Effervescent Everton

A COMPLETE NOVELETTE

By Evelyn Gill Klahr

The house Drat attracted attention of an irregular blotch of pine ~t en the front. But it held the “lion on account of the two young t on the veranda. To tfcfc passerby they presented the picture of felicity. The veranda—cool, wide and shady —looked out on the prettiest street of ‘*6 overgrown country town—a sttv&ot broad lawns, of houses that were homes, of big trees, generous thau*. the girl was young and attractive, a bit too thoughtful perhaps, but as charmingly gowned and as pretty as the most frivolous; the man handsome, on slightly sterner lines than those prescribe i by popular e covers, but nevertheless dtally handsome. The passerby might envy, but close observer could see that this was a scene of unadulterated happiJh* girl. Ruth Everton, who was ting her sister, Mrs. Hillock, sat the swing and stared Jus* beyond man, not at him, while one anlittle foot kept tapping on the i floor. The man. Frans Ora- , was distinctly gloomy, and his w was set grimly, as for battle. “Of course/'sald Ruth bitterly, don't care anything about children you aren't interested In what is He interrupted her a bit ' indig-

"tly.

“But It Is exactly because 1 do care. t you see that It isn't lair to your tie nephew to let him grow up an -isciplined individual, meddling . Ith their affairs—" She tn turn Interrupted. ! "Why aren't you willing to get at (be ti*L of this? Now, you’ll surely i that half of the machinery clvfllwitton is just for those two ; to develop man's reason and make him social-minded. t that true? Schools and coland libraries and churches and hing? All right. Now here along a child with those tw« eristics already remarkably and what do you want to ou want to destroy them utter'y him into an obedient little tlon, just so he'll be less trouble e present, and then expect -Ire them all over again when Oh, It drives me wild!" other words." dryly commented "he should he encouraged to ink pain* on the front of his end so put the family to cone expense and trouble to have over—to say nothing of makplace, look ridiculous until It That's the sort of Impulse, e that you want to conserve." k the generous impulse back she retorted, “the desire to i is the most precious the world ani certainly ought iserved " Graham smiled a sardonlto himself and said nothing. Everton stared coldly beyond mb' from the house came Mrs. -V. mother of little Everton. the le young cause of this controbetween Ruth Everton and the ’ she was going to marry. . HOIcock sank wearily into a r chair. *>. deary me," ahe sighed. She i extremely pretty woman, but i bad the air of being, though good-natured about it all. efely done up and winded by tba nous complexities of her life, ell. I certainly wish 1 knew what ht to do," she declared, th leaned forward encouragingly, ething about Everton?" she ines. 1 really think I ought to keep home from little Effle White's day party this afternoon, to pun!m for that paint, but bow can i been looking forward u week?*' > Graham as If the girl “ gloated over her advantage over Of course, he couldn't Interfere this strictly family affair while s the child's aunt, could, i you must remember," Beth saying, "that his motive was the est. He wanted to paint the whole “ pink as a surprise for you " ' he succeeded,” replied his 'her grimly "I was surprised But sort of thing must stop." she desperately, “or we'll be stark nr mad!" er instincts as hostess made her ude Graham in the conversation. you hear about that birthday » he gave last week?" No. Graham had not. ^“Well. it's an awful story." Mm. '.cock confessed. You see, hhrenon perfectly obsessed on the subject of He thinks It Is the height of

earthly bliss for an individual to have one. One day last week be uncovered It was the birthday of our chauffcrur’ little boy—little colored boy, you know —and Everton, entirely unknown to us. had a party for him In the garage. "He didn't want co trouble me, bs said afterward, ant I really think that was the reason lie didr't tell me Well, anyway, he took a big fruit cake from the cellar and Invited all the children In the celghtx rhood, and they consumed the enure n onstrous cake." shook her heel In weary remembrance. “This r ighborhood ft r1 naked considerable practice for the medical profession that night." Graham cast a sun eptitfdus glance at Ruth. She seemtl quite servo

