The Nazareth Item

              XxlJii
STH Item
AN   INDEPENETENT   FAMILY   NEWSPAPER,   DEVOTED   TO    LITERATURE.    LOCAL    AND    GENERAL    INTELLIGENCE.
Vol. XXVII.
NAZAK./.H. PA., i/'HIDAf ivORNING, JANUARY 4, 1918
No. 5.
1?
'i t
H Ibappi? IRcvo li)car.
Uo HU ©ur patrons
au&   J1 ' w f
The
Ttumbower Co
Branch Office No. 18 V.elvidere Street. NAZARETH, PA. Telephone Connections-
WIATER TERAV
begins !
Wednesday, January 51
Day and livening- Sessions, ;
Complete  Catalogue and Special Circulars mailed upon request.
Seats will be reservee in the order applications are received.
f'\
I!
5/¥550
A A.UTHOK of P/!uOeffCS or rN£/'HJ^JO/ZAae^ eoaayniiriun.
SOUTH BETHLEHE/«\ BUSINESS COLLEGE
Third and New vStreeis, South  iiKTHLEHEM,   i*A
(Contilltiod.) I
In th<"lr own room she carefully clo.sed the. door and smiled, us Hhe \ noted tho creaking of the clo.set door on the twins' .side of the wall, Kaves- droii[)ln(r wa.s not Included ninorin the cnrdliiiil sins In tho twins' private dec- '
%i, oloifiie,   when   the   conveisutlon   con-
Ji I cerned themselves.
^ I     "Now,     Prudence,"     Fnlry     began,
^ sppnWnpf with nn npfenrimce of soft- |
ff ness.  thoiiyli  she took  prent  piilne to |
if turn her fiiee townni the twins' room, |
5 Bnd   eriiinelMt(>d   very   clenriy   Indeed. ' jt "I know this will hurt you, ns it doe;<
6 : me, hut we've got to fnce It fnlrly.    If i 1^ I the twins nre convinced Ihnt Cliristinn I Icj Science  is  till'  rljihl   kind  of  religion, ' ^n ve cnn't stnnd In Ihelr way.   I've been I? I rending tip  n  little  myself this  nfter- i jif I noon, nnd there are some good riolnts ' Jt j In  Christian  .Science.    Of  course,  for .C j our snkos nnd fnther's, the twins will \:..\\c generous nnd deny tliey nre Sclen- %   tlsts.    Hut at henrt, they nre.    I snw it ^
11
And you nnd I, Pm-
must stand  together und hnck np.     They'll   have   to  lenve   the
    church.   I think we'll hnve them go be-
- I fore  the  deacons   next   Sundny   w-hlle
this afternoon. ' dence j them
Yqu Are Needed In Business!
We now need and will need several young Men and Wo¬ men to supply the demand for Book-keepers, Stenographers, and Office Assistants.
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fnther Is gone—then he will be spared the pain of It. We must make It ns easy for thera as we can. They'll prob-
Read lhe Item  Adv rti-menta
Watch Our One    ent a Wovd Column
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Then  She  Hissed   In   Prudence's  Ear, "Now  Cry."
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cf Boy's Overcoats
Mackinaws, Sweaters, Bath Robes, Pajamas Hats, Etc., at 20% reduction,
.^    Extra Special Bargains.
Heavy  Ribbed  Union  Suits 95c a garment.
Fleeced  Underwear  65c  a  gar¬ ment.
Work Shirts 49c.
Negligee Shirts 29c 11.00 Negligee Shirts 69c Kour in hand ties 15c. Blanket   LlU'd  Cordurov Coats $4.95.
TAILOR, CLiOTIilER, HATS AND FITRMSHKIW.
na South  Main Street, Xuzareth. Pa.
Htore open every evenlns except TiieMlay and Thursday.
Bbly dismiss them—I don't suppose they'll give fhem letters. But It must be nil over hefore papa  comes back."
Then she hissed In Prudence's ear, "Nov/ cry."
