Smyrna times., 1901-06-19

"Betty," said John Morton gravely,
&c no watched his pretty cousin swing
mo ;dlv back and forth in the ham
mock. 'wish my friend, Elmer Fenley,
could see you.
Betty sat up straight and manifested
new interest in life,
"Why?" she demanded.
ooh! because" and John sighed as
if the topic was not attractive.
Because what?'
"Why. nothing much. Only he says
he is sure that love is delusion, and
that his own ideal is so high that no
GIRL could possibly come up to it. He
saws he doesn't know how she would
look for looks are of no consequence,
ANYHOW, but there are some things at
which he does draw the line"
''What are they, pray?"
"One is, and John gave a tremend-
ous yawn, "that she shall not have a
pug nose"
"Oh!' the occupant of the hammock
tried in vain to see the tip-titled end
of her own small number. John
chuckled silently over the success of
his first shot.
''Well, what else?"
''He saws she mustn't have red hair.
Not even the slightest tinge of auburn
bacause red-haired people have such
hot tempers." ."
"Indeedr' sharply. Anything
more?"
"Well, it's funny, but he says he
couldn't love-if there is such thing
as love-a girl who would allow herself
to be called by a nickname. For in
stance, he mentioned the quaint,
stately name of Elizabeth, and said
there must lee something radically
wrong with a person whose friends
would persist in calling her Betty in
stead of her rlghtful cognomen.
Through half-closedeyes he surveyed
the effect of his words. Betty's cheeks
were flushed and she looked prettier
than ever.
You're the biggest taste!" she said
with Indignation. "Why do you want
him to see me if he feels that way?"
John smiled. 'It would be such q
good joke if he fell in love with you,
Betty. He's right good fellow, if he
wasn't conceited. 1t would do him q
world of good to meet a nice girl
And you have certainly taking ways, il
your nose does turn up, and your haii
red. I'll bring him around after tea.
Do your best for him, Betty"
Il shall hate him. know. But you
may bring him." and Betty, sinking
back among the cushions, spent the
remainder of the hot afternoon in plot
ting against the strangers peace Of
mind.
Fenley was a tall, thin young man
remarkable for the dignity of his man.
ners, ard the gravity with which he re
garded mankind. For women he ha(
no leisure. regarding them as "airl
trifes, changeable as the wind" Be
tween his brows was a straight little
frOwn, which deepened perceptibly as
his friend remarked that evening:
"Oh, on the way, Fenley, my cousin
Betty and her little brother were visit
ing mother just now. want you tC
meet the former. She's the jollies
girl / know
"Betty?" Finley lifted his eyebrow
in polite depreciation. 81 dislike the
name, and / am not partial to jolly
girls"
81 know, old fellow. But you'll lik
this one. Everybody does. She
just splendid"
II would rely more on her littl
brothers opinion of that, was the quie
answer. "The small boy is apt to be
pretty good judge"
A few moments later Fenley wa
shaking hands with the young lady i
question, conscious of vague feelin
OF surprise and bewilderment. He sa,
asweet, merry face from which pal
OF dark eyes look out frankly. H
saw, too, that the soft, fluffy hair wa
red; the prettiest shade of that color
to be sure, but of an unmistakable
undeniable hue. The nose, tip-tilte
IN the sauciest way, was an audaciou
pug; and yet, in spite of all these ad
Vantages, the girl was daintily pretty
conscious of her own charms, and cor
sclous, moreover, that Finley, the dig
mined, Fenley the cynical, was survey
Ing her with something that certainl
was not criticism.
He stayed an unconscionable tim,