t it

ut rvUly I don't Jiink that was ad as the tulips * Mrs. Hillock on. “Did Ruth tell you shorn the tulips?" she lnqat-ed of Graham No. Ruth had not t Id him “Well, that was las spring," Mrs HlUock explained. “O’t, dear, dear!" she sighed. 'The' w. « awful! You see Mrs. Temple.'" .ight here beside us on the left has perfectly -"nder ful tulips. “9be gets them from Holland—some rare wonderful variety and awfully expensive. Then there’s Mrs. Allen who Uvea a Uttle funher on down the street who goes in herself for a chaste plain expanse of lawn and thinks flower beds and all that sort of thing extremely rocco and in very id taste. "Welt, one day Everton heard hri congratulate Mrs. Templeton on her onderful tulips, and sav that she really envied her—perfectly insincer for she wouldn't have them for a gil but how was Everton to know that and Mrs. Templeton said that indeed they were getting almost too much tor her, and rometlmes she thought th-rc were too many for beauty. "Of course, she didn't mean it She wouldn’t have parted with one fo; worlds But how, I repeat was Ever* know? So that outrageous child carefully reasoned it out ani •hen made aU arrangements for them. Since Mrs. Templeton had too many and Mrs. Allen wished for some, he simply transplanted a hundred or from one place to the other ‘And both women were furious, simply furious. I sent our gardener right over to repair the damage, and fairly prostrated myself in apologies, but that didn't seem to help.” “But it was sweet of him," Insisted Ruth. He supposed, of course, that it hadn't ocurred to them what to do to prevent the child from painting the house pink another time?” 'But he knows that we are all di; pleased about It—that he's made us trouble.” Ruth Instated. He'll never paint the house again. He wanted only to make us happy. “But what’s to prevent him from doing something else Just as outrage-

T sincerely hope," declared Ruth with conviction, “that there is nothing to prevent his always reasoning things and acting on every generous ini

pulse."

They couldn't let It alone. It had begun a day or so before with a few Idle comments on the case of Everton. and had suddenly grown Into a full bodied controversy A day or so before ibey had been happy In their mutnal lore, and now this thing seemed to have eclipsed it mlrely—to have done away with b. somehow, leavirg them only this eternal wrangling between them. •'Why can't you see?” Graham kept demanding of hit .self. If he's that sort of a person!” Ruth kept repeating to her heeri. All that afternoon the controversv kept them in Itr. clutch, until at Ruth, scarcely knowing wba she was doing until it was done, slipped thdiamond solitaire from her left hand. ■I can't marry anyone I wrangle with like this,'' she declared. He took the ring dully. He had not droamed It would come to this Nor had ahe dreamed he would take it. and would let it end so easily. And so 1*. was over, that which *>ad seemed as permanent as the hills; was over so easily that they scarcely knew what had happened. He found his hnt and walked In dull bewilderment down the stre-t. Ruth, left behind, still sat in the swing, frightened, despairing, desoShv could not keep her eyes from her ringless finger, so symbol 1 - cal of the emptiness cf her heart. Presently Everton returned, buoyantly enthusiastic over his afternoon. He bad had a wonderful time, bcl Ruth, absorbed in her own misery, scarcely listened to It. As a matter of fact Everton him>if scarcely realised bow wonderful had been, nor would be have had

truUU little bean had been charmed with the whole arrangetneiA He particularly liked the !d«« of every guest bringing Effle a pret-nt. his suggestion that Effle had stood at the gate to receive the gift before the g'ver was permitted to enter, an idea filched by Everton from modern trolley m-thod*. Ac's mother, little dreaming the truth, had to stand at the gate to receive her guests. Everton himself had offlclated wfb her at the gate, and lad even loaned her his masculine strength when one small child without a gift attempted to w. The litUe guest, determineJ have hospitality, determined not to be deprived of his party, puileJ valiantly at the gate. Lverton. bound that the custom of gift giving be r reserved, by force. If need be, held the gate firmly In ht« two strong, little hands and reasoned In his grave, earnest way But why did you come without a pre«ent?" "But I didn't have anything." “You should hare bought some-

ling.”

