The Union Republican., 1904-12-02
LOOe and
Lunacy
BY Troy .HTIfson
Copyright, 1901, by Troy Allison

81 hope you will remember 1t has
been my pet scheme for the last five
years., said young DIR. Hilyer, polish
ing his glasses with vigor due less
to necessity than to desire to avoid
his sisters flashing eyes.
Bettlna gave her head a disdainful
toss and helped herself to another
chocolate.
81 know l shan't even like him." she
said, finding it difficult to express dis
approval with any great amount of
dignity when one cheek was distorted
by a chocolate drop.
"Now, Bettina, that's simply preju-
dice. He was the incest fellow at col
lege and he is the only man on earth
l would be willing for you to marry"
Bettina's fingers seized a candied vio-
| let which she discovered In the corner
Of the box.
"Of course | know he's WONDER"
she said. That's the reason 1 know
shdfl't like him. He is probably so per-
| feet that he chews his food a regula-
ton number of times before swallow
ing"
IIilyer laughed.
"I've seen him swallow sandwiches
so fast it would take lightning calcu-
latOr to keep up with him. Now, Bet
tina, please be reasonable! / haven't
seen Dent since we left college, but If
he is as jolly doctor as he was a med
ical student you certainly will not have
cause to complain of his primness. He
will be here In time for the dance to-
night, and l simply want you to be
nice to him. don't know what 1t Is
women do to themselves when they
want to be especially charming, but
you can do it when you try, little SIS"
Bettina balanced the somewhat de-
pleted candy box on top Of skull that
ornamented the doctors desk.
"That's to keep the servant from eat
ing the rest of it." she laughed. Mag
gle wouldn't dare touch 1t now. Well,
Brother Doctor, I'll see what effect the
new pompadour silk will have on DR..
Dent. If it Is immediate and startling
and you see me sitting in the conserv-
atory holding his hand don't be alarm
ed; it may be necessary to take his
pulse"
DR.. Hilyer smiled as his erratic little
sister fitted from the room.
He had been resident physician at
the Burton asylum for two years,
where it was customary to give an oc-
casional dance for the inmates. Bet
tina found something unusual in these
dances that she fairly reveled in, and
she had not been known to miss one