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?V<XKK!<"X'?X^~X^X~X<^>>X~X^ THAT M IN KHAKI By CEL?A ROBINSON. <-X<'X*X-*>XMXK~X"XKK^X*<^X' On Decoration cay Betty Manning, a telegraph operator, picked her pret tiest roses. "I am going down to the serv ices at the Na tional cemetery," she told her moth er, "and I shall put these flowers OD the new-made graves. Perhaps some heart would be comforted a ^ " I little if she knew L r that her boy f ^* would not be quite Ie forgotten." As she knelt that afternoon beside a grave, scattering roses on the new sod, a man came ami stood beside her, watching the white-robed figure, wistfully, as the sweet face bent above the loving task. As Betty rose she saw him standing beside her. He was a soldier dressed In the uniform of a non-commissioned officer. The face under the thatch of curly chestnut hair was very good to look upon. Betty smiled at him kindly and pointed to tue flowers. "There aren't many," she said, "but I thought I would do what I could. There isn't much one can do." "Oh, the little more and how much it ls; Oh, the little less, and what world's away." quoted the sergeant, as he returned the smile, with interest. Betty stared a little. She had not expected a common soldier to greet her with Browning. "You see." he went on, "it is just that little more that is so very much -the little more of kindness and good will. A mother praying for her boy tonight would bless you if she knew." "Maybe she will know, some day," said Betty, softly. "If I knew who and where she waF I would write to her." "I know where she is," said the soldier. "The boy who lies here was an old playmate of mine and his mother lives in a little town in Maine. I shall write to her tonight. Will you ?send her a message?" 'Tes," said the girl, impulsively. "Give her my love and tell her that this grave shall be my sDecial care. That ! shall tend it and at least 12 times each year she may feel sure that there are flowers on lt." Then her mother came and Betty, .with a little friendly nod, left him. It would be hard to tell whose thoughts were the busiest with the other for the next few days. The young non-commissioned omcer could not keep Betty's sweet face and voice out of his mind. The golden hair and the blue eyes haunted him. As for Betty, now and then as she sat at her work sh? fell to dreaming, al ways of a young man In a uniform of khaki, with curly chestnut hair, who quoted Browning. One day as Betty was clicking away the dream she was dreaming material ized, and her soldier stood before her. "I did not dare hope for this." ho said, as she came forward. "I came In to send a message to my father; I did not know that you were here. I have hoped to see you because I wanted to give you this." And he handed her a note. It was from the mother In far-off Maine and Betty's eyes were full of tears as .she read the kind words ol' thanks. "But you had a message for me, had you not?" she ask^d. He gave ber the message and after a few words, rather formal ou both eides, he took his departure. This was 'he message he had given Betty to send and she could not but read it with more than ordinary in terest: "To Chas. H. Livingstone, Auditor Solid Insurance company, Pierreton, Canada. I have today received hon orable discharge from army. Will be with you in a fortnight. Chas. H. Liv ingstone, Jr." It was three days later that Betty boarded a North Hill car on her way home, to find only one vacant seat and that beside a handsome man in a suit of gray tweeds. She did not at first recognize him in civilian clothes, but when he lifted his hat she knew the curly crop and the smile in the dark eyes. The man in khaki had worn a mustache, but this young man was clean-shaken. Betty thought him handsomer than ever. Aa for Livingstone, Betty was his one dream, now, and in the light of her sweet smile he was emboldened to say: ?"I wrote a letter to the mother in Maine today. I expect to see her soon. I am going away." "Yes. I know," said Betty. "I'm so sorry." Then she blushed. "I couldn't help knowing, you see. I read your telegram/' "I know," he said, "but I would like to tell you more." And he did. Construing the Law. Police Magistrate-Mr. Officer, you must not shoot at a prisoner unless he has been apprehened for a fel ony. Police Officer- Please, your hoonr, he was shooting, too. Police Justice-What was he shoot ing? Police Officer--Sh-jotlng craps. |gg W?1TIH6 FOR P?TI! I By T. B. EATON. ? Taps, his intimates called him Tapa Scudder. He was big, more than passably good looking, had a splendid income quite outside his pay. and was a lieutenant, juuior grade, in the navy. Orders had como detaching him from duty at the yard and instruct ing him to joiu the Comorant for sea duty. Ile stood on the steps of the ad miral's house-the admiral waB com mandant of the navy yard-a scowl on his face and a heart within him like several tons of lead. Evelyn How land, the admiral's daughter, had just refused him again, and tomorrow he would be at sea for he knew not how many years. The Comorant was head ed for the Philippines. Still scowling, he began to walk down the path. A syringa bush on the little