The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-11-16
The EyeC Of
Cupid
BY KEITH DON
Copyright. 1901, by Mary MeKeon

as he unconSclouSly began to respond
TO Mrs. Jacks artful promptlngs of
the last half hour, which had. however
been so deftly administered that he
did not so much as suspect that he
was being pumped dry on the subject
Of his ideal woman. Give me II girl
with no nonsense about her"
He paused impressiyely and stared
dreamily into the haze of blue smoke
TINT surrounded them AS if striving to
call his ideal clearly up before his
minds eye.
Venus de Milo waist and common
sense shoes" suggested Mrs. Jack,
who for reasons of her own wished to
get the outer sembance OF Billy's
ideal woman clearly impressed upon
her memory.
Billy's glare withdrew itself from
The shadowy haze and rested upon his
friends wife, For brief moment his
taste wayered, detected by the be
witching thinness of her daintily shod
foot, which had an apologize air of
being more ornamental than useful.
Then he reverted sternly to his ideal
once more.
"Er yes" he began-"that Is If
1t Is necessary" he added weakly. find
ing his companions appearance fatally
antngonistic TO his theories.
As she had explained TO her husband
while dressing for dinner that even
ing. she felt responsible for Billy, and,
though the former had assured her that
Billy was II ''husky brute" and could
take care of himself. she had not been
convinced.
Il took you away from him." she
had argued with soft persistence. "and
of course he must be awfully lonely
up there In the old rooms. 1t isn't
as If he had you" she had ended, with
an infection that had caused her hus-
band, who was mt the moment deftly
manipulating his hairbrushes. To flash
Il half humorous glance ut his Image
Ia the mirror and then cross the room
IN Ter side
With an orange wood stick in one
hand and the finger tips Of the other
rosy with potnade. she had reached up
and recklessly pulled his head down
beside her own. Temporarily the lone
ly BILLY had been forgotten. Then the
very excess of their happiness had
made her heart smite her.
at must be awfully lonely for him."
she had resumed MS If their conversa-
ton had received no interruption. "and
since it's all my fault | feel as If
ought to find him wife"
Now. encouraged by Mrs. jacks
sympathetic, questioning eyes. Billy
rambleG on, explaining that, though he
was not marrying man, there were
moments when he hoped that some
time he might have n hearth of his
own, etc. Though apparently listen
ing with sweet interest, his hostess
was in reality reviewing the list OF
her friends in search of the possible
girl. One by one they seemed to pass
before her. smiling, teasing process
sion of blends and brunettes But none
of them. she realized with some dis
appointment, could exactly be describ-
cd rs girl with no nonsense about
her." and from the fcrvor Of Billy's
convictions 1t was apparent that no
other need apply.
Then. just as two worried lines OF
thought began to appear on her smooth
forehead and as Billy was winding up
with, You see how 1t is, Mrs. Jack :
the girls of today are too brilliant and
worldly for humdrum fellow like
me" the face of Virginia Blair arose
before her. and the lines disappeared
In the radiance Of bright, assured
smile
"She certainly is good looking In n
dreadfully noble manner" the young
matchmaker thought to herself as she
revolved schemes for bringing the two
together but | suppose Billy admires
that type. And she doesn't pinch her
feet or her waist. Obviously she was
made for Billy"
At the dinner party which she gave
soon after for that particular though
unexpressed purpose OF bringing them
together Billy took Miss Blair out. She
WAS tail, handsome girl, with dark.
serious eyes and smooth, heavy hair.
Before the first course had disappeared
Billy had discovered that she and life
took each other seriously. and he had
an uncomfortable feeling when her
serious gaze fell upon him that he
was a trivial soft of fellow after all.
When she asked for his views upon
municipal reform, he was sure of 1t.
He was as confused and nOnplused as
II canary bird had suddenly begun
to bark.
For years he remembered that din
ner with sort of horror. lie and
Miss Blair. il seemed TO him afterwnrd,
had worked like galley slaves, discuss
ing all the knotty problems Of the day.
Around them We're lightness. gayety
and laughter, especially on the other
side of the table, where Tessie Loring.
who was the very embodiment Of fem
mine frivolity, bubbled and dlmpled
and east lansuishing chances about her.
Mrs. Jack had often wondered wheth-
er there would be anything left Of
Tessle should the dainty gown, hats,
shoes and wells be swept away. for she
seemed nothing more than spirit
born of collection OF filmy garments.
Swish of silk. futter OF lace. odor
of violets, fash Of eyes and teeth and
eternal chatter" Mrs. Jack summed up
ungraciously as she keenly noted
Billy's wandering glances. what pos
sessed me to include her In n party for
the benefit Of man who likes SEN
sible girls, / can see that he's growing
SO Disguised that he wants to escape
the entire sex" And with shade of
suppressed annoyance she rose, formu-
lating an intention 10 keep Tessie as
far as possible from Mr.. Stanton for
the rest of the evening.
1t seemed, therefore, almost too I'M
fortunate that the two should happen
to meet again at her house late one
afternoon OF the following week, hay
ing been moved to make their bread