The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-03-27
Kent1and's
Devotion II
BY HENRY HUMISToN.

with great enthusiasm Violet Har-
woods proposal that they all go over
to the park and skate on the lagoon.
] Kentland looked around the snug lit
lie den on the second floor, with the
pen CRATE fire burning cheerily in one
orner. He glanced through the half
rawn curtains into the billiard room
eyond, 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 concert out OF
Mr.. Van Dolan and Judge Stern at bill
hards and smoked three pipefuls OF to-
bacco, to sit in this alcove and nave
nice, long, quiet talk with Violet. Then
he pulled aside the curtain and looked
out into the dark winter night with
the gaslights faring in the wind and
the snow sitting gently down. 1he
winter spectacle'wa more than he
could bear. Kentland groaned and
dropped the curtain with a shudder.
"Tom Kentland," said a voice at the
door. Il think you're an idiot
Kentland looked up to where Kitty
Glover was standing in the doorway.
80, thanks" he. said, in his slow
.s7rawl. You're too kind"
IL don't care" went on Kitty; some
dy had to tell you
And you; considered yourself the
@sOSen instruments"
#s'Well." said Kitty, as she came into
he den and sat down by Tom, Il really
lieve / am. Ihave known you so long.
ages and ages, and because L am such
In old friend | can say things to you
lat others don't"
So careless of the Others said
,m, is he gazed sadly at the sparkling
ire.
''Tom,'' Kitty looked at hin severely;
81 know that you are much in love with
Violet
Fancy" said Kentland.
eyes, you are, and there's no use de-
nying it. And know she likes you very
much"
Does she?' said Tom. $50 much
that she looks at me about three times
a day. Where is she now, sitting on
the steps with that little Harvard boy
or singing at the piano while that fel-
low Towner, or whatever his name is,
turns the music and looks like cow
whenever she happens to glance up at
him."
.'It's your own fault" said Kitty. "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, Il suppose
! 1 am what they call a poor performer"
8 ''It would be so easy" went on Kitty.
i "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"
Devotion" said Kentland, means
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-vovere,
to-"
80, nonsense" put in Kitty. "Why
can't you be sensible? Other men are
devoted to Violet. She has grown to
expect it. If a man isn't devoted to her
then she thinks he doesn't care. You
are so eXasperating. Now, just the
other evening, when we were talking
about the fires and the Harvard boy
had told how he had rescued a chum
from the third floor of a blazing dor
mitory, and Violet had asked if anyone
would rescue her in case the house
burnt up, and all the men had eagerly
volunteered, what did you say?"
81 don't know" said Kentland, shak-
ing his head. Something silly, I'll be
bound"
"I should say it was," said Kitty
HYou said you wouldn't rescue her un-
less she was in tobacco warehouse,
because you didn't like any smoke ex-
cept tobacco smoke. Then, to make it
worse, you said you didn't believe in