lawn was In full bloom. Behind the syringa bush sounded a childish voice singing a popular song. It ceased as he moved down the path, and Patty Howland, with all the im pulsiveness of a dozen years coupled with very strong likes and dislikes, sped from behind the bush and threw herself Into Taps Scudder's arms. "Oh, Taps," she cried, "are you real ly going away tomorrow?" "Tonight, Patty," said he. smiling down at her. "We sail tomorrow." "And you've just been up to see Evelyn?" He nooded. "And she turned you down again?" "That's not a nice way of putting lt," he chided mildly. "Well, did she?" she persisted. ."You needn't answer, Taps. I see it in that scowl of yours. And you look hurt and angry, too. Did she say she'd marry you if you'd leave the service?" He smiled rather wanly. "You're not going to?" "I'm sailing tomorrow on the Co morant," said he. "Well, don't you leave tho service, Taps-not for Evelyn nor anybody else," she said. "Why?" he asked. "Oh, well, for one thing just be cause, and for another because you are so awfully, awfully handsome in a uniform." "That last is the best reason. Pat ty," he laughed. "Just for that I won't leave the service." "Well, don't.. Promise me you won't." "I promise." He stooped. She lifted her pretty, childish face and kissed him resound ingly, not once, but over and over. Then he went on down the path, the incident forgotten. He was scowling again and his heart was sore within him. Evelyn Howland, had, indeed, intimated this last afternoon that if he would leave the service she would marry him. The next day he sailed on the Co morant. And it was a very depressed Taps Scudder that cruised about the Philippines. He wrote Evelyn often-it seemed to be his only solace, that and wait ing impatiently for the letters from her. They were all of the same gen eral trend. Why did he stay in the service, especially when he h^d plenty of money? He couldn't really care very much for her if he wouldn't leave the service for her sake. Taps read those letters and bit his lips and paced the hot deck, and six years went past in this way. Then he was orderea home, and the waters did not foam and hiss half loudly enough beneath the homeward pointir.s prow to suit him. Evelyn was still heart-free, if he could b(. ieve her le tters, and m a few weeks now he would see her. During his absence Rear Admiral Howland had 1 iched the age limit and been retired. He now lived in an imposing house in an exclusive suburb near the navy yard. No sooner was he landed than Taps Scudder headed thither It was a splendid place, with spacious grounds and a long, low rambling house set among Lombardy poplars. Taps stood at the wide gates admir ing it. The carriage which had brought him thither wa6 rattling back toward the little suburban station. A motor car came whirring into the driveway. A horn honked its strident warning. He turned about. There was a crj' from the car; Instantly it stopped. "Oh, Taps, Taps, dear, I'm so glad to see you-so. so glad!" He looked at her dazedly. He could not realize the change In her that six years had wrought. Could this be the little spindle-shanked girl be had left behln? the syringa bush at the navy yard? He mattered in bewil dered fashion: "Patty! For goodness' sake Patty!" "You've grown handsome, Taps," she declared. "Why, you're awfully distinguished looking-not so boyish as you were. Aren't you glad you 6tayed In the service?" "You bet I am, if I get my reward for it," said he. "What was that?" said she. "Do I have to ask you?" said he. "No. Frankly, you don't," she de clared. "I've remembered it every day and every hour since you left. But I didn't suppose you had." "And you haven't changed a bit about your ideas of the service?" he asked at last. "Why should I when you look BC perfectly splendid In a uniform. Taps?" she asked. ! TRICKS OF THE GAME I .?> Y t i .> Ey DOROTHY BLACKMORE. ? % % ^X"X-X-*X"X-*XK~X"X~XK~X~X? "It certainly is exciting to get a Bridge pad for a present when you know nothing about Bridge and care less!" lamented Bess Watrous, han dling the brown leather score pad she had received by parcel post. "You should keep your friends in formed," teased her brother, picking up the pad and examining it . He sniffed. "And it smells of camphor balls! Worse yet! Some one must have given it to Mary last Christmas and she's palming it off on you this year. That's one way to do with un welcome gifts, I must, say." Ralph Watrous laughed mirthfully. "It'^s a nice little pencil, anyway-with an ivory tip, sis. See?" "I do see-but you may have lt, tip and all." "Sort o' peevish, aren't you? Cheer up, sis!" "I'm not the least bit peevish, though I am provoked, and I have more than half a notion to sit down and write Mary a straightforward let ter telling her that she is a chump! I certainly can't conscientiously say 'Thank you for the lovely present, etc.,' for then I would be as big a chump as she. We're good enough friends to be frank." "All right-you know Mary Ayres better than I do." And. believing that she did know her friend Mary sufficiently well to reprimand her for her carelessness for it was not the first time she had displayed it