Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-03-24

tueEl very SERIOUS SO Tar us GfSSS0l
was concerned. but with just enough
sentiment and few heartachos and
tears on the part Of the young women
to leave memories like those of deli
cately crushed rose leaves.
First there had been the demure
young daughter of Professor De
scheIle, who was suddenly and not
unwisely shipped off to Berlin for a
years finishing. Then Miss Bowdoin,
daughter of st. Louis millionaire,
came to nurse her brother through
pneumonia and after meeting Gregson
remained so long that her father
wrote inquiy;ng whether they now
guaranteed nurses in pneumonia
cases. The next little affair was more
serious so far as the elder Gregson's
purse was concerned, and some of the
college men are wondering to this day
how much Tottie Vaughn OF "The
| Dazzlcr'' company named as the price
of withdrawing her suit.
After three years Gregson had what
his friends irreverently termed "a rep"
as a juggler with feminine hearts. The
newest girl in town was quite general
| Iy referred to at the end of a week or
so as "Gregson's latest" and host
esses remarked to their young guests:
''Now, Go look out for Harry Gregson.
my dear. He is such a charming fell
low, but an incorrigible. absolutely I'M
| principled flirt'
| Perhaps these same married women
| and chaperons who shook their heads
over him and then smiled understood
and sympathized with him more than
they realized. In reply to their remon-
STRANGE he would say plaintiyely:
BLESS your heart. can't help it, now,
| honestly, 1t is the girls who take this
so seriously. | never do. Why can't
| they enjoy a dance, a few flowers,
boxes of candy. an evening at the the
alter and other little tribes without ex-
| pecting proposal tackled on the end
| of these attentions? | don't want to
marry them. | always tell them so.
and then they get mad and say I'm a
reckless firt and | ought to go on the
stage, where | could make googoo eyes
Mt the leading lady all the while. Now.
/ think that's unjust. No one under
stands me- just want to enjoy my
self. to sip lightly Of LIES pleasures,
but these women take life so seriously.
If they want TO be unhappy and hol-
low eyed and Ophelia-like and indulge
in hopeless, undying passion, why, I
Int 7
So it happened that when Gregson
decided to 60 home with Disbrow for
part of the vacation the sensation ere
ated was profound. Gregson away
from Newport and the country club, a
thousand miles from Il yacht. buried
on midwest farmi What would the
girls do, and what would Gregson do?
The intimacy between the two men
was on the surface incongruous. Greg
son was a typical city man, well
groomed, well dressed and absolutely
self contained. His grandfather had
been one of the few millionaires of his
day; his father was now one of the
many. Disbrow came from midwest
farm. from which he had wrung by
| the literal sweat Of his brow course
at the great eastern college He wore
ready made clothes, cared more for
his books than his tub and was ex-
tremely self conscious. easily embar-
raised. But between the two there
existed a peculiar affinity.
| Gregson drawled as he was packing
his trunk for the trip: "Disbrow comes
| from the stuff our presidents are made
of. He might be president some day,
and then I'd be glad TO know him and
get a foreign post Not for the world
would he admit Il GisinteTeSted afTec-
ton for this awkward chap toward
| whom he had been so strangely and
unselfishly drawn. And so he landed
at the Disbrow farm with a selection
OF clothing which. though credit to
| his good breeding in it's simplicity, yet
stamped him as apart from the men
among whom he was to more for the
next few months Grcgson would be
well dressed II Jeans and could give a
certain twist to q bargain counter tie
that made It quite his own. At least
that was what Alice Davis had
thought while he danced attendance
upon her at the strawberry festival
given by the Union church. Her eyes
had told him this and more.
He was thinking it all over as he
drove home alone. with the scent of
loamy upturned earth bearing him
company along the mooniit road Alice
lacked style. He could easily picture
her as getting hopelessly tangled up
In a trained gown She displayed no
wiles. subtle or otherwise. but was
deliciousIy Ingenious. And those eyes,
Those perfect iashes sweeping a peach
/ blow cheek. What was she doing in
| this God forsaken country: He would
ask her the next time they met. No;
| he would ask Disbrow when lie got
home Come to think of it. Disbrow
had had her picture. along with his
sisters and mothers, on his wall at
i college Perhaps she was relative
too.
Disbrow had stayed home. At the
last moment his mother had been tax
en- slightly i'll. and be had explained to
! Gregson that be hated to leave her in
that shape She had worked so bard
that be might go to college. And
Gregson had not minded. He had met
and been cordially received by many
of the neighbors. Besides. a country
festival was novelty to him. Dis
brow was waiting up for him. and
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