The Nazareth Item

              Nazareth Item
AN   INDEPENDENT   FAMILY   NEWSPAPER,   DEVOTED   TO    LITERATURE,    LOCAL    AND    GENERAL    INTELLIGENCE.
Vol. XXVII.
NAZART^TH, PA., FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 18, 1918
No. 7.
a 1bapp\) "Wcw ipear.
no HU ®ur patrons nu& jfrtcu^s.
The
Trumbower Co.
Branch OfBce No.  18 Belvidere Street. NAZARETH, PA. Telephone Connections-
Pi
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5/WS50
fronflnupfl.') !      "Ciircliil.   I.nrklp
Air.
ciiutliincfl   I'uli'.v. Starr's   eye.s    twinklod    freely j "You'll disjirare the parsciii;it;o if yuu ['mand.
wholo family tonk a prnper inrcrosr id - (in-^siiin roinn-—romnioniy utlllzea It. No one eave Carol's recitation a ns tho storeroom for worn-out song second thnuKht. fihe always recited, books, IJIIilos and lesson shoots. There nnd did It easily nnd well. It wns quite thoy sut In tlirohhing, qnlvoring silence a commonplace nccurrence for hor. with tho re.st of tho "eniortulners," un-
On tho niKht of the concert she su- til Iho fiist strains of the piano solo perlntonded Lark's drosHln« with ma- broke forth, when they walked .sedate- tornul care. "You kxik all rlnht," she ly out and took their seats along the said. "Jn.-^l flno. Now don't get scared, side of the platform—an antodlluvian Lnrk. It's so silly. Ramemher that custom wlilch lias long be( n discarded you know all those people by heart, by everything but Sunday schools nnd ynu can  talk a blue streak to any of  graduating classes.
thein.   There's no use—" The  program  went  aleng smoothly,
"r!ut T cnn't talk a blue .stronk to the with no more stumbles than Is custoin-
i whole   honsefnl   nt   once,"   Lnrk   pro-  nry nt such affairs, and ulcely punctu-
I  tested.    "It makes me have such a—  ated with hand clapping's.    Wlion the
''hollow fooling—to see so many whlt«  suporiiitondent read, "Itecitatlon—Miss
j  faces gazlni,' up, nnd It's hot, and—"      Curol Starr," tlie ai>pluu.se was euiliu-
"Stop   that,"   came   the   stern   com-  glastlc, for Carol was a prime favorite
You  don't  want  to  get  cold  In church ami school and town.    With
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VIATER TERM
begins
WednesdaYt January.5L
Day and Kvening Sessions.'
Complete Catalogue and Special Circulars mailed upon request.
Seats will be rcstrvee in the order applications are received.
when he saw tho guests in Ills home, and the gentle bishop's puzzled Inter-
' est nearly .sent them all off into laugh- tor. Fairy hud no idea of tho young mon's-nniMi's, but she said, quickly, to spare Carol;
I "We havo heen serenaded tonight, doctor—you Just missed It.   These are
I the Motmt Mark troubadours. You nre lucky to get here In time for the lemon¬ ade."
^^1
But when she saw the bishop glnnce
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' the ground by emliarrassmont, were entirely routed by the presence of the bishop.    With    Incolierent    apologies,
' they rose to their unsteady feet and In
' a cloud of breezy odors, mude their es-
' cape.
Mr.   Starr   laughed   a   little.   Aunt
I Grace put hor arm protr^ctliigly about Cnrol's rigid shoulders, and tlie bishop said, "Well, well, well," with gentle In-
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"We cnll thom tho Plnnghter-house quartette," Fairy bcgap choorfully, "Thoy are the lower stratn of Mount
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t
'it 'i''. '
&
The   Bishop   Nodded   Sympathetically.
