Smyrna times., 1902-07-23

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siie needed grooming in modern mo+r,
mOnial ideas. in" III
pu' MIS-. Taylor showed honeIass
iacA Oh interest in her niece's mat,in,o
MAJ prospects and no disannro1,oI
Whatever of what the porcb hri,r.d,,
termed her scandalous Air+o+ion. '''''0
II happened on the heels of NASTY
Ul spell when even the Springs WELD.
gu 10 the influence of the torrid Wv
just beyond the fence which rose close
~ the rear of the hotel wera Some
SllaII cottages, occupied by the peonlo
VINO found work among thn bos+ol,.toe,
u 'ne resort. For two days and =
ilIsnt the lncesSant wall of a child had
tta'eIeu across the high fence. and ON
'nls uay directly after luncheon EIsia
WIN her coterie of admirers. sat on +ba
rear porch, jesting and laughing
suddenly the girl rose to her feet and
said impatiently:
Wlsh the mother of that child
would be forced to do something for if
nat crying nearly sets me crazy. Tho
proprietor of the house ought TO lool,
INTO the matter"
AS she disappeared in the direction
OF the Office the men looked at aocb
Other, shrugged their shoulders and
sLllied; Yes, decidedly Elsie Taylor
was Jolly company, but
Heartless cat!' murmured \ nala
Dlohd with appealing eyes. Then tba
group scattered for the afternoon sias-
ia. --0" SieS-
Later in the afternoon one of tho
men, seeking shady corner on tba
upper porch stepped noisilv tbro1gb
us window A hand was raised in si-
lent warning. 1t was the hand of Tom
Lyons, crouched against the vines and
gazing across the fence down into tbe
iaDorers cottage. The other man tin.
toed to his side and caught his breath
1hen he tiptOed back and hurried
down the hall to the billiard room The
game was stopped, and half a dozen
other men Joined the tiptoeing army
ana gazed through the vines.
What did they see? Just a tall. slen- |
DER girl in long, lace trimmed white |
wrapper sitting in the corner of tbe
porch OF that little house. On her
knees lay bay, the one that had
Deen crying, and beside her was a
bowl filled with water. She batbed
the tortured little body and showered
1t with healing powder. Then she took
a Drush and comb and made tiny
curls all over the small head
while the baby's big eyes studied her
face. And all the while she
talked cheerily to the mother lying ill
Just inside the door. Then when the
Oaby's toilet was completed and he
had been fed she rocked him to sleep
singing not the jolly college songs and
'agtme melodies which the listening
men had heard from her lips before
)ut sweet, old fashioned songs.
The feet of the men on that oyerhanr-
ng balcony grew numb as they stood
)reathless, afraid to break the spell.
Their cigars, ali unnoticed, went out.
IND when she laid the baby in its era
lie and slipped through the small gate
n the fence the men Strengthened up.
ooked oddly at each other and shook
lands. But they did not speak.
There was hop that night, and for
he first time in the season Elsie Tay-
or was gowned all in white-clinging.
reamy crepe de chine. And the men
Who had hung over the vine clad bal
ony that afternoon-all but one
sked for private chat with her dur
ng the course of the evening. The
nswer in every case was mo"
The one who did not join the army
t suppliants was Tom Lyons. 1t hap
ened that he had fOrestalled his rivals
y taking Elsie for a walk directly
fter dinner, and his answer had not
cen mo"
The engagement created a tremen-
GUS sensation. The women who knew
othing of the hidden witnesses on the
pper porch marveled greatly and said
hat Tom Lyons would never be happy
nth the wearer of crimson gowns and
rench hosiery. But, then, men are
ven more inconsistent than women,
1hich is saying a great deal.