Prudi-nee obediently beiran sniffling and Kii!|iinff, nnd Fnlry rushed to her and threw her arms about her, sobbing In heartbroken accents, "There, there, Prue, I know—I felt .Inst the same j;;:' abont It. Hut tre cim't stand between jii: I the twins and what lliey think Is rlj-'ht. 'P- We daren't hnve thut on our con¬ sciences."
The two wept topether, encouraged by lhe deathlike stillness In the closet on the other side of the wall.
TtuMi Fnlry sold, more calmly, thout-'h still sobbing occasionally, "For our sakes, they'll try to deny it. Hut we can't let the little darlings sacrifice them.selves. The.v've got to have a cliance to try their new belief. We'll Ju.st lie Arm nnd insist that they stanil on their rights. We won't nientlon it to them for n day or two—we'll flx It up with the elders first. And we must surely get It over by Sunday. Poor old father—nnd how he loves— Oh, Prudence, denr, don't cry so."
Prudence cunglit her cue again nnd began weeping afresh. They soothed and caressed and comforted each other for a while, and then went down¬ stairs to finish getting supper.
In the meantime the shocked and horrified twins In the closet of their own room, were clutching each oilier with passionate Intensity. When their sisters had gone downstairs they stared at each other In agony.
"They—th»'y wo-won't p-p-put ns out of the ch-ch-chnrch," gnsped Carol.
"They will," stammered Lark. "Tou know what Prudence Is! She'd put the whole church out If she thotigtit It would do us any good. Oli. Carol, I told you It was wicked to Joke about rellKlon."
This   unexpected   reproach   on   the
part Qf her twin brought Carol  bnch
to earth.    "I didn't read a word of It,
I did y<ai?—I—I Ju.st fhoiiKht It would be
such  n  good  Joke  on  Prudence—with
father out of town."
I     The   good   Joke   was   anything   but
'fanny now.
I "Thev cnn't mnke ns be Scientists !f we d.in't wnnt to," protested Lark. "Tliey can't. Why. I wouldn't be mov- thliig but a Methodist for anything on enrth. I'd dio flrst. We'll Just go nnd tell Prudence It whs a Joke—Prudence Is alwnys reasonnble. Rhe won't—" I "She'll putiiKh us, and—It'll be sncb ' • joke on ns, Larkle. E^ren Ooanlell langh."
They aqDlrmed together, wretchedly, •t that
"It—It was a gooa Joke while tt last¬ ed,"   said   Carol,   with   a   very   faint I idkadaw  nt m  amlla.     "Doat  von  nk
member  how  Prudence .gnsped?    She kept her mouth open for flve minutes 1"
"It's still a joke," added Lark gloom¬ ily, "but It's on us."
"They cnn't put us out of the church !"
"I don't know. Like as not they'll sny we'd be a bnd Influence among the members." ,
"Twins!" I
The call outside their door sounded | like the trump of doOm to the con¬ science-smitten twins, nnd they clutched ench other, stnrtled, crying ont. Then, .sheepishly, they stepped out of the closet to flnd Fairy regnrd- Ing them quizzically from the doorway. She rejiressed n smile with difflculty, as she said quietly.
"I wns Just talking to Mrs. Mnlns over the phone. She's going to n Chris¬ tian Science lecture tonight, nnd she snid she wished I w^nsn't n minister's dnuphter nnd she'd nsk nie to go along. I told her I didn't cnre to, but said you twins would enjoy It, She'll be here In the car for you nt seven forty-^ flve."
"I won't go," cried Cnrol. "I won't go nenr their old church. Tou can't make me."
Lark shook her head In corrobora¬ tive denial.
"Well, that's queer." Fairy frowned, then she smiled.
Suddenly, to the tempest-tossed nnd troubled twins, the tnll, splendid Fairy I seemed a hnven of refuge. And with a cry of relief and shame nnd fear, the twins plunged upon her and told her their little tale.
"Tou  punish   us  this  time,   Fnlry,"
I begged   Carol,     "We—we   don't   want
j the rest of the family to know.    We'll
j tnke nny kind of punishment, but keep
It dark, won't you?"
"I'll talk It over with Prudence," said Fnlry. "Dut—I think we'll have to tell the family."
i Lark moved her feet restlessly. I "Woll, you needn't t"ll Connie," she j ealil. "Having the laut:li <'onie back on us Is the very meanest kind of a , punisliment."
