Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

YELLOW with him, and she inspected him. She liked him; he was very gentle, she thought, and SOAP. 277 I think that is a dis- And study- collecting scarabs! gusting habit for a real man! kind. Her world-placing had made her re- ¢ing out that stuff written on*their tummies! alize the value of kindness. After she left, Philip Carpenter made two decisions. his aunts. “You have alway#asked me to*make you a visit of some length,” he said. “ May I make it now? I'l send to New Yor for more things, if I may.” | The ladies Jooked at each other and al- most winked. They said they had always desired their dear nephew to spend a sum- mer with them, which he well knew. And they fluttered a great deal, for they were very happy. The other decision was—his plan to ask the younger Milton girl to marry him. For he was in his own, fice, and meth- odical way, very much in love. He began to recall the better flower shops he knew —their locations. He would telegraph. orders. He wondered whether there were any one else courting her? He almost frowned over this possibility, but recalied in time that irritation was a wasting emo- tion, and did nothing for one’s betterment. ~ “TI saw his scarabs,” said Frances, who came upon Julia, weeding in the garden. ‘“T suppose they are interesting to any one who knows anything. Julia, how can you touch those bald caterpillars! He read me some inscriptions, too, but they mainly dealt with\the deceased—‘ son of,’ you know, and’ so on. I don’t see how he can get so excited over them. I wonder if those poppies I planted are ever going to come up?” Julia got up stiffly, folded some earth- stiff gloves, and spoke. “ Did you—like him?” she asked. “Yes, in a way,” said Frances slowly, “but just one way. I think he’s kind. Of course that’s a lot, too. But yesterday he said: ‘Lemon, aunt, and no sugar, please,’ and it seemed to me that explains him. I don’t know whether you'll under- stand, but the restraint—he only ate one sandwich, too, and I had six.” “T really think that was too many.” “But, Julia, I liked them. And then The first one he confided to ° I’d rather have him holler himself hoarse at a ball game.” “Holler!” echoed Julia, in a horrified tone. “Yes, holler! Instead of—” Frances stooped, picked up a trowel and inspected it with a near-sighted, thick-lensed close- ness. When she spoke her voice held the quality of Philip Carpenter’s and her words were closed clipped, carefully placed, and nicely ennunciated. “You will note the ginscription on this bit,” she said, “the head of the Assyrian God Oh-Whack is plginly seen to super: impose that of Gum-Dube, which shows to the observer that red flannels were donned by order of King Ptolemy I—or XVII—in the first day of the feast rather than the last. Ah!” Julia was walking away from the small actress and toward the kitchen door, Frances ran after her. ‘ Julia,” she called, “ Fulia!” . But Julia did not stop. She caught Julia’s arm as she was on the first-step on the porch. Julia was crying. Frances changed color. Oh, Julia!” she whispered, “ what have I done?” Julia did not, could not answer. She turned and went with Frances to sit on a white bench beneath the old pine tree. “What have I done?” repeated a white and miserable-faced small maiden. “ Julia, dear! Oh, don’t, Julia, dear!” Julia shook her head, blew her nose, laughed unsteadily, and _ spoke. “T’ve—lI’ve had a headache. for two days,” she began. ‘ I—I guess I’m bilious. There’s the grocer’s boy looking at us and he saw me!” “No, he didn’t, dear, really he didn’t!” replied Frances. Whereupon she slipped a timid, but very loving arm about the partially recovered © Julia, “T felt badly and then—when I see you not at all appreciate a man like—like Mr. Carpenter and—and hear you talk slang. Your English is frightful—and make those’ remarks about scarabs when you know @ Gomichbooks (C@