Mark, and they make tlie nights hide- , ous with their choiee selection of popu- 1 Iar airs. The parsonage is divliled | about them. Some of us think we | should treat them with proud and cold j disdain. .Some think we sIkpuUI ro- | gard thetn with a tender, gentle, er— emlllng pity.    And evidently  they ap-
precfaterl the smllo.s, for they gave us a serenade in roturn for thom. 'Aunt 1 Grace did tiot know their history, so ' sho Invited them in. tliinUliig they were | Ju-trt onllii.-iry schoolboys. It Is homo ! mlssidu work run agrouiid." i
The  hishop  nodded   s,vtnpalli(>tically. I "One  haj!  to  he so careful,"  he  said. 1 "So extremely careful with eliaraeters like tliiise.     Xo rloiiht they meant weil [ hy their serenade, biit^glrls especially i have to ho vory careful.    I think as a ' rule  it  Is   safer  to  let   tnen  show   the ten<Ier  pity  and   women   tho   fine  dis¬ dain.   I don't iniaplno lliey would como soreti.Mding your father and me!    You carried It off hoaulifiilly. girls.    I am sure vonr father was i)n>M<l of yon.    I was myself.    I'm glad you aro Method¬ ists.     N'lit  many girls  so young could handle a  iliHicult matter as neatly cs you did."
"Yes." said Mr. Starr, hut his eyes twinkled toward Carol once more; "yes, ind<'ed. I think we are woll cleared of a disagreeable business."
Rut Carol looked at Fairy with such humble, fiassloiiate gratitude that tears came to Fairy's eyes and she turned quickly away.
"Carol Is a sweet girl," .she thought. "I wonder If things will work out for her Just right—to make her as bappy as she ought to he.    She's so—lovely."
don't watch out."
"Nonsense,"   declared   thoir   father,' "I.ark can speak as well as anybody if: she Just keeps a good grip on herself and doesn't get stage fright." j
Aunt Grace smiled Kenlly.
Connie frowned. "It's a risky busi¬ ness," she snid. "Lark can't speak any moro than a rabbit, and—" '
"I know it," was the humble admis¬ sion.
"Don't lio a goose. Con," interrupted Carol. "Of course Lark can speak a piece. Sho must learn it, learn It, loarn It, so slie can rattle It off back¬ wards with her eyes shut. That's thfl whole secret. Of course she can speak."
"IT^iw did It happen?" Inquired Fairy.
"I don't know," Lark said sorrow¬ fully. "Nothing was ovor farther from my thoughts, I assure you. The flrst thing I knew, Mrs. Curtlss was thank¬ ing me for my promise, and Carol was marching mo off like grim death."
Carol smiled, relieved now that the family cmmentary was over. "It was very n.'itural. Mrs. Curtlss begged her to do It, and Lark refused. That al¬ ways happens, evory time the Sunday
school irivcs an ,entertnininent. But Mrs. lurnss won't on to say now nauiy
.the Sunday school needs the money, and how big a drawing card It would be for both of us twins to be on the program, ono right aftor the other, and how well It would look for the par¬ sonage, and It never occurred to me to warn Lark, for I never dreamed of hor doing It."
"I thought It wouldn't hurt me to try It once," Lark volunteered In her own defense.
Aunt Grace nodded, with a smile of Interested approval.
"I'm proud of you. Lark, quite proud of you." her father said warmly. "It's a big thing for you to mako such a plunge—Just flne."
"I'm proud of you now, too," Connie said darkly. "The question Is, wlli we be nroud of you aftor the concert?"
LiiiTK signea uoiorou.siy.
"Oh, pooh :" encouraged Carol. "Any¬ body can speak a silly little old piece like that. And It will look so nice to have-our names right together on the program. It'll bring out all the high schocd folks, sure,"
"Yes, they'll come to hear Lark, all right," Fairy smiled. "But she'll mako It go, of course. And it will give Carol a chance to show her cleverness by telling hor how to do It."
So as soon as supper was over, Carol said decidedly, "Now, Connie, you'll have to help me with the dishes thq next two weeks, for Lark's got to prac¬ tice on that piece. I.ark, you must read It ovor, very thoughtfully flrst to get the meaning. Then Just read it and read It and read it, a dozen times, a hundred times, over and over and over.    And pretty soon you'll know It."
"I'll het I don't." was the discourag¬ ing retort, as Lark, with pronounced distaste, took the slip of paper and sat down In the corner to read the "hloora- Ini: thing," as she muttered crossly to herself. ;
Connie and Carol did up the dishea In dreadful silence, and tlion Carol re¬ turned to the charge. "How many times did you read it?"