in gift giving-Bess Wat rous wrote a letter. Also, she returned the Bridge score pad. since, as she ex plained, she had no earthly use for it. Some weeks later a reply came. "Your letter amused rae so much that T read it aloud to Jim and his friend Tom Cassidy, who is spending the winter with us on the ranch. Tom was so much tickled with the frank ness of the writer that he Insisted on knowing all about you. I have told him all I know, but he seems insati able and keeps bothering me to a3l< you down here while he is with us. Can you come? Of course you can't at this busy season, bury yourself on a Texas ranch, but-at least I've ask ed you." This, in part, was Mary's letter, and Bess waa not pleased, at first, at the idea of having had her letter read for the amusement of two men-Jim Ayres and this Tom Cassidy. "And yet," she said to her brother that night. "I rea'ly would enjoy the novelty of a ranch In winter. Mary is only half-hearted in her invitation. Would you go, Ralph?" "I surely would if I was as crazy to meet a strange man as you are, S&". Don't you have enough on your string now?" When she was on the train bound for the remote ranch in Texas on which her old friend Mary had been willing to bury herself for Jim Ayres she could not help smiling Inwardly at the way in which Fate had seemed to push her into this step. She thoughl of this again as shf was being driven quickly through the moonlit roads io the ranch house thc night she arrived at the village in southern Texas. "I tried to get Tom Cassidy to comr in for you. Bess." her host explained with a twinkle in his eye; "but he had a game of Bridge on with Mary and a couple of our friends in a neighboring ranch ano he hated to leave." Bess laughed. "You're as frank a? ever, Jim-as frank as I was about . the silly present Mary sent me. I'm afraid your Mr. Ton Cassidy wouldn'l thank you for telling me his excuse . for not coming, would he?" "Maybe not." admitted Jim. "But-r he's mighty fine, Bess, mighty fin--' stuff is Tom!" Bess did see the lights between the trees and ns they drove quickly to ward trio house they were silent, am! she imagined Tom Cassidy coming to ward her. She wondered why she took such an interest in a man whr. did not care enough about seeing net to leave a game of cards. "It-it ls you. isn't it, Bess?" she heard him saying, as he took her hand when Mary introduced him. "1 thought it must be. Even as a wee girl you were frank enough to tell rn? you didn't care to play with a red headed, freckled boy named Cas sidy." Bess blushed furiously. "You're red headed yet. but-well, the freckles are gone at least," she said, trying to hide her embarrassment. "And you still won't play with hire because-you don't like Bridge," laughed Mary, her arm about Bess. "I don't know what I'll do down here If you're all such fiends for the game," Bess replied, looking at Caa eidy. "Learn It," said Jim. Bess shook her head. "You'd better," added Cassidy. "Tf you do I'll give you back youi Christmas present, Bess," said Man over her shoulder as she went out tc the kitchen to find a "bite" to eat. Cassidy stepped up to her as she stood before the great crackling fire "She can't-I have it and I mean tc keep it, Bess. Do you know why?" Bess did not look up. "Perhaps 1 do. but don't tell me tonight. Walt till 7 learn a few tricks of the game." Cassidy laughed. "Learn?" You know all the tricks already, girl. It's your game now-you know you've won." "I think you're the one that'a woa iTom." she said. .... m -FOR 1914- v We desire to notify our farmer friends that we are ready to supply them with fertilizers in all of the popular brands and formulas. We sell the cele brated Etiwan Brands These goods have been used by farmers of this county for many years and have given satisfaction. We also have contracted for a large supply of ingredients for mixing fer tilizers at home. Bear in mind that we can till your orders for any kind of plant food, the dependable kind. Come in to see us. W. W. Adams, & Company. Screen The House. NOW is the time to protect your horce against the pestry disease-breeding fly, by putting in Screen Windows and Doors. We have all sizes of both and can fit any size opening. Windows at 40. 50, 60 and 75 cents, and doors at $1.25, $1.50, $2.00 and $2.50. Remember that one doctor's bill will screen your home. Full stock of Ice Cream Freezers, all sizes. See our Water Coolers. We have numerous other seasonable articles for the home. Stewart & Kernagfaan. Furniture, Fijrniture, Furniture and Farmers Hardware. Our two stores, No. 972 Broad and No. 1,286 Broad Street, stand wide open to our Edgefield friends. In our up-town store in addition to a full stock of furniture we carry a large supply of farmers hardware that*we are selling at close prices. Mr. Wyatt H. Ham mond of Colliers is a member of the salesforce at our upper store and will always be pleased to see his Edge field friendSc We can supply anything you need in furniture. Call to see us when in need of anything for the house. If we haven't what you want in stock we will order it for you. E. M. ANDREWS FURNITURE COMPANY ,072 Broad, Phone ^45. 12S9 Broad, Phone 2311