Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-10-18
yIM'S DARLING.

Us it possible to be in love with two
girls at the same time? That was
the problem which had been tor
menting Jim Harrison for the last
six months or more. 1t was the ques-
tlon he asked himself nervously when
ever he happened to see May and
Lucy Thompson together.
May and Lucy were cousins, or
phaus, who shared a home, an aged
aunt who performed the duties of
chaperon and a dress allowance of
$3.50 per annum.
May was young and pretty. Now,
youth and beauty being two of the
surest OF Cupid's darts, Mays youth
and good looks would surely have set
tied Jim, only, unfortunately, Lucy
was young and pretty, too.
May was tall and dark, with Greek
profile, and masses OF smooth. blue
! black hair, arranged in simple coils,
regardless of fashions DEGREES.
Lucy, ON the other hand, was
small, fair girl, with an aureole of
fluffy hair and the sauciest nez re-
trOuSSe IN the world.
Jim admired tall, dark women, and
the contemplation of n Greek profile
was to him a source of unceasing joy.
This would, no doubt, have led him
to give the preference to May, had it
not been for the fact that an equally
amiable weakness for Lucy's type OF
loveliness drew him in the opposite
direction.
Jim's friends spo'h, Of May as one
cf the most accomplished and amlable
creatures they had ever met.
They referred to Lucy in precisely
similar terms.
May looked magnificent in white
satin, and when Jim saw her in n ball
room he wondered how he could ever
have given thought to Lucy.
But, then, Lucy was altogether be-
wltching in blue linen, and no sooner
did Harrison behold her thus attired
In punt on the river than the vision
of Mays charms faded into insignifi-
canoe. To make a long story short
Jims alteration of May was only
squaled by his devotion to Lucy, and
difficulties were in no wise lessened
by the fact that both parties recipro-
1ated his affection.
The chances are that Jim would
nave ended by remaining a bachelor
70 his dying day but for the advent
Of a fourth party upon the scene of
action. The fates selected as their in
ytrument one BERTHE Thompson, broth
er to May, home from school for the
summer holidays.
BERTHE, aetat fourteen, was n smart
lad, with somewhat decided views
upon the respective merits and de-
merits of his cousin and sister. He
took in the situation at n glance, and
having no particular objection to Jim
as brotherin-iaw, decided, for rea-
sons to be hereinafter set forth, that
May was the girl for jim.
! He pondered the subject at meal
times and other odd times not occu-
pied by weightier matters. After the
lapse of seven days his youthful re-
Elections might have been crystalized
into some such soliloquy as this:
Both the girls are dead nuts on
Harrison, and Harrison is dead nuts
on both the girls. But, then, Harri-
sons only seen 'em in their best bibs
and fuckers, stuck all over with COM
pany manners. Suppose he caught
sight of them mouching around the
house-say, at $50 in the morning
would he go on being spoons on them
both? I'd back May a hundred to one
against Loo. any day. P'raps he'd
chuck them both, though. But it's
Worth risking, anyway"
Thereupon BERTHE hatched a diaboli-
cal plat.
AS the nearest relative OF the oh.
jects of Jim's affections BERTHE was q
privileged visitor at Harrison's room
Jim evlnced NJ astonishment, there
fore, when Dcrtle burst into his der
late one Saturday night and announced
his intention OF accompanying him or
a long-proiected bicycle trip on tht
following morning.
you'll have to pass our show, II
any case" said the aslute Bertie, "sc
you might as well pick me up on th,
way. Besides, the girls want to Sc,