"But there wasn’t rime" “You'd have time to g-t something now and be back before the party is And the baffled little guest had to run home frantically, in desperate fear of missing the party altogether and bad returned in due time, bearing his tribute. So the party had been a perfect ancsss. and Everton had come home glowing with delight over the way it had all turned out so beautifully for Hrtbday child. Ruth with her half-hearted attention gathered little of this from his disconrse, but Bverton's mother gathered enough to send her flying to the telephone. Presently, a look of horrified amusement on her face, she came out to the veranda to find Ruth. “That outrageous child!" Everton followed her to the veranda and listened, grsvely Interested, while* his mother explained the outrage of the afternoon to Ruth. "It wca a good idea to have him go home for the present." he Insisted, " ‘cause then Effle ^ot the present," Everton, Ever on!” cried his weary mother, "you've Just got to stop having Ideas. "Ideas are all right for grown up folks,“he explained to Ruth. “Don't you wish they was some way—” 'There were," his mother corrected. "There were," be agreed amiably. “Don't you wish there were some way you could have a trap door for little boys' ideas so they couldn't get outcouldn't get out at all—until they were grown up?"

His molhei shook her Lead hope-

lessly.

Don’t I wish there were!' sighed. She turned to Ruth. “What am I to do.” she appealed to the gal. "but spank, just plain spank?" Ruth's protest was faint, reary. She had paid so cruelly alread. for her interest In the problem of Ever ton that she hadn't any spirit left go on. But after supper when the child and his mother gravely retired together to an upper chamber, waited miserably in the swing, guilty to think that her championship had been so feeble. Presently Everton rejoined her the veranda and with a book seated himself on his Uttle chair. He wi very serious and quiet, but there wj no tinge of resentment in his mann>' nor indeed of any emotional disturh- >, except that a? be leafed through his book he occasionally wlnke! very

hard.

The bond of sympathy that draws together unhappy souls soon brought Ruth to the child's side, and because it is easiest lo unburden one’s heavyheart to those whose hearts likewise it was Everton who first heard of Ruth's broken engagement he marry you at all?" Inquired Everton. 'N'erer," said Ruth, "never In all this world!” He looked at her pltingly. gravely and though he had no words of sympathy to offer Ruth lelt a little comforted. though he had nothing to say, the generous mind of Everton had already begun to reason out something to help her. > party, he though*. Parties had been, on the whole, disastrous for him. but he had not loci lalth in them, especially parties with presents, .'or see how happy little Effle ad bee-, at hers! So he slipped out of his chair und down the street, pleasantly aglow with bis generous purpose, a little knight ev*r ready for kind deeds and for the set ring of others—no Impul-

the words to do justice to it . His si sive little hi- ckh- ad ru«hing thought-

ieesly Into scion, but a phlloaophe.carefully working from cause to effec For example, with each of the many Inritalionr he Issued that evening he carefully explained the entire tragic situation of hi* deserted aunt, knowing full well that a sympathetic heart maker a generous hand. He Invited alike the discreet and the gossip, unaware that the eyes of the gossips d.-mced at the news and that they chafed to be off and spreadii^ it He came to Frank Graham, and vton* d hesitant. Graham stopped, too. "Hullo, son'" he greeted him. Everton was too absorbed in hli mission to return the greeting. “Would you like to give a present too?*' he inquired. "That depends. To whom?" To my Aunt Ruth." Graham's eyes opened wide. "Why —er—“ he stammered. Everton went on with his explanc tlon. Ttr giving a surprise party for her tomorrow. With presents. Because she feds so bad that you won't marry her." Graham's Interest suddenly became a flamii.g thing that made his eyc-s blaze. He asked a few pointed questions, and then, outstridlng Everton. hastened down the street to be where he belonged, at the side of his girl during the mortifying experience Ruth's eyes grew big and a lltU? frightened at the sight of him. “Come indoors," he hade her. Then in the big twilight-dimmed living room he drew her close to nlm with a little murmuring sound of con.

fort.

For a moment she half resisted and then yielded herself to his arms, not understanding, but infinitely gl»d ot his presence again. Then with his arm still comfortingly around her, he explained the astoalahing mission of little Everton “Oh! no—nt*—" she gasped in boi-

ror.