Fairy looked at them a moment, wondering if. Indeed, their punishment had been suflicient.
"Well, little twins," she snid, "I guess I will take charge or" this my¬ self. Here is your punishment." She Stood up again, and looked down at them with sparkling eyes as they gazed nt her expectantly.
"We caught on that it wns a Joke. We knew you were listening In the closet. And Pnultnce und I ncted our little parts to give you one good scare. Who's the laugh on now? Are we square? Supper's rendy." And Fnlry ran downstnlrs, Inmrhing, followed by two entirely abashed and humbled twins.
I
CHAPTER  lit.
I _
How Carol Spoiled the Wedding.
A dny In June—the kind of day' that poets   hnve  rhymed   and   lovers  hnve I craved since time began.   On the side porch of the parsonage. In a wide ham¬ mock,   Iny   Aunt   Grace,   looking   lan¬ guidly throuk'li hnlf-closed lids nt the girls  beneath   her  on  the  step.     Pru¬ dence,    nlthough    her    fnce    wns    nil n-drenm. bent conscientiously over the : bit of linen in her hands.    And Fairy, j her piqunntly bright features clouded I with un unwonted frown, crumpled a letter in her hnnd.
i "I do think men nre the most ag- grnvntlng things thnt ever lived," she declnred. with nnnoynnce In her voice.
The womnn In fhe hammock smiled slightly, nnd did not speak. Prudence carefully counted ten threads, and sol¬ emnly drew one before she voiced her Question,
"What Is he saying now?"
"Why, he's still objecting to my har- tng dntes with fhe other boys." Fairy's voice wns vibrant with grief. "He does mnke me wild I Aunt Grace, you cnn't Imnglne. Last fall I mentioned onsunlly that 1 was sure he wouldn't object to my hnvlng lecture course dntes—I was too hard up to buy a ticket for myself; they cost four dol¬ lars, and aren't worth It. either. And whnt did he do bnt send me eight dol¬ lars to huy two sets of tickets! Then this spring, when the haseiinll season opened, he sent me season tickets to all the games, suggesting that my flnnn¬ cinl stringency could not be pleaded ns excuse. Ever since he went to Thleago last fnll we've been flghting because the boys bring me heme from panies. He wnnts me to patter along by my¬ self like a—like—like a hen!" Fairy salil  "hen" very crossly !
"It's n shame." said Prudence sym- pfirhefleally. "Thnt's Just whnt It Is. You wouldn't say a word to his tak¬ ing girls home fr i things, would youT"
"Iltim—thnt's a difTerent matter," •aid Fnlry more thoughtfully. "He hasn't wanted to yet. You see, he's m man and cnn gn by himself without having It look as though nobody want¬ ed to be seen with hlra. And he's a stranger over there, and doesn't need to get chummy with the girls. The boys here all know me, and ask me to gt>. snd—a msn. yon see. cnn Jnst be pssslve nnd nothing happens. But a artrl's aot to be downrteht nearatlTn
and Its no Joke,   one misses so mnny good times.   You see the cases are dlf- | ferent, Prue."
"Yes, thnt's so," Prudence assented absent-mindedly, counting off ten more threads.
"Then yon would object If he hnd dntes?" queried Aunt Orace smilingly.
"Oh, no, not at all—If there was any occnslon for It—hut there Isn't. And I think T would he Justlfled In object¬ ing if he deliberately made occasions frr himself, don't you?"
"Yes, thnt would be different," Pru¬ dence chimed In, such "miles away" In her voice thnt Fairy turned on her Indlgnnntly.
"Prudence Stnrr, you mnke me wild," she snid. "Can't you droji that ever¬ lasting hemstitching, emftroldering, tntflng, crocheting, for ten minutes to talk to me? What In the world are you going to do with It all, anyhow? Are you Intending to cnrpet your floors with It?"
"This is n nnpkin," Prudence ex- plnlned good-naturodl.v. "The set cost me flfteen dollars."    She sighed.
