The Tinder-Box

omen often long to wilt back into droopy musk roses, that climb over gates and things, but they don't let each other. When I feel myself getting soluble, I write it out to J

Evelina? And also, you are right in your conclusion that there is not enough abstract love in this world of brotherhood and sisterhood; that the doctrine of divine love calls us to give more and more of it. We cannot give too much! But also, considerations for the advancement of the wor

ourageous! Let a man look freely into your heart, and thus encouraged he will open his to you. Then you will both have an opportunity to judge each o

as made him comfortable, Jane to be attired in something soft that would float against his arm, whether she wanted it to or not! I believe it would be goo

, the mocking-birds are singing the night through, and she is not really in love with anybody? The loneliness does fill her heart full of the solution of love, an

ibly the Mayor of Glendale for twenty-five years, and Aunt Augusta has done the work of the office very well indeed, while he has blown up things in general with great energy. He couldn't draw a long breath without her, but of course he doesn't realize it. He thinks he is in a constant feud with her and her sex. His ideas o

out on, and I lay in wait to capture him and the chips. This morning I waited behind the old purple lilac at the gate, which immediately got

in front of him suddenly, "please, Uncle

Evel

ear old eyes, back under their white brows. Then I let my eyes uncover my heart fu

id, with a little

led, but his feet hesi

the porch. Jasper had given us both a mint julep, and Uncle Peter was much Jess thirsty th

idnap you," I said to him, as he wiped his lips with a pock

s's hennery-live with James-hey?" he sna

ay of thinking and speaking. A husband would have to knock Aunt Augusta's nature down to make any impression wha

ed him, with the words I have used so often in the last two weeks that they sta

e to run the measure over-children-hey? All girls! A woman like Sallie

why shouldn't I? Sallie is such a gorgeous woman that a dozen of her in the next generation will be of valu

ness and big family on to James's shoulders, and then died-good time-hey? Get a woman on your hands, only thing to

adfully over Mr. Carruthers, and I don't believe she would think of marrying a

e gourds until it frosts, and begin all over again in the next generation. James has

the children, Uncle Peter?" I asked, coming with

o mortgage everything and buy land on the river for the car-shops of the new railroad, which just fooled the town out of a hundred thousand dollars, and is going by on the other side of the river wi

e?" I asked, and I was surprised at the amount of s

und under that old gray hat of his-

le Peter for the way he disda

y dependent on him?" I asked again, as t

ave little dabs of property, about as big as a handful of chicken feed, and as they have each one given it all to James to manage, the

is question-but

If James could, he might lose it, and you'd have to move over. It would th

h positive horror that was flavore

d-girl and chicken lose-hey? But let Sallie have him, since you don't need him. I've got to go home and listen to Augusta talk about m

set out to offer Uncle Peter a cup of niecely affection,

ce that I felt that he had wanted and needed what I had offered him. "I'll drop in often and analyze

shoulder, which it delighted him to have knocked off, so that he could philosophize in the restoring of it to its po

hat did it. The tentative kiss has not yet disclosed the presence of the Prince of Revolution, and they are likely to doze for another century o

rrings of progr

their pine-knot heredity, and go out on all important occasions, whether of festivity or tragedy. Ke

unt of the sudden change of grade of the sidewalk, about every sixty feet. Aunt Augusta wanted Uncle Peter to introduce a bill in the City Council forcing all of the property owners on the Square to put down the pavement in front of th

ens that the town has to go unwashed for a week, while the pipes are cleaned out. There is

iled to tie the shops down in the contract. They are to be built in Bolivar. A great many of the rich men

ings happening in the em

ting so thin and faded at thirty that she is a tragedy. Lee goes to see her twice a week, and on Sunday afternoon takes her out in his new and rakish runabout, that is as modern as h

es to all the dances at the Glendale Hotel dining-room and looks thirty. He dresses beautifull

be allowed to run lo

he is responsible for having had. She and her family must consume tons o

hat Boston girl so that Jane could understand perfectly the situation Polk came around from the side street and seat

m glad to record the strong-minded-it came near be

with which he precipitated the riot. "I think it has been spunkily fascinating of you to come and live by yourself

shown Polk Hayes what was in my heart for him at th

h his love. He didn't want me-he doesn't want any woman except so long as he is uncertain that he can get her. Just because I had been firm w

a labyrinth of subterfuge or turn

fluff I am making, to discipline myself because I loathe a needle so. "Please don't you worry over me, dear." I raised my eyes to his and I tried the com

a-farce?" he asked, afte

with perfect frankness. "If you could define a real woman, Polk, in what

chorus, if she's beautiful

t it was best under

s. Apparently they are craving nothing so much as emotional excitement and when you offer it

ship with one. Polk?" I asked, and agai

nswered promptly and with fervor. "I wouldn't tru

ould s

I w

you

N

it will be good for you." I looked him straight in the face and the battle of our eyes was something terrific. I had made up my mind to have

porch and down into the chair i

a gulp of terror, "I love yo

p git hung by her apron

your car out in the road and her head is dangersome kinder upsid

as one we both raced across the porch, down the path and out to the road where Folk's Hupp runabout stood by t

He stood in the middle of the dusty road with the tousled mite in his arms, soothing her frightened sob

ur little sister like this?" Sallie sobbed.

arrassment at Polk's and my presence at the domestic sc

o take that Pup from Aunt Dilsie, 'cause of the phthisic, and keep her quiet while the Kit

nrietta,

hole all ove

s,

won't try. If I have to 'muse her it has to be in my own way." And

uted and the res

wallowed sobs. "I need my friends' help with my children, not to have them make it hard for me. Henrietta is devoted to you and you could

ost match it in rosiness. She and the babies always remind me of a cluster rose and roses, flower and buds, and I don't see why every man that sees her is not mad about her. They all used to be before she ma

you'll give me a few days longer, I will then have found out by experien

autifully calm. "Let's trust a lot to Henrietta's powers of observation of her mother and-her neighbors." He smiled suddenly, with his whole face, over bo

ed Polk with a laugh as we all stood watching the old gray coat-tail

s suddenly misting the violets in her eyes as she turned away from us wi

while, Evelina," she pleaded back

ere on my side of the Roa

ff fraction of a declaration like you were about to offer me. I can bide my time-and

gh he doesn't think that is what it is going to be-to Polk. If I can just tell him how much I love him, befo

to a nice friendship after old Plato

to marry

, I

-n