The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-06-12
A PhiIopena
BY BELLE MANIATES
%S0$


forgot his existence. Later he re-
ing with her one of the absurd fig
ures of cotillon in which they had to
eat philopena.
at carries ME back to my school
days. she laughed.
Not very far back" he insinuated.
''Oh, yes; this is my third season!
''Then l am right" he persisted.
81 should dislike to tell the number
of seasons that L have been indulg-
ing in cotillons."
"Thou hast all seasons for thine
own" she quoted.
Here the figure ended. and Phyllis
returned to her partner.
''Who is that man | just danced
with?"
''He is a cousin of our hostess" re-
piled her partner. His name is Steph-
en- Jerome, and he has recently come
here from Philadelphia. He is distin-
guished for succeeding in everything
he undertakes"
"How fortunate." she exclaimed. Il
just ate philopena with him. l had
taken no interest in the fact, but L
shall now 1t will be an incentive to
bring failure to so successful man.
How unkind!"
'No; it does a person good to De
thwarted occasionally"
81 don't question your cleverness.
Miss Courtney but / warn you that
you have a brilliant ant agonist; he Is
a diplomat"
The subject. of their conversation ap-
preached with a favor. which he Of
fered to Miss Courtney.
81 regret to decline" she said. look
ing up at him with shining eyes. but
you know our philopena was give
or take"
Some one claimed her partner. and
Jerome appropriated the vacant char.
''We might dispense with the favor.
he suggested, land yet have the darce,
but if you gave me the dance. should
be St No: / shall have to await my
opportunity to take U mean to give)
you unawares."
"You will wait in vain" she re-
piled.
Its challenge. is it?
"Yes." she laughed.
81 was tempted" he said. "to allow
myself to be philopenaed in order not
to forego the pleasure of dance, but
I shall fight it ont to the sure end.
"You are so confident. then?'
"Why should I not be? You say
this is your third season. have been
counting mine. and find it is my thir-
teenth. Should not ten years major
ity be TO my advantage?
ssBut 13 is the unlucky number, and
This is the year you will meet your
Waterloo. | see | must leave you
again"
Towards the end of the evening Phyl-
lis came to him with a favor, which he
courteously refused to take.
81 didn't expect you TO forget SO
soon," she observed. 81 simply want
ed to return your compliment in offer
ing me one"
His partner having been favored,
Phyllis occupied her chair.
81 want to ask your permission to
call" he said. "You see, in order to
test this case thoroughly, we must
have frequent opportunities to meet
ST cannot give you Permission she
replied. eff you call, you must come
without it"
81 certainly SHALL" he replied.
And he certainly did. His calls be-
came frequent and informal. They
met at the opera. at dinners and recep-
tons Phyllis enjoyed the novelty of
a devotee who could not present her
with books. flowers, music, confection-
erv and invitations to the theater
There was a zest in constantly being
on guard and in triumphing over his
adroit subterfuges to induce her to
stake"
She tried various devices to trap him,
but was always met by that slightly
cynical, aggravating smile.
Meanwhile. their intimacy grew
amazingly. In spite of the ever-pres-
ent little feeling of mutual strife, there
was an irresistible charm in their COM
papionship.
Spring came. and still they were
both baff1ed in their quest. Their
common acquaintances were aware of
their motive, and made the subject an
amusing feature of conversation.
One night Stephen Jerome pulled
himself together and acknowledged
that he must be up and doing and