"Did the veil come?" The clouds vanished magically from Fairy's face, and she l«ined forward with that Joy of wedding anticipation that rules In womnn--«\-orld.
"Yes, It's benutlful. Come and see It. Wnlt until I pull four more thrends. It's gorgeous."
"I still think you're making a great mistake," declared Fairy enrnestly. "I doni believe In big. showy church wed¬ dings. You'd better change it .yet. A little home nffnlr with just the fnm¬ lly—that's the wny to do It. All this satin-gown, ornnge-blossom elnhora- tlon with curious eyes staring up nnd J down—ugh !    It's nil wrong!"
Prudence   dropped   the  precious   flf- ,
; ten-dolTnr-n-Ret nnpkin In her Inp and I gazed   at    FaiVy   anxiously.     "I   know iyou think so, Fnlry," she snid.  "You've j told   me   so   several   times."     Fnlry's I eyes   tw-|nkled.   but   Prudence   had   no intention   of   sarcasm.     "Hut   I   can't help If, cnn I?    We hnd quite settled i on   Ihe  home  wedding,  but   when   the twins dls<'overed that the members felt hurt nt being left out. fathei   thought ¦ we'd  better change over."
"Well, I cnn't see that the members havo any rlcht to run our wedding. Besides, it wouldn't surprise nu' if the twins made it up becnuse they wanted a big fuss."
"But some of fhe members sfioke to father. And you must admit. Fairy, thnt it Is lovely of the Ladles' Aid to give thnt dinner at the hotel  for us."
"Well, they'll get tiielr money's worth of talk out of It nfierward. It'a u Mg tiilsi.'iUe.—What on earth are the twins doiii^' out there? Is that .lira Forrest with them? Listen how they are screaming with i.-niKhter! Would you ever believe those twins are pnst flfte°n. nnrt nearly through their Junior yenr? They hnven't us much sense put fogeiher ns Connie ha:   -ill  alone."
"Coiue nnd see the veil." snid Pru¬ dence, rising. But she drojijied back on the ;tep gnln .s Carol canie rush¬ ing townrd them t full speed, with Lark nnd n tnll "Oung fellow trnlling slowly. Inughing. behind her.
"The mean things!" he gasped, "They cheated !" She dropped a hnnd¬ ful Of pennies In her aunt's lap us she iny In the hummock. "We'll take 'era to Sunday school nnd give 'em to the henthen, that's whut we'll do. They Chen ted !"
"Yes, Infant, who cheated, nnd how, and why? And whence fhe startling army of pennies? And why this un¬ wonted nffectlon for the heathen?" mocked Fnlry.
"Trying to be a blank verse. Fairy? Keep It up, you hnven't fnr fo go!— There they are! Look nt thera. Aunt Grace. They cheated. They tried to get nil my hnrd-enrned pennies by ne¬ farious methods, and—"
"And 80 Cnrol stole them all, and ran! Sit down. ,Tlm. My. It's hot. Give me baek my pennies, Cnrol."
"The henthen! The heathen I" In¬ sisted Cnrol. "Not a penny do you get. Tou see. Aunt Grace, we were mntchlng pennies—.vou'd better not mention It to father. We've fumed over a new leaf now, and quit for good. But we were mntchlng—and they mniU" o bargain thaf whenever It was my turn, one of fhem would throw heads and one tails, nnd thnt wny I never conld win anything. And I didn't cntch on till I snw ,Tlm wink, and so 1 thought It was only Hght to give the pennies to the heathen."
"How Is your mother, Jim?"
"Just fine. Miss Prudence, thank yon. She said to tell you she woeld •end a basket of red Junes tomorrow. If yon want them. The twins can eat them, I know. Carol ate fuenfy-two when they were ont Saturday,"
"Yes. I did, and I'm glad of It." said Carol stoutly. "Such npples you never snw. Prudence. They're nbout as big as a thimble, and two-thirds core. They're good, they're flne. I'll say thnt—but there's imtlilng to them. If I had a ranch as big as .vours, Jim, ni bet you a dollnr Fd have apples bigger than a dime '."
"'Bet yrni a dollar,'" quoted Fairy.
