The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-03-27
Kent1and's
Devotion ~
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
tile den on the second floor, with the
supen CRATE fire burning cheerily in one
fcorner. 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,
y who were in the old peoples class, and,
therefore. exempt from going to skat-
ling parties when they didn't want to
ego. He looked ruefully at the dim little
ralcove at the head of the stairs and
sthought Of how he hadplanned, after
he had beaten all of the conceit out of
Mr.. Van Dolah and Judge Stern at bill
fiards and smoked three pipefuls of to-
bacco, to sit in this alcove and have
nice, long, quiet talk with Violet. Then
he pulled aside the curtain and looked
out into the dark winter night with
: the gaslights fiaring in the WIND and
thei snow, sitting gently down. The
winter spectacle was more than he
could bear. Kentland groaned and
dropped the curtain with shudder.
:, TON Kentland," said voice at the
!. door. Il think you're an idiot"
Kentland looked up to where Kitty
> Clover was standing in the doorway.
20, thanks" he. SAID, in his slow
-drawl. you're too kind"
- 81 don't care" went on Kitty; "some-
/. body had to tell YOU"
"And you: considered yourself the
chosen instrument"
well" said Kitty, as she came int o
/, the den and sat down by Tom, Il really
) believe l am. have known you so long.
o, ages and ages, and because 1 am uch
: an odd friend L can say things to you
that others don't"
$50 careless of the Others" said
Tom, ashe gazed sadly at the sparkling
fire.
"Tom," Kitty looked at him severely;
II know that you are much in love with
Violet"
: "Fancy," said Kentland.
Eyes. 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
I. day. Where is she now, sitting on
:: the steps with that little Harvard boy
or singing at the piano while that fell
! Tow Towner, or whatever his name is,
I. turns the music and looks like COW
whenever she happens to glance up at
aimT'
: Its your own fault" said Kitty. "a
man is supposed to try and please the
. woman he loves. He should s, Judy what
f. 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, "I 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.. Tower. 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.
L. P, of Latin devovere, de-vovere,
to-"
: 20, 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
CHI Re ho
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 chum
from the third floor of a blazing dor
mitory, and Violet had asked ifanyone
would rescue her in case the house
burnt up, and all the men had eagerly
2 volunteered, what did you say?"
II don't know" said Kentland, shnk-
ing his head. Something silly, I'll De
bound"
II should say it was" said Kitty
"You 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
rescuing people anyhow. That that
! was what firemen were paid for, and
that you belonged to q union and
{ couldn't rescue people because you
were forbidden by your rules to do
the work of other union men. which
included the Amalgamated Firemen
aud Rescuers' association, and that il
this house burned you would be com
PEELED to sit in a saloon across the
street and watch a fat fireman in a
gum coat and a black helmet carry
= Violet from out the detouring flames
20 the safety of the street below"
swell, that's what fat firemen are
paid for" gently isterposed Kentland