense is an excellent thing to have. I am sure you will decide when you are better ac quainted that even New York ha| many people who still have good old-fashioned common sense.” “That was a likely young fellow that married you and Julian. What’s his name? I never can think of it. Your grandpa took a powerful likin’ to him. Now, he seemed to be sensible like. I hope he will come round to see us.” Christiana suddenly became much occupied with little Miss Maybelle, and turned her back to her grandmother as she answered: “Julian must let Mr. Marsden know that you are here, and I am sure he will call at once.” “Have you ever heard him preach?” “Yes, several times.” “Do you belong to his church?” “No, I have not united with any church.” “Why?” “Well, for a great many reasons.” “What church do you go to most?” “Os course I have not been to any for some time.” “But Julian, of. course, he goes; and where does he go?” “No, he never cared to leave me at home alone, so he does not go either.” “Worse and worse. I knew if I kept on I’d find out after awhile there was something dreadful wrong here. Mark my word, when folks don’t go to church you may just put It down there is somethin’ power ful slack somewhere. Does Mr. Marsden ever come to see you all?” “Yes, that is—he used to come oeasionally.” “And don’t he come no more?” “lie has not come in several months now.” “Hasn’t he been to see the baby?” “No, grandmother; why should he?” “It just seems to me like a minister’s duty.” “I am sure he has too many other duties of more importance to perform.T “What does he do besides preach to his church?” “He is one of the busiest men in New York. You must get him to tell you all about his work, then I am sure you will have a better opinion of New York.” “It would take a good deal to make me have a good opinion of New York if this household is a sample.” CHAPTER XXIV. It was the latter part of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett’s first week in New York. They had worshipped at John Marsden’s church. Strange to say, Mrs. Ben nett had no harsh criticism to make about his ser mon. but as soon as he greeted her she began repri manding him for not having been to see them, and in no very uncertain terms told him she thought it was dreadful in him never to have heen to see Annie’s babv. The result was he promised to call nnon them the next day and pay his respects to Miss Maybelle Deveaux. At an appointed hour he called. He had an odd sensation as he rang the door bell. He wondered how he would feel when greeted by Christiana as a mother, and looked upon her daughter. Grandfather Bennett was the first to greet him. “Well, laddie, It does me good to clasp such a warm hand and look into such a bonnie, kind face again. Come right in. I am to have the honor of intro ducing you to our new queen. She rules every one of us, and comes first in all things now.” “Dearie, Mr. Marsden has come to bow before the queen. Has she on her sweet smile, ready to welcome him? Yes, her great big eyes, just like her mother’s, are wide open, and looking all about, as if expecting a distinguished stranger.” “I’ll take her up,” said Mrs. Bennett, “so Mr. Marsden can get a good look at her, and see what a fine girl she is. She has not been weighed since we’ve been here, but I’m quite sure she weighs more than Christiana did when she was two months old. Here, Mr. Marsden, make a guess at how much she weighs, then we’ll know her weight right on the spot.” Before John had the slightest idea of what was about, to be done, there he stood with Christiana’s daughter in his arms. If he were subject to faint ing, doubtless he would have done so then. He had not even snoken to Christiana. He was conscious of hut one thing, that he held a part of her close to his heart, and that a pair of beautiful baby eyes, so like her mother’s, were looking up at him in a very curious, questioning way. How his heart throbbed as that soft little bundle lay in His arms and a tiny bead rested near his heart. Forgetting all save the impulse of the moment, he pressed her closer and kissed her babv lips. She threw up her tiny hands, touching bis face, and smiled and cooed. Christiana’s lips trembled, and her eves filled with tears. She held out her hands to John and took the little one from him, saving, “Yon have heen a very negligent brother. T have missed yon. I hope yon will feel it your duty now to call upon the young lady of the house very often.” The weeks went hy, and as in a whirlpool John seemed to drift more and more hack into Chris tiana’s life. He became inexpressibly fond of the little one, and she soon began to recognize him as one who loved her. He felt there was no wrong in bestowing upon her the caresses and affection of his full heart. When Mr. and Mrs. Bennett left New York it was a sad leave-taking, for both were so near the end of life’s iournev they could hardlv exneet ever to he in Christiana’s home again. Mr. Bennett’s Inst words to John were, “Laddie, good-bye. God bless you. Be a brother to my children. T would love to have had you for my own son. There’s not many like you to mv heart. God hless you.” (Continued Next Week.) Measure of ■Lx I I 5I \ W I Commercial Brains o \ jTBj I measure every typewriter I ■ —quality for quality—attri- PT til ■ ■ bute lor attribute—by the Li I I Underwood 11 \ | I How approach it in respo n- rJL *n\ ■ siveness—in mechanical per- J* II I fectlon. How resemble it in r I h 0 1 I appearance, design and fin-pl n I I ish. Its increasing fame pl S- 1 ■ makes permanent the Stand- M CO 1 ■ ard— El I THE ORIGINAL OF US KIND El *5 I ■ I Imitations are Never so Good UNDERWOOD TYPEWRUER CO- 241 Broadway, New York. M 13