"Well, I'll wager my soul. If that sounds moro like Shakespeare. Ton't go awny, Jim; we're not fighting. This Is Just the way Fairy and I make love to each other. You're perfectly w-t-l- come to stay, but be careful of your gruniinar, for now that Fairy's a sen¬ ior—will be next year. If she lives— she even teles to teach father the ap¬ proved method of doing a ministerial uneere In the pulpit."
"Think I'd better go," decided the tnll, geod-iooklng youth, laughing as he looked with frank, boyish admira¬ tion Into Carol's sparkling face. "With ralry nfter my grammar, and you to criticize my manner and my morala, I •ee right now thnt a parsonage ts oo safe place for a farmer's son." And luuKhIng again, he thrust his cap Into his pocket and walked quickly out the pew cement oarsouage walk.    But at
ffie gate ne piiuneu lo i-aii r»ncn, i^fc.*.^ mnke a mistake, Curol, und use the heathen's pennies for candy."
The girls on the porch Inughed, und five piilrs of eyes guzed nfter the tall figure rapidly dlsaiipearlng. 'lie's nice," said Prudence. "Yes," assented Curol, "I've got a notion to lanrry him affer a little. That farm of his is worth about ten thousand."
"Are vott jrclnp to wait until he asks you?" I
"Certainly not!    Anybody cnn marry   , n  .nan after he nsUs  lier.    The  thing lo do. It you want to be renily orl'-'Inal   ' and   IhferesTlng.   Is  to  !¦ arry  him   be¬ fore he  nsks  vfiu.  and    nrprisr bini."
"Y('S." agreed Lark. "If you wait un-   1 til  he asks you  he's  likely  to  think  if over  once too often  and  not ask  you  . ut  all." '
"Doesn't  thnt   sound  exactly  like  ii  ; book,   now?"  demaiided  Carol  proudly. "Fairy  couldn't   htive  salrl  that!" |
".Vo." said Fairy. "1 M-oiildn't. Thank goodness I—I have what Is commonl.v known ns brains. Look It up In fhe dletlonns-}. twins. It's something you nuclit to know about."
"till. Pnidence." i-rled Lnrk dramnt- Icnlly, "I forgot to tell you. You cnn't get married after all,"
For ten seconds Prudence, as well ns F'llry nnd their aunt, stared ki speechless aiiinzenienf. Then Pni- detiep smiled.
"Oh, cnn't T? What's the joke now?'' ",Toke! It's no joke. Cnrol's sick, thnt's what's the joke. Yott cnn't get married witliout Carol, cnn you?" • A burst of oray la""hter L'l-erted this nnnouncenient.
"Cnrol  sick!    She nets sick!" "She looks sick!" "Where Is sh    sick?" Cnrol leaned limply bnck ngnlnst the pillar,   trying  to  compose  her  bright fare fnto a  semblance of  Illness.    "In my timimy." she nnnounced weakly.
Tills cnlled forth more Inughter. "It's her conscience." said Fnir.v.
"It's matching iiennles. Maybe she swallowed one."
"Ifs probably those two pieces of pie she ate for diiin(>r. nnd the one fhnt vanished from the pnntry shortly nfter." sngcested Aunt Grnce.
Carol   snt   np   quickly.     "Welcome home.  Aunt Grnce!"  she cried,    "Did you  hnve a pleie.ii.t- visit?" "Carel!" reproved  Prudence. "I   didn't   menn   !t   for   impudence nuntle."   said   Carol,   getting   up   nnd bending  affectlonnfely   over  the  hnm- mock. gently caressing the brown hnlr ' Just Vieginnlng *" '•tu-er about her fore¬ head.    "But  It does ftmnse me so -; henr a  Indy of your nge and  dignity Indu'sp In  such  Invlsh  conversutlonul exercises."
Lnrk swallowed with n forced effort. "Did it hurt. Carol? IIow did you get It nil out in one breath?"
"Lnrk. I do wish yon wouldn't gulp thnt wny when folks use big words." said Fnlry.    "Tt looks—nwful."
"Well, I won't when I get to be ns old and crnbbed ns^father." said Lnrk. ".Sit down, Cnrol. nnd remember you're sick."
