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20 THE OEOROIAS’S SEWS BRIEFS. [ LETITIA’S AGNES HERBERTSON j| "A slim. neat little bun, but I fear a "She'e young for ye." she said bit fanciful." said John Hale anxiously. | His weather-beaten skin wrinkled In curves of consideration. “Ay. 1 fear she's a bit fanciful!" He stood on the hillock, nicking the toes of his thick boots with his whip, his ryes' upon I.ctitla's Agnes. who. unconscious of his proximity, had hung her broad hat upon a gate and was tidying her hair. She made a pretty picture In her blue waist with a white belt, and'her Inc hair half upon her neck; but the middle-aged farmer's eye roved from the vision to the fields and farm be yond. It was a business eye. with Just a hint of half-ashamed sentiment about It. and it looked from the farm house on hla right to the one on the left with an Irresolute air. The one on the right was red, and It was I/ctitla'a, the widow of his cousin; the one on the left was white, and it was his own. His gaxc lingered over the latter. “It's just going to rack and ruin for want of a woman’s hand about." he muttered. "And she's a modest maid, ts Hetitla's Agnes, and tellable. I'll for I.ctitla's Agnes." He started to tramp from the hillock, and his eye was struck again by the g irl, who had now finished putting up er hair, and wandered from her to a figure which was striding across that field bounded by the gate. The figure was that of his son. Farm er Hale regarded It for a moment ab sently. digesting a new thought. It had occurred to him to wonder how the youth might meet the notion of the proposed stepmother, and the girl her stepson. "Oh. they'd happen Into the wgy of It." he said comfortably at Iasi would be the first bite only that would taste ‘queer. I'll go over now and tell Letltia." He turned aside and made his way toward the red farm. The widow Letilia was In her kitch en. She raised herself from bending over a saucepan to greet him, a warm flush upon her fair, comely face. "You're an early visitor," she re marked. "You're cooler In here than the sun la outside." he said. Farmer Hale looked round the kltcb- rn its floor of red tiles shone—It had been but newly washed—the chairs were set tidily, the wood of the table bad a hatlny look. In the middle of It stood a great bowl full of lilies. The last Item brought back an old perplex ity—bis brow caught. "Ah, they're Agnes' work—them." said the widow, catching sight of bis expression. "She's that full of fancies. •We'll put the bowl there,' ses she, 'Just there In the middle of the table, and heap It up in any kind o' way. It’ll strike a note,' sea she. ‘against the rod floor.'” > "A note? What kind of a note?" asked the fanner, looking uneasily around. The widow's shoulders went up good-naturedly. ••Oh I don't know, nor anybody be side. It's Just one of her fancies" , "She's a bit fanciful, she Is." said the farmer doubtfully. "But a good lass, and a clever bead,' said the widow with pride. Karmer Hale made a rapid calcula tion of the lasses of the countryside, and It ended with a shake of the head. He could not do better than I/etitia'a Agnes. If she would bring the kitchen at the white farm to the state of this one—. Again the lilles caught hts eye and Jarreil his meditations. His sense of economy was pricked. • The farmer cleared his throat. -And glad I am to hear you say It. Letllia." he said huskily. 'Tor I’ve wait ed this morning to come over and ask for Agnes." The widow turned, amaxement be wilderment on her face. "Ask for Agnes?" she repeated, with round blue eyes. The farmer looked sheepishly at the floor. "The place Is goln' to rack and ruin for lack of a woman about," he said. "And I said to myself this morning def initely. 'I can't do better than wed I.e- tltie's Agnes.'" The widow's face grew crimson as bis meaning dawned upon her wits. A FACT ABOUT THE “BLUES* What U known as the •‘Bluea** Is seldom occasioned by actual exist* tng external conditions, but In the great majority of cases by a dis ordered LIVER. i ■ y THIS IS A PACT which may be demonstra ted by trying a course o( MsPilis . ThcjcoatrolasdrcftitaUtbeLIVER. Tb*y bring hop* and bouyancy to the ■lad. They bring henlthnad diitlc* tty t6 the body. ' TAKE NO SUBSTITUTE. Yea, I’ve thought of that.” said the farmer sturdily, turning hla hat around In his hands; “but if* a fault 'that'll mend.” ••There are folks.” said the widow weakly, “that would talk-” ”Let them talk,” said the farmer sturdily. “The house is coin' to rark and ruin for want o’ a woman,” he re iterated. "So I've looked round, and when 1 looked at Aimes, and thought of your brtiuctn* up o' her, I said to my- sel£, I said. -There's a tidy, well- brought-up lass. You can't do better than take IseUtia's Agnes. What if she may be a bit fanciful!