Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-04-23
Kent1and's
Devotion ~
BY HENRY HUMIsToN.

Van Dolah's house party accePteu
with great enthusiasm Violet Har-
woods proposal that they all go over
to the park and skate on the lagoon.
Kentland looked Sround the snug lit
tie den on the second floor, with the
open CRATE fire burning cheerily in one
corner. He glanced through the hall
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,
who were in the old peoples class, and
therefore, exempt from going to skat-
ing parties when they didn't want to
60. 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 conceit out of
Mr.. Van Dolah and Judge Stern at bill
hards and smoked three pipefuls OF to-
bacco, to sit in this alcove and have a
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. The
winter spectacleIwas more than he
could bear. Kentland groaned and
dropped the curtain with a shudder.
"Tom Kentland," said voice at the
door, 81 think you're an idiot"
Kentland looked up to where Kitty
Clover was standing in the doorway.
80, 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 into
the den and sat down by Tom, 81 really
believe l am. Ihave known you so long.
o, ages and ages, and because L am such
an old friend 1 can say things to you
that others don't"
$50 careless of the Others" said
Tom, as he gazed sadly at the sparkling
fire.
''Tom," Kitty looked at him 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 fell
low Towner, or whatever his name is,
turns the music and looks like a cow
whenever she happens to glance up at
him?"
Its your own fault" said Kitty. ga
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, 81 suppose
1 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.. 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 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 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"
81 should say it was" said Kitty.
"You said you wouldn't rescue her I'M
less she was in a 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 fremen were paid for, and
that you belonged to a union and
couldn't rescue people because you
were forbidden by yonr rules to do
the work Of other union men, which
included the Amalgamated Firemen
and Rescuers' association, and that if
this house burned you would be com
PEELED to sit in a saloon across the
street and watch fat fireman in a
gum coat and black helmet carry
Violet from out the devouring flames
to the safety of the street below"
| wen, IudI Wudt 1dC uTeme0 are
paid for" gently interposed Kentland.
"And," went on Kitty, at made Violet
angry. You might have pretended,
anyhow, as long as there ISM the faint
est chance of your being put to the
test. Now, there's the skating party
tonight. It's Violet that proposed to
go. Hardly any Of the men care about
it, but because it's Violet's plan they
have all taken it up. Everybody ia
making ready but you"
cts so cold outside" said Kentland;
''besides, I couldn't skate ten feet II I
was paid a thousand dollars a foot"
Suppose you can't skater You
could go along anyhow. Why, the
sight of you sitting in the cold up OF
the bank of the lagoon would prov.
, your devotion and do you more goo'
, than if you were actually skating an(
enjoying yourself"
i, 81 don't take we'll to sitting on
snow bank in the dark" said Kentland
| r b xnrffI