Cnrol obediently sat down, and looked sicker thnn ever.
"Y^on can Inuch if yon like," she snid, "I nm sick—at lenst, I was this after¬ noon. I've been feeling very queer for three or four days. I don't think I'tn quite over It yet."
"Pie! Yon were right. Annt Grace! Thnt'.'S the wny pie works."
"It's not pie nt all." declnred Carol henfedl.v. "..\nd I didn't take thnt piece out of tho pnntry. ut least, not ex¬ actly. I caught Connie snenking it, nnd I gnve h'T a good calling down, and she hung her hend nnd slunk nwny In disgrnce. But she hnd taken sueh big bites thnt It looked sort of nn- snnltnry. so I thought I'd better finish It before It gathered nny germs. But It's not pie. Now tbnt I think of It. It wns my hend where I wns sick. Don't you remember, Lnrk, I said my head ached?"
"Yes, and her eyes got red and bleary when she wns rending. And— and there was something else, too, Curol, what—"
"Tour eyes are bloodshot, Carol. They do look bnd." Prudence exam¬ ined them closely. "Now, Carol Starr, don't you touch nnother book or maga¬ zine until nfter fhe wedding. Tf yoo think I wnnt a bloodshot bridesmaid, you're mistaken."
They all turned to look across the yard at Connie, Just turning In. Con¬ nie always walked, as Carol said, "ai If she mostly wasn't there." But she usually "arrived" by the time she got within speaking distance of her sister. "Goodness, Prue. aren't yon going to do nnythlng but ent affer you move to Des Moines? Carol and I were counting the napkins Inst night—was It a hundred nnd seventy-six, Carol, or—some nwful number I ktiow. Carol piled them up In two piles nnd we kneeled on them to say our prayers, and—I can't sny for sure, but I think Carol pushed me. Anyhow, I lost my balance, und usually Tm pretty well balanced. I toppled over right after 'God save,' and Cnrol screnmed 'the nnpklns' — Prue's wedding napkins 1 It was an awful funny effect; 1 couldn't finish my prayers."
"Carol Stnrr! Fifteen years old and—"
"That's a very much exaggerated story, Prue. Connie blamed It on mq as usual. She piled fhem up herselt to see tf there were two feet of them-^ she put her stockings on the floor flrst so th<' (Inst wouldn't rub thent off. It wns Lark's turn to sweep and yon know how Laik sweeps, and Connie was very cnreful. Indeed, and—"
"Come on. Fairy, nnd see the veil!" "The veil ! Did It come?' With a Joyous, undignified whoop the pnrsonnge girls scrambled to their feet nnd rushed Indoors In a flne Kil¬ kenny Jumble. Aunt Grace looked after them, thoughtfully, smiling for a second, and (ben with a atrllob •h>-tF
Pnatei IjAWS th«t ¦ot.norlptleMi M paid tiowniftlj. A M«e peecll THATk It- tUe d'cle meeea yeet mmh. Norlptiia im due. •*• we wIL ihjkai: ^^.m fer m   prompt   rewit
or ner sienner snoulders slo slipped out nnd followed them Inside.
The twins were undeniably lazy, and slept ns late of mornings as the par- soiiuge law allowed. So It was that when Lark skipped Into fhe dining room, three minutes late for breakfast, she found the whole fnmlly, with the exception of Cnrol. well In the midst of (lull- menl.
"She was sick," she begun quickly, then. Interrupting herself—"Oh, good morning! Beg pardon for forgetting my tnunners. But Carol was .sick. Pru¬ dence, and I hope you and Fairy are ashamed of yourselves—nnd auntie, too—for making fun of her. She couldn't sleep all night, nnd rolled and tossed, nnd her head hurt and she talked in her sleep, and—"
"I .thought she didn't sleep."
"Well, she didn't sleep rauch, but when she did she mumbled and said things and—"
Then the dining-room door opened agnln, an<l Carol—her hair about bet shoulders, her feet bare, enveloped la a soft, clinging kimono of faded bine— Ptalked majestically Into the room. There was -woe In her eyes, and her voice wa.o tragic,
"It Is gone." she said.   "It Is gone!"