* ” His voice doubtful; bo looked on the around. “Why, yea; I can't say but that she Is fanciful.” said Letitia. Her tone hovered between one of motherly de fense and of sharp certainty. "Look you here on tnese fields. Iseti- tia,” said the farmer, beckoning her with a brown hand, "how they inarch side by side. I looked at them when I thought of Agnes. The land goes well with mine. I thought, and who knows, one day they might be one. when—well, when you've done farm ing. Ijetitia, and ain’t needin' them more." The widow set her elbows by her side in sudden defiance, and went into a peal of laughter. "And where do you expect to be, John Hale, when I've dom. farmin’?” she asked when her laughter would al low her to speak. Farmer Hale opened his mouth with surprise at the question, then he col ored. "Why. then, well suppose you’ll give the farm up before your days end,” hs said good-naturedly, “if you're not wantin’ to go first. You've had a hard life, a hard-workln* woman you are, IsCtitta. you'll be needin' a bit of rest before—” ”1*11 be wantin' no rest till I rest In the grave,” said the widow sturdily. “The farm goes from me with my breath. John Hale. I'd be lost without it. that's what I'd be. What would I turn my hand to without the floor to scrub"—her eye wandered round the neat kitchen—“the dinner to cook, and the farm to keep a-goln*?” “But Agnes—I thought she did them lings?” the farmer began anxiously. “Not she,” said the widow. She looked round her with pride. “Not that she couldn't, at a pinch, for she's been well brought up. tliat she has; but why should she. when Tra here and able and willin'?” * - • Before tbe sudden encouragement in the widow's tone the farmer's ardor as suddenly cooled. "Ah. 1 fear she's a bit fanciful,” he said, shaking his'head. “Oh. nothing to speak of,” said Le- tit la briskly. She crossed over and lifted a lid from one jof the saucepans on the stove, and a savory odor floated across the room. ••You’ll stay to dinner, cousin? queried the widow, peering over at him from under her cap. Her tone was inviting. “Agnes’ making?” asked the farmer. “No.” said the widow, cheerfully— “mine.” John Hale lifted his shoulders as if lifting again a load of care. “I’ll come back. Ydn won't have to wait for me. 1 want to send Hugh into the town. I’m afraid 111 hare to give up the notion of Aghes, LetlUa Well let things be.” “Perhaps It would be best," she said “Or perhaps—1 don’t know—1 might look after the White farm for ye for a bit; and perhaps Agnes could get her hand in here.” The farmer brightened; then his face dolled. “Feeling her way In the Bed farm might put her out for the White one.” he said gloomily. "Yes. that's about all it'd. do. No we'll leave it alone, Le- tltla. L*et things bide." “Well, perhaps,” said Letitla, bright ly. "she might keep on with the Red farm, sevlng she'd know it best. As you say. it might put her out for the White.” "And you'd keep on with the White farm?” the farmer queried quickly, “Why. that'd be too good to be true But U couldn’t continue, Let ilia; it couldn't continue.” “Why not?" asked the widow. Farmer Hale suddenly felt within him the moving of a brilliant Idea. He allowed it to wriggle. In erratic flashes, its way out. “It couldn't be.” he said mournfully; “it couldn’t In no manner be. l^etitia. unless you—unless you would wed with me.” Said the widow: “And why not?” Coming away (htm the farm. Farmer Hale met Agnes: and in the distance hurrying away he descried the form of his son. "Agnes," he said sorrowfully, "I went Into this farm of your mother’s this morning with one Idea, and I’ve come out with another. Now. I’ll break to ys what the last Is: It is that your mother and I are goin' to wed.“ Lot it! a a Agnes looked up at him with demurely twinkling eyes. "Why, now, that's good news' cried, “for you won't be alone now, either of you, when Hugh and I—” She faltered, and the farmer noted with a strange pang the melting dim pie In hsr cheek. "When Hugh and I are wed." she said. She whipped up her skirts, and flew lightly from him, but the farmer stood still and sighed- 1000*1 If You Should Die Tonight WOULD TOU LUTE TOUR WIFE WEALTH OR POYERTT? Fact (hi question squarely. Oi not dodge if. r wif. b. forced t* tke wubtub—7 our children ini. orir. end .hop.? Would lb. Ut of Tour lor. nnd nhtfulnru bo or present or would mtterneM and nt.m. rAnkle bcc.ua. |oo bed fril»d to look —bead. It’s Man’s Sacred Duty to Provide an Everlasting Family Protection. r>soThi™n^«h^*m?li 1 rro^». 