Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1903-03-26
Kent1and's
Devotion X
BY HENRY HuMISToN.

ITO kentland's supreme disgust Mrs.
/ Van Dolah's house party accepted
with great enthusiasm Violet Har-
woods proposal that they all go over
TO the park and skate ON the lagoon.
kenIland looked around the snug lit
tie den on the second floor, with the
open CRATE fire burning cheerily in one
corner. He glanced through the half
drawn curtains into the billiard room
beyond, which was foggy with smoke.
and which resounded to the. merry
click Of the billiard balls and the laugh
ter of Mr.. Van Dolah and Judge Stern,
who were in the old peoples class, and,
therefore, exempt from going to skat--
ing parties when they didn't want to
go. He looked ruefully at the dim little
alcove at the head Of the stairs and
thought Of how he had planned, after
he had beaten all of the conceib out CT
Mr.. Van Dolah and Judge Stern at bill
lizards and smoked three pipefuls of to-
bacco, to sit in this alcove and have a
nice. long, quiet talk with Violet. Then
be pulled aside the curtain and looked
out into the dark winter night with
the @aslighUs faring in the wind and
rhei snow sitting gently down. The
winter spectacle, was more than he
could bear. kentland groaned and
dropped the curtain with a shudder.
Tom KentIand,' said voice at the
door. Il think you're an IDIOT"
kentland looked up to where Kitty
Glover was standing in the doorway.
20, thanks" he. said, in his slow
drawl- You're too kind"
I don't care" went on Kitty; some
body had to tell you"
And you: considered yourself the
chosen Instruments
"Wen,'' said Kitty, as she came into
the den and sat down by Tom, L really
believe am. [ have known you SO long.
0, ages and ages. and because am such
an old friend [ can say things to you
that others don't"
SO careless of the Others" said
Tom, as he gazed sadly at the sparkling
fire.
''Tom," Kitty looked at him severely;
Il know that you are much in love with
Violet"
Fancy" said kentland
Yes. you are, and there's no use de-
nyingit And know she likes you very
much.'
Does she?' said Tom. $50 much
that she looks at me about three times
day. Where is she now, sitting on
the steps with that little Harvard boy
or singing at the piano while that fell
low Towner, OF whatever his name is,
turns the music and looks like q COW
whenever she happens to glance up at
him?''
TITS your own fault, - said nifty. "a
man is supposed to try and please the
woman he loves. He should study what
she likes and doesn't like and govern
himself accordingly. While you, with
all your supposed experience, act as
though you didn't know the first prin-
ciples of love making
No. admitted Kentland, II SUPPOSE
[ am what they call poor performer
ut would be so easy" went on Kitty.
Violet adores devotion more than
anything else. That is why she likes
that Harvard boy, as you call him. and
Mr.. Towner. They are devotion itself.
while you'-well, you don't know what
devotion means"
''Devoti on," said KentIand. smeans
the state Of being devoted to any one
thing, person or object, Strong at
tachment. Ardent love or affection.
P. P, of Latin devovere., de-yoyere.
to-
~, nonsense, put in Kitty "Why
can't you be sensible? Other men are
devoted to Violet. She has grown TO,
expect it,, Ii man ism devoted TO her
then she thinks he doesn't care. You
are SO, exasperating. Now, lust the
other evening, when we. were, taI1sinp
about the fires and the Harvard hor
had told how he had rescued a chuyn
from the third hoor of a blazinr dor
n1ltory,, and Violet had asked if anvone
would rescue her in case the house
burnt up, and all the men had eagerly
volunteered. what did you sav?"
L don't know" said Kentland, shaL-
ing his head. Something silIv. T'1l be
u
bound"
Il should say it was said Eittr
''Tou said you wouldn't rescue berpn-
less she was in d tobacco, wareho11se,
because you didn't like any smoke ex-
cept tobacco smoke. Then. tos mako -
worse, you said you didn't believe in
rescuing people anyhow. That than
was what firemen were paid for. and,
that you belonged to a union and
couldn't rescue people because Won
were forbidden by your rules to- do
the work of other union men. which,
included the Amalgamated Firemem
and Rescuers' association. and thai if
this house burned you would be. conn
PEELED to sit in sa2Oon across tba
street and watch fat fireman IN a.
gum coat and black helmet CARRY
Violet from out the devouring flames.
to the safety of the street below
"Wel, that's what fart, firemen ara
paid for gently interposed KentlandI
And, went on Kitty, '.iit made Violet
angry. You might have pretended