"Fourteen and a half," was the pa¬ tient answer. "It's a silly thing, Carol. There's no sense to it. 'The wind went drifting o'ef the kea.' "
"Oh, that's not so h.'id." Carol said ' helpfully.   "I've had pieces with worse lines   than   that.     'The   linprint   of   a  I dainty  foot,' for instance.    Whon you say,  'Thofwlnd  went   drifting o'er  the lea.' you  must kind of let  your voice : glide aloin;, very rlivthiiiieally. vory—"
"WIndlly." suu'uosted Connie, who re¬ mained to witness the exhibil ion.
feet before you start. If you do acci- swe<?t and charming nonchalance she ¦dentally forget once or twice, don't trippoil to the front of the platform worry, I know the iilocc as well as and gavo a graceful Inclination of her I you do, and I can prompt you from be- proud young head in response to the hind without anyone noticing it. Bul applause. Then hor voice rang out, you woij't forget." She kissed her, nnd the room was hushed. Nobody ever /'You'll do flno, Larkle, jnst as flne as worried when Carol spoke a piece, you look, and It couldn't be hetter than Things always went all right. And that." back to her place she walked, her faco
.Tu.st then Connie ran In. "Fairy flushed, her heart swelling high with wants to know if you are getting stage the gratification of a good deed well fright,  Lark?    My,  you do look nice I  done.
Now. for goodness' sake. Lark, remem-      "Carol,"    Lark    whispered.    "I—I'm bor the parsonage, and don't make a  geared." flzzle of it." Instantly   the   triumph   left   Carol's
"^\¦ho says flzzlo?" demanded thdl heart. "You're not." she whispered father from the doorway. "Never say passionately, gripping her twin's hand die, my girl. Why, Lark, I never saw closely, "you tire not, you're all right." you look so sweet. You have your hail Lark trembled more violently. Iler flxed a new way, haven't you?" i„,ad  swayed  a  little.    Bright fla.shes
"Carol  did  it,"  was  the  shy  reply,  of ught were blinding her eyes, and hor "It does look nice, doesn't it?    I'm not   p^va were ringing. "I—can't," she mut- scared,   father,   not  a   bit—yet 1     But  tered thickly.   "I'm sick." there's a  hollow feeling—    Have the      cnrol loaned close to her and began boys come?" ^ violent train of conversation, for the
"No, hut they'll be here in a minute.  purpos<'   of  distracting   her  attention. Jim's late.    I do got sore at .Tim—I'd  Lnrk grew more pale, forty times  rather go with  hlrn  than      "Ttecitatlon—Miss Lark Starr."
Hartley—but he always p'lls off ask- ^ Ing us until the last minute and thon I have !i date and you get him. I be¬ lieve he does It on purpose. Come on down."
And Grace looked at the pale sweet faco with gratiflod delight, and kissed her warmly. Iior fatlier walked around •-her, nodding approval.
"Annt Grace," he said snleiiinly, "it's a wretched business, having a parson-  pnrol age full of daughters.   .Tust as soon aa
rN.
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The twins came in at dinnertime wrapped in unwonted silence. Lark's face was darkened by au anxious shadow, wlille Carol woro an expres¬ sion of heroic determination.
"Wliat's up?" Connie asked, when the rest of the fatnily dismissed the matter with amused glances.
Lark slgtied and looked at Carol, seeinlng to seek courage from the Spar¬ tan countenance.
Carol stiuiired her shoulders.
"Well, go on," Connie urged. "Pon't be Billy. You know you're crazy to tell ns about It, you only want to be coaxed."
Lark sighed again, "nd gazed appeal- Ingly at her stout hearted twin.    Carol
"Are You Scared, Lark?"
they reach the age of l)eauty. grace and charm, they turn their backs on their fatlu-rs and smile on fairer lads."
"You've got me, father," said Connie consolingly.
"And me—when Babble's In Chica¬ go," added Fairy.
"Yes, thafs some help. Connie, be an old maid.    Do!    I implore you."
"Oh. Connie's got a beau already," said Carol. "It's the fat Allen boy. "They don't have dates yet, but they've got an awful case on. He's going to make their living by traveling with a show. You'll have to put up with auntie
—she's beyond the beaulng stage: !