And then convinced beyond all doubt. Just because she knew him so well, she gave a moaning little laugh The picture waa vivid to her eyes of bow littl Everton's tale would be p-iased around gloatingly in the overgrown country town where everyone knew everyone else. And she knew how it would grow and grow. "Oh! what a good time the.-Tl all have with the scandal! ' she groaned. "Maybe," she wondered. “Maybe it serves me right that my ov n theories about Everton have comeback on me like this.” "But the joke's on them, dear, when they find out we are •© be married.' She looked at him with grave inquiring eyes. “As if it could be otherwise'" he answered her silent question. " ear. think of it.” he went on. “If Everton has brought your theories down on your shoulders like this see what h>has done to mine! Why! if that blessed child had been the suppressed little mortal I advocated, we might never have—" He slopped, appalled at the awfulness of the thought. Their arms caught each other <n the twilight and tightened their hold. From the veranda they hevrd the high little explaining voice of Everton returned, and then the baffled groan of the mother. "Everton, Everton. Everton! What will you do next. Ruth In the living-room n urmured to her lover, “After all. dearest, we don't have to solve Everton."

SMILE--II Pays In one of the southern training camps, a profane and perspiring in fantry sergeant was doing his best to pound into the heads ot a squad of exceedingly raw "rookies” the rudiments of military science. When the sergeant gave the order, •'ach willing recruit of the squad made a commendable effort to execute it, but every UtUe rookie had a movement all his own. with highly unsatisfactory results. “As you were!” bawled ‘he sergeant At this point the proceedings wer.Interrupted by a recruit from Boston, who before enlisting had been a Harvard student. "Beg pawdon. savgoant,” said he, "bnt wouldn’t it be moah propah to say, ‘You will restore the status quo ante’?” MISC—TWO "ileHo, Tom,” said a man from the north who had returned to his birthplace for a brief visit. "I heard that Bill killed a man. Is it true?" “Sure!" replied Tom. He chased the fellow three days with a shotgun, finally got a good bead on him and biffed him right through the lung." "And killed him?" queried the northerner, with horror. "You bet!" "Well, how is it that they didn't lynch Bill for coldblooded murder?" “Weil, the fellow that Bill shot didn't have a friend on earth, so thgame warden Jast fined BUI $2 for huntin' without a license." Governor Smith of New York recently said at a dinner in Albany: "The opponenu of female suffrage take a jaundiced view of things. Tney are like the old Batch. 'I see that J»nes has married his cook,' a man said to Batch at the

club.

” ‘Humph. That's Just like Jones,' Batch snorted. 'He'd always rath or fight than eat." As he weighed out the sugar the grocer’s boy whistled lustily. "Don't you know that It is very rude to whistle while you are waiting on a lady?" said the elderly customer, severely. "Well, the guv-nor told me to do H when I served you," explained the

boy.

"He told you to whistle?" said the customer in great surprise. "Yes'jn! He said If we ever soli you anything we'd hare to whistle for the money." woman went into a railroad officio buy a ticket for her son who waabout to emigrate to Canada, and whilthe man was looking up the particulars she chanced to look around and noticed In 2 glass case a stuffed Canadian moose. "What kind of an animal is that?" she inquired. "Oh." «ald the man. "that's a Canadian moose.” “Well. If that’s the case." she said. "Ill have my money back. I wouldn't let my son go out there. What must the rats be like The man in the next flat was with your kid yelling like that! If pounding on the wall.

"Thank God we don't!" he murmured reverently. Australia has lost $20.000,"00 In the last 12 months as a result of the "di reel action" of syndicalist strikers. Foreign countries are using only half as much petroleum as the United States, but have seven times as much oil In the ground. At their present rate of consumption, foreign oil producing countriei have enough to }ast them more that. 250 years.

U Need This Household Necessity Stoy’s Handy Capper and Spread j-jr er. Caps all sire bottles without j } adjustments. Nickled and polish1 ! .-d. Made to Ust Piice $1.50 with 1-2 grots caps; hardwood mallet 75c estra; extra caps 35c per gross, Parcel post 10c extra DIRECTIONS for USING Place cap on bottle, hold cap ooden mallet or hammer, e or two sttokes when cap on. To ust old caps, strike slightly with spreader end of cap per, corrugations up Manufactured Bv A. F. STOY 1828 Frankford Ave. PHILADELPHIA, PA Phone.Kens25T5

"Look bore.” ho cried. "I can t alsep you don't make him stop, I will!" "Come tn, rir—come in!" said the kid's father. You'll be as welcome as the flowers in spring.