0 vF^'lfrroTm.'jo« , rwTf»'in!l'f”mliTlTOi - lT»i!l n « »v to mak. ear. o( tbrlr comfort it ion ehoald b. cal led away. liittniuSUlnai. JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL LIBERTY UNION OF THE WORLD lUgwIt. STSSd—> ill sinrio— fraternal order mrmr orgralaod. fcwdwdi ■py oatuasovwry day-fonndod cm the golden nil Rw»wlj T W" 0 ®* idm IdM-• tkf P*o*U for erry field of or-* , ranch for you. With La iU fold all hon>rf men u4 women, battling f find protection at coat. They nar have Lho aoclnl. cltnrltnhlo fmiw LVnVm? S''XJJSJr “A5£i^d m d?i?h£ u n5?aZ o5 to oofacnaid members’ iatereeU nnd guarantee f ul till moot of obi igntic | nucilt nxatrnrci. atxuuur coromn suitable fob ruxn Winfod—Emywktre—Mm ind Wnras Orpnutn $100.00 It $150.00 Hiatt iZusSbOl MARRIED LIFE THE FIRST YEAR Her Trip to the Office By Mabel Herbert Umer Helm paused st the entrance of the subway, hesitated a few moment, and then turned bark. Why not atop.in at Warren 1 , office while she was so near? She had come downtown to a jew eler's In Malden lane to have a loose stone reset In one of her gins*. War ren had recommended that particular place as very reliable, and where there would be no dancer of having the stones chanced. And now, ss she was about to take the subway on her way back, the thoucht came that bis office was only two blocks away! And It was Just IX; SO—Warren could take her out to luncheon. She had not been In the office sines their marriage. Twice durinc their en- cacement she had cone down. One he had taken her and once she had sur prised him by calUnc unexpectedly. She remembered how pleased hn-had been —how be had dropped every thine and devoted himself to her, and then took her out to luncheon. She caucht a cllmpse of herself In the mirror of a shop window. She was lookinc very well, her trim tailored suit and dark blue hat with Us white wine was most becominc. She justed her veil, cave a few needless tittle touches to her hair and hurried on. Her cheeks were delicately flushed with anticipation as she planned the surprise of her visit. He had a new stenocrapher who would not recognize her. She would not clve her name; she would merely say: "A lady to see Mr. Curtis." And she pictured him coni ine out with a bored or indifferent ex pression which would chance quickly to surprise and pleasure when he saw her. The Croat office butldinc loomed tm- presaively before her; an expires ele vator. the lone hall—and she was at the door of Warren's office. A clrl was busy at the typewriter, and thru the half open door of the pri vate office came the sound of voices— men’s voices with boisterous laughter. "Is Mr. Curtis In?" “Your name?" the girl demanded curtly. “Just say a lady wishes to sea Mr. Curtis." . . ' "You’ll have to eive your name," still more curtly. "Will you clve my message to Mr. Curtis?" Helen demanded, feeling a strung antagonism to this ctrL "Not unless you clve your name." Her manner was how almost Insolent. He Came Out Frowning. IVery well." Helen', eyes flashed as she said with much dignity, "you may tell Mr. Curtis that Mrs. Curtis Is here." The girl stared at her even more de fiantly. and then went Into the private office; Warren came out frowning anxiously. "Anything happened?" "Why. no—I just thoucht I'd come In while I waa so near. I came down to have that stone reset.” "Oh! Well, you ought to have tele phoned me." brusquely. ‘Tm very busy Just now." "I con wait." timidly. *T thoucht we might go out to luncheon." He frowned. “Couldn't think of It! And I haven't time to stand here talk- ing, either—I've got some men In there now." He turned aa tho to leave her. Helen waa oonneloua that while the girl had returned to her desk, she was I von to take me the elevator; I want to speak to you." Ho hesitated, and then impatiently opened tho door and followed her out In the hall. "Well?" How Ho Regarded It.. "Nothing." indignantly, "except that you might show mo at least some con sideration before that Insolent girl. Couldn't you see she waa sitting there gloating over the way you greeted me. 1 wanted' to surprise you. 1 I thought you’d be pleased." with a sob. "so I told Iter to say a lady wished to see you. and sho insisted on my name, and—" "Why. of course'; thoso are her or- dera" ‘Oh. but she did It so insolently! And when I said Mrs. Curtis she' etared at me so defiantly!" “Well, if you think you can come down here and upset the discipline of my office, you'd better stay at home Allas Foster was perfectly right I've instructed her to get the name of every one before announcing them." "But. Warren, it waa the way she did It—tbe insolent way." - "Oh. nonsense!. Tour Imagination always works overtime. Here’s the el evator.". The car stopped. He harried her Into It with a brusque good-bye. Entitled to Them. After the new arrival had registered the hotel clerk looked down the pace and read. "Jeremiah Great Chap. XXXX Skeesixville." 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