Her appearance was uncanny, to say the lenst, nnd the fnmlly gazed at her with some concern, de.splte the fact thnt Cnrol's vagaries were so commoa 5.'   usually to elicit smnll respect.
"Gone!" she cried, striking her palms together.    "Gone!"
"If you do anything to spoil that wedding, papa'll whip you. If you are fifteen  years old," said Fairy.
Lark sprang to her sister's side. "What's gone, Carrie?" she pleaded With tenrs, "What's gone? Are you out of your head?"
"No! Out of my complexton," wae the drnmntlc answer.
Even Lark fell back, for the moment, Btnnned. "T-your complexion," ahe faltered.
"Look; Look at me. Lark, Don't yon see? My comjilexlon Is gone- Day beautiful complexion that 1 loved. Look at me I Oh. I would gladly have lacrlflced a leg, or an arm, a—rib or an eye, but not my dear complexion 1"
Sure enough, now that they looked Carefully, they could indeed perceive ^''-nt the usual soft creamlness of Car¬ ol's skin was pric!:led and sparred with ugly red splotches. Her eyes were watery, shot with blood. For a Hme they gazed In silence, tii«n they t»nrst Into laughter.
"Pie V cried Fairy. "It's raspberry pie, coming out, Curol!"
The corners of Carol's lips twitched lllghtly. and It wns with difllculty thnt lhe maintained her wounded regal hearing. But Lnrk, always quick to resent nn Indignity to this twin of heT heart, turned upon tbem angrily.
"Fairy Starr! Tou nre n wicked, un¬ feeling thing! Ton sit tnore and laugh nnd tnlk nbout pie when Carol [8 sick nnd sulTering—her lovely com¬ plexion all ruined, and it was the Joy >f my life, that complexion was. Papn—why don't yoti do something?"
But he only laughed harder than Sver. "Tf there's anythitic more pre¬ posterous than Carol's vanity because Jf her benuty. It's Lark's vanity for iei," he said.
Aunt Grai'e drew Carol to her side, ind examined fhe ruined complexion •losely. Then she smiled, but there ras regret In her eyes.
"Well, Carol, you've spoiled yonr ?art of the wedding sure enough. You've got the measles."
Then came the silence of utter hor- for.
"Not the measles," begged Carol, wounded afresh. "Give me diphtheria, Dr smallpox, or—or even leprosy, and PIl bear it bravely and with a smile, but It shall not be said that Carol'! measles spoiled  the wedding."
"Oh, Carol." walled Prudence, "don't kave the measles—please don't. I've waited all my life for this weddlnir— Jon't spoil It."
"Well, I always said tt was a mle- take," said Fairy.    "A big wedding—"
"Oh, Fairy, please don't tell rae that Ignln. I know it so well. Papa, what- »ver shall we do? Maybe Jerry haant dad them either."
"Why, It's easily arranged," aald Lark. "Well Just postpone the wed¬ ding until Cl—ii's quite welt again."
"Bad tuck," .-aid Connie.
"Too mnch work," aald Fairy.
"Well, she can't get married wttb- ont Carol, can she?" ejaculated Lark.
"Are you sure It's lueasles, Aont Brace?"
"Tes, It's measles."
"Then." RRld Fairy, "we'll get Alice Bird or Katie Free to bridesmaid wtth Lark. They are the same Btse and either win do all right. She can wear Carol's dress. You won't mind that, WtU you, Carol?"
"No," said Carol moodily, "of courae I won't. The only real embrotdel7 Areas I ever hnd In my life—and haven't got thut yet I But go ahead and get anybody you like. Fro hoo¬ dooed, that's what It Is. It's a pnn- lahment because you and Jim cheated yesterday. Lark."
"What did you dor' aaked Connie. "You seem to be getting the pnnlah- ment 1"
"Shall we have Alice or Katlet IVhlch do you prefer, LarkT"
"Yon'll have to get them Loth." waa the stole answer. "I won't brtd«»- maid wlthont Carol,"
"Don't be silly. Lark. TouTI hmf to."
"Then wait for Carol."
"Paoa. Ton must make her" tTo be CoauaiMd)
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