The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-24
IN SEARCH OF AN AFFINITY
By MARY WOOD

contrast to Toms GOODNESS. He raised
face flushed by his exertions, saying reas-
suringly: oh your saint shall be found,
Miss Kitty; never fear. And no doubt
the lucky man who brings it back to you
will be your affinity
Kitty gave him one Of her charming
| smiles. Toms Indifference ito her loss
needed punishment. 81 have unlimited
faith in st. Joseh," she said sweetly;
$50 do find him for me, Mr.. Winthrop"
The two started up the beach, Allan
radiant over such unusual encouragement
! of his hopes. But Toms face still wore
teasing smile as he picked up the for
gotten parasol and followed them at his
leisure.
During the next three or four days all
the unmarried men, more or less secretly,
spent considerable time and thought in
search for the missing saint. Was not
Miss Covington the prettiest girl at the
Point and the most Willful? But her will
fulness seemed only to add to her charm.
No; not all the men. There was one who
went on his way serenely, apparently
quite obliviOus to the necessity for ex-
ertion-Tom Patton.
Strangely enough, he was the one man
whom Kitty ardently desired to bring to
her feet. 1t was the old story of the pur-
suit of the unattainable reacted with
modern settings, though Kitty would have
Indignantly denied any deliberate angling.
"Only I would like to have the pleasure
of refusing him." she said to herself vim
dictively. Even if I am only eighteen
and ten years younger than he is, he
must learn to take me seriously. oh,
will teach him.
A letter came to Miss Covington one
afternoon that made her wrinkle her pref
ty forehead in surprise. 1t was from her
cousin, Tom Carruth, rising clerk in the
largest retail jewelry house Of the near
est metropolis.
what new craze has struck the Point?'
the offending paragraph ran. Here we
have had three orders come in from men
there in the last few days for images OF
St. Joseph. Are you having revival meet
ings? I guess not particularlyly as each
| order states of the kind usually worn by
young ladies as charms We don't keep
them on hand, SO had to send for some.
But we are expecting them, so three yong
ladies will be the happy recipients in
day or two"
Kitty's lips parted in a low whistle, but
the walls of her room never betrayed the
unladylike proceeding.
| 1t was that very evening that Tom
asked her to take stroll up the beach
She assented with unusual alacrity.
They were far beyond the sound Of the
| orchestra in the hotel ballroom before
Tom broke the silence.
| II am going back to town Monday" he
began abruptly. The girl on his arm shiv-
cred, but it might have been from chill at
the sea mist which was rising. "A month
has been an unusually long vacation for
me. I was so worn out that they made
me take it,
Still the girl made no reply.
1T has been a very happy time" he
went on more gently, "and you have made
it happy for me, little girl 1t has been
good of you to give so much of your time
to sober old fellow like me-
Kitty drew away from him. ''Why don't
|you say that it has beeen kind Of you to
|give so much of your elevating influence
to foolish butterfly like MYSELF"
"Kttty!' With masterful movement
he put his hand under her chin and turned
her face up to his in the moonlight. There
were tears. in the dark eyes, and tho
mouth trembled piteously.
"Kitty!" he cried again, but this time
his voice was full Of mad happiness as he
bent and pressed his lips to hers.
"And it was all without the help of st.
Joseph" she said a little later.
The old teasing look came into Tome
face. II have something to confess" he
lbegan meekly. He thrust his hand into
his vest pocket and drew out-the ST
Joseph. st picked it up the day you lost
it, he said contritely. Il never meant to
keep it. But 1 did want something OF
yours, seeing that had no hope Of win
ming you. And then I think I was a bit
Jealous of the old fellow. I was afraid
he might do some unfair discriminating. i"
The next morning Kitty was offered
three several Josephs, with the slight in
cumbrance of three hands and hearts. But
she refused them all collectively. L don't
need any more ST. Josephs." she said.
with a charming blush, ''for have found
nv affinity" And by noon the Point was
all agog over the latest engagement. 1t
was all through the st. Joseph the girls
said. But two people know better.