"Suits me,"  he  said contentedly.  "I ' am getting more than my deserts. Come on, Grace, we'll start."
"So will we, Connie," said Fairy. But the boys came, both together, and the family group set out together. Carol and Hartley—one of her high- "You keep still, C(>n-;tiinco Starr, or school admirers—led off by running a you can get out of her(>! It's no latigh- Hlce down the parsonage walk. .\nd Ing matter 1 can lell you. and you have Lark, old, worn and grave, brouglii up to keep out or I won't help and then—" the rear with ,I!m Forrest. .Ilrn wa.s "I'l! keep still. But It ouclit to be « favorite attendant of the tuiiis. He windlly. you know, since It's Ihe wind, had been graduated from higli sclioid I meant It for a Joke," sho 'nfnrmed the yenr previous, and was finishing them. The twins had a very disheart- off at the agricultural college In Ames, enlng way of falllnir to recognize Con- But Ames wus not fur from home, an<l nie's Jokes—it took tlie life out of them.
"Now read It aloud. Lark, so I can see If you got tbe proper expresslnn." Carol continued, when Connie was ut¬ terly siibdued.
Again Iho applause ning out.
Lark did not move. "I can't," she whispered again.    "I can't."
"Lark. Lark." hogged Carol desper¬ ntely. "You must go, you must. 'The wind went drifting o'er the lea,'—it's easy enough. Go on. Lark.   You must."
Lark shook her head. "Mmmmm," she murmured indistinctly.
nemember the i<arsonage," begged "Think of Prudence. Think of papa. Look, there he is, right down thero. Ht's expecting you, Lark. You must I"
Lark tried to ri^-e. She could not. Sho could not see hor fatlior's clear en¬ couraging face for those queer flashes of light.
"You can," whispered Carol. "Tou cnn do anything, if you try. Prudence snys so."
People were craning their nocks, and peering curiously up to the second row where the twins sat side by sid§. The other performers nudged one nnother, smiling significantly.
"I can't," Lnrk whispered, "I'm sick."
"Lark—Lark," called the superin¬ tendent.
Cnrol sighed bitterly. Evidently it was up to her. Witli a grim face, she rose from her chair and started out on the platform. The superintendent stared at her, his lips parting The people stared at her too, and smiled, and thon Inughed. Panic-stricken, her eyes sought her father's fnce. He nod¬ ded quickly, and his eyes approved.
"Good 1" Ills lips formed the word, and Carol did not falter again. The applause was noarly drowned with laughter ns Cnrol advanced for her second recitation.
"The wind wont drifting o'er the lea," she began—her voice drifting properly on the words—and so on to the end of the piece.
Most of the nndlence, knowing Lark's temperament, had concluded thnt fear prevented her appearance, and understood that Carol had come to her twin's rescue for the reputation of the pnrsonnge. The applause was deafening as she went back. It grew louder as she sat down witn a com¬ forting little grin at Lnrk. Then as the clapping continued, something of her natural Implshness entered her heart.
"T.nrk," she whispered, "go out and make a bow."
•'.Mercy 1" gasped Lark. "I didn't do anything."
"It was supposed to be you—go on. Lark ! Hurry ! Tou've got to I Think whnt n Joke It will be."
Lark hesitated, but Carol's doml- nnnce wns compelling.
"Do as I tell you," came the per¬ emptory order, and Lnrk nrose from her chair, stepped out before the ns¬ tonlshed nudlonce and made a Slow and giaceful bow.
Tills time the applause ran riot, for people of less experience than those of Mount Mark could tell that the twins were  playing game.    As It conlinued.
llijtt iiUi<a«rlytiwB(> ** pnid pi.omjftXj. A •:«• p««eu .tM.'.j* It *Mii cl'cle tntttiiu! fcu, f-^tn -Tli>ti n.   if   d,i«.   '(*#
~l       |.r<   -   :   •       fSj-., i'l'»*.-•.
he   wns   still   frequently   on   hand   to Cnrol   caught   Larkln's  hnnd  In   hers,
squire the twins when squires were In •""'   togetlier   they   stepped  out   once
demnnil. more, Inughing and bowing right and
For this broad-minded devotion the '*'^*-
twins gave hlin a deep-seated grntitude ImtIs wns the last one In that night,
and aft'eetinii und he ulways stood high '<^'" **''^ and Jim celebrated her defeiit
Lark obeillently but unhappily read   tn their favor. wilh two ice crenm sodas apiece at the
the quaint poem aloed and Carol said      "Are  you  .scared,  LnrkT"  he  asked corner drug store.
