The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-01-09
.Ias El.ss II 1 k;l,ss.
RY NoRMAN WR1cHr.

Htt[opSFlBnt lsvZ. W Oekty story IND CoI
of course. II was my ;ault--probs-
lbly. I was young: We were both
dyouug; had We been older. or ct least
Less cailsw. 1t wsald net have hap
Hpsnsd. Bat what's the uss Of tAlkiag
abeut Ifs" and '.buts"! II vas a II
was and there's No help for 1t.
II might AZ well state plainiy At this
love. or at least We thought we we're
H We had been sweethearts ever sinca
1 size was In pinaferss and In shoot
! pants. But at the time 1t happened I
had biossomed into creased trousers
/ and q downy nustache and carried .
1 cane-hcd become. In short. quite q
/ young man Of fashion and wholly dis
/ Inclined to be treated rs q kid. Now.
Margery was most aggravating miss
and mischievous. and she declined
wholly to accept me in the role of q
young gentleman Of fashion, prefer
Ing 70 maintain the old relationship as
boy and girl. This was. rs you can
readily conceive. a constant source Of
annoyance and humiliation to me. and
was in no playful mood when Mar
gery's cousin, big and bronzed and 80,
and the possessor Of = long and now-
Ing black rlustache. came out to visit
Margerys family. Then came Sc
ries of odious comparisons-done al
ways in Margery's laughing way and
probably not intended to hurt. But
they did hurt and mortally. What
+, young cub CT 20 with the first growth
Of down on his upper lip can see the
humor in comparisons with the fow-
ing mustachc of full grown man?
And when On top of this the sweet
heart Of your fonde2t dreams del.ber-
ately refuses to accept your invitations
and appears places with a big, hand
eoElc cousin with piratical mustache,
q man certainly is justified in taking
radical measures.
1t was Just when was feeling my
worst that met the widow. 1t was at
q party, TO which, by the way, Margery
had refused to accompany me, prefer
Ing to see the look of impotent rage
which adorned my face. AS / stood
biting my nails and wis-.,g most
heartily that I was somewhere else.
when glancing across the room l was
Gazzled by a vision of lovliness which
fairly drove the blood back upon my
heart 1t seemed that I had never
seen eyes so black and saucy. com
pleXion so richly olive. lips so red and
! full and inviting. chin SO dainty and
form so altogether alluring. Well, l
was formally introduced and meat gra-
ciously received. With the art of a
clever woman-and a Widow--si.e made
me feel that was a most important
parsonage in her eyes and that sac
liked me. l suppose that evening was
the happiest l ever knew-unless l ex-
cept the evenings following. Her fat
terry was incense to my spirit, - ind
ed as it was by Margcry's .uct.
Immediately 1 became the devoted
slave of the widow. She wNs few
years older than 1. but the manner in
which she looked up to ne and de-
{erred tc ny opinions cc-'iccei me
that Was ioally LeI elder in knowl-
edge of the world and that she was
bit clinging vins wholly dependent
t1Ion my siren 9Th and wisdom.
Within a week / was wholly en-.
shaved. I could think of nothing, talk
Of nothing but the widow. By that
time was calling her Nellie at hel
own suggestion delita tely conveyed.
vas ruinously extrava.ant in flowers
aid theatres, and matters were pro
crossing rapidly. My affair with Mar
Gerry was forgotten. CT. if remembered
It seemed wholly childish beside tho
fiery passion of my new love-msking
Ard the love-Makirg was all SO easy
There was none Of the embarra sSment
so constantly arising in my reactions
with Margery. The widows plumI
little hand seemed so invitingiy neal
to mine at moments when 1t was pro
ritious to give it warm squeeze, anc
tAere we've always SO man. perfect op
rortunities for quite tetea tetes. Ant
those tste tetes-there never wer.
such delightful ones since the begin
ming of time. The modest blushes ant
signs of the widow nearly drove MI