“What kind of a player is Mr.

Jones?"

"Jones! Why he's s duffer. Can't play a stroke. Why do you ask?” “I'm going to play against him tomorrow in the visitor's handicap." ‘Too bad. old chap! I'm afraid you're in for a beating." They were entertaining the minister at dinner, and after dessert little Johnny pressed the minister to have another piece of pie. The minister laughed. “Well, Johnny, if you insist, I will have another." “Good!" said Johnnny. “Now, r.\a, remember your promise. You said if you had to cut into the second pie I could have another piece!" "I've no doubt about this case,” said the lawyer's clerk to his chief. “One look at that fellow over there convinces me that he Is guilty.” "Hush!" said the lawyer nervously “That's the counsel fo; the defense." The young man waa a devout lover of opera. All through the second act his hostess had chattered and smirked, entertaining the small party in her box and disturbing a large part of the

audience.

"You must come again." she said, as he wished her “Good night"." "Come on Thursday. It s 'Manon.' Have you heard Manon*" ” •'No.” he responded gravely: T've never heard you in ‘Manon ' " LitUe Jimmy went with his mother to stay with an aunt in the country, and his mother was very worried as to bow he would behave. But to her surprise he was angelic during the whole visit—always did a< he was told, and never misbehaved. As soon a* he got home, however, he was his na'urai self again. "Oh, Jimmy,” she said, "you were so good while you were away, why do you start behaving badly now?” “What's home for?" asked Jimmy in pained surprise. Ferocious Dogs in Armor The use of dogs in warfare is not modern. In the days of the Romans the Molosslon dogs ot the ancient conquerors, with their spiked collars and suits o fmsil, whose primary service was to hinder the cat airy by attacking the shore*, were factors in those old-Ume encounters.

Don’t Sell Your Old Tires Send Them To Us By Parcels Post. We May Save Them for You By Expert Re-treading, Doubletreading or Vulcanizing If beyond repair, we will take them in trade for any size tire

you want.

Slightly used or repaired Tiles all sires; from $3.00 op We carry a full line of Double Lock-Stitched Puniproof Tires. Made by experts in our own shop. DRY CURE RETREADING OUR SPECIALITY. mm Wsau*. Wrtte tr» lontwr Ulon>s<io~BELL TIRE & REPAIR CO. 2U> OskSsIt SC. - PHILADELPHIA, PA.

a Week Pars for 1920 CLEVELAND Light weight Motorcycle, ready for immediate delivery, numerous improt vements, 75 miles on one gal. gas. Call and see the Machine and let ur demonstrate, or write for full information. Distributors for Philadelphia and Sute of New Jersey. Haverford Cycle Co. TW How of a»! Bstaiu 503 Market Sl, Philadelphia

World’s Greatest Spark Plug COMPARED TO OTHERS. ITS LIKE THE MAZDA LAMP TO THE TALLOW CANDLE Entirely protec.ed with an anno- of steel. No more broken porcelain - V1TR1-LILLA top and cup. Can’t thor* circuit. Telescope intrer .-ier or current transformer, in sir-tight vacuum chamber, produces perfect combustion; more power; less gas; stops missing, skipping, and jumping; makes starting easy; increases m.leagc 15 to 30 percent The "KANT-BREAK” firei in oil and gives pep to cars with leaking cylinder' The "KANT-BREAK” is being adopted by the leading concerns thi^ughout the country, and is the world's greatest spark plug It is indestructible and should Ust as long as the motor. Sold un•er an absolute guarantee of satisfaction or money hack Price, $1.50. Dealers and Salesmen Wanted Mail Orden Filltd Prtmptij. Makt Minty Orders Payable t» LYONS AUTO SUPPLY CO. 'Pennsylvania Distributors) 218 North 15th St., Philadelphia, Pa. Bell Phtne, Locust 616