It WHS very gooil.    "You  niu<t rend It   her  ns  they  walked  slowly  down  the "I   disgraced   the   parsonage,"   she
aloud  often,  very often.    That'll  give  Street toward the church. said  meekly,  as she stepped Into tbe
you a bettc-r Idea of the accent.  Now       "rrn not scared. .IIm," she answered family circle, walling to receive her
put It away, an.l d.m't look at It ngain  solemnly,   "but   I'm   perfectly   cavern- "In.leed vou didn't " s„ld Fairy     "It
tonight      If you  keep  It  up  too  long  ona. If you know what that means." -    -    - you'll get so dead sick of It you can't       "I sure do know," he said f. rvently speak It at all."                                            "didn't  I huve to do a speech  at  the P.y the evening of the Sunday-school   conimeneenient exercises? There never th.
TAILOR, CIxyrillER, H.AT8 AND KVKNIHHERA.
112 Honth Main Htreet,        Nazareth, P». Htorn op«n tiwmrf tflnming «KMpt Tuesday and Thoradaj.
concert—th.'v were concerting for the was a completer cnvern tb 111 1 was sake of a hundred dollar sut.scrlptlon ttiat night. But I .an't figure out \vliy to church repalr»-Lnrk had mastered folks agree lo do su.h things wh.-n her recitation so perfectly thnt tbs they dont hare to. 1 had to. It was never could resist ths appeal of thoss minds of the parsonage were nearly at compulsory." nleadlng eye* peace. She still folt a deep resentment Lark gaied ut him with limpid trou- -L^rne promisetl to speaK a piece toward the situation, hut this was pap. Med eyes. "I can't figure out either I at the Sunday-school concert two tially counterbalanced by the saUa- dont know why I did. It was a mis- weeks from tomorrow," she »oncl»- faction of seeing her name In print, dl- take, some way." ¦afed, as unc<mcemedly as possible.         rectly beneath Carol's on the program. At tbe chnrch  which was gratlfylng-
"Mercyl" ejaculated Connie, with aa    K«cltatlon   mis. Oaroi stnrr. ly crowded with Sun.lav school enihu-
aatonlshment tbat was Dot altogetber    ««;;"»«'°" •¦ •• MIm L*ric Starr, rta^s. the twins forsook theJr frtenda
eomoltmentarr.                                         |      It looked yerr well Indeed, and the ^id sIlDoed alona the side aisle to th.
was too bnd, but Carol passed It off nicely, and then, turning It Into a Joke that wny took all the embnrrassment out of it. It was iierfectly all right. UII.I We weren't a liil ashamed."
"And you did look awfully sweet "hen you made your bow." C< .iile said warmly—for when a member of the family was down, no one ventured a laugh, laugh-loving though they were.
Curious to say, the odd little (reek of snbstltutlon only endeared the twins to the people of Mount Mark the mora.
"By   ginger,   you   can't   beat   them hlooinin'   twins,"   said   Harvey chncklinc admiringly.   And no ooo acreed.
CHAPTER VI.
Making Matches.
Aunt Grace sat In a low rocker with a bit of embroidery in her hands. And Fairy sat at the table, a formidable ar¬ ray of hooks hefore her. Aunt Grace wns gazing Idly nt»hor sewing basket, a soft smile on her lips. And Fairy was staring thoughtfully Into the twi¬ light, a soft glow In her eyes. Annt Grace, was thinking of tho Jolly parson¬ age family, nnd how plon.snnt It waa to live with thera. And Fnlry was thlnklTig—ah, Fairy was twenty, and twenty-yenr-olds always stare Into the twilight, with dreamy fnr-seeing eyes.
Tn upon this pea.'eful scene burst tho twins, fiushed, tempestuous. In spite of their seventeen yenrs. Their hurry to speak had rendered them Incapable of speech, so they stood In the doorway panting breathlessly for a moment, while Fairy and her nunt, withdrawn thus ru.lely from dreamland, looked at them  Interrogatively.
"Yes, T think so, too," began Fairy, and the twin.s endeavored to crush her with their lofty scorn. But It Is not easy to express lofty scorn when one Is red In tho face, persplrey and short of breath. So the twins decided of necessity to overlook the offense Just this once.
Finally, recovering their vocal pow ors simultaneously, they cried In uni¬ son:
"Duckle I"
"Duck ! In the yard I Do you mean a live one? Where did It come from?" ejnculnted their aunt.
"They menn Professor Duck of their freshman year," explained Fairy com¬ placently. "It's nothing. The twins nlwnys mnke n fuss over him. They feel grnteful to him for showing them through froshmnn science—that's all."
"That's all," gasped Carol. "Why, Fairy Starr, do you know he's em¬ ployed by the^Socloty of—a—a scien¬ tific research organization—or some¬ thing—In New York city, and gets four thousnnd dollnrs a year and has pros¬ pects—all kinds of prospects!"
"Tos. I know it. Tou haven't seen him, auntie. He's tnll, and has wrinkle* nround his eyes, nnd a dictatorial nose, and steel gray eyes. lie calls the twlna song-bird.s, nnd they're so ifattered they adore him. He sends thorn candy for Christmas. Tou know that Duckle they rave so much nbout. It's the very mnn.   Is he bore?"
"He's In town," said Lark.
"Going to stny a week," ndded CaroL
"And he said he wanted to hnve lots of good times with us, and s.i—we— why, of course it was very sudden, and we didn't have time t.) ask—"
"But parsonage doors are always open—"
"And I don't know how he ever wormed It out of us, but—one of us—"
"I can't remember which one I"
"Invited him to come 'or dinner to¬ night, and he's coming."
"Goodness," said Aunt Grace. "'We nre going to have potnto soup and tonst."
"It'll keep," said Carol. "Of course we're sorry to Inc.invenlence you at tills late hour, but Larkie and I will tell Connie whnt to do, so you won't hnve much bother. Let's see, now, we must think up a i.rotty fnir menl. Four thousand a year—und prospects!"
Aunt Grace turned questioning eyes toward the older sister.
".\11 right," said Fairy, smiling. "It'a evl'lently settled. Think up your menu, twins, and put Connie to work."
"Is he nice?" Aunt Grace queried.
"Tes. I think he Is. He used to go with our colloge bunch some, I know him pretty well. He brought me home from things a time or two."
Carol leaned forward and looke<l at her handsome sister with sudden In- tentness. "He nsked nbout you," she snid, keen eyes on Fairy's. "He asked particularly about you." ;     "PId   he?     Thanks.     Tes,   he's  not
bad.   He's pretty g.iod In a crowd." ;     By the force of her magnetic gate, Cnrol drew Lark out of the rcKira, and tho door closed  bebin.l  them.    A  few minutes   later   they   returned.     There , was about them au air of subdued ex- i clteraent,  suggestlTe of  Intrigue,  that Fairy found disturbing.
"Tou III..In't plan any nonsense, twins," she viiutloned. "He's no bean of mine."
"Of conrse not," they assured her pleasunlly. "We're too old for mis¬ chief. Sevenfei'n. ami sensible for our y.-ars! Say, F'airy. you'll be nice to Duckle, won't y.iu? Can't you try to make It pleasant for him this week? He'll only be here a few days. WUl you do that much for us?"
"Why, I would, twins, of course, to oblige you, but you know Geue'b In town this week, aud I've got to—"
"Oh, you leave Bubble—Oene, I mean—to us," said Curol airily. Fairy being a Junior In college, and Eugene Babler a student of pharmacy In Chi¬ cago, she felt obliged to restore him to his Christian name, shortened to Gene. But the twins refused to accede to thla propriety, escept when they particu¬ larly wished to placate Fairy.
"You leave Gene to us," repeated Carol. "We'll amuse him. Is he com¬ ing tonight?"
"Tes, at seven-thirty." "Let's call hira up and Invite him for dinner, too," suggested Lark. "And you'll do ns a favor and be ulce to Duckle, won't you? We'll keep Bebb— er, Gene—out of the road. Yon to Oene. Carol, and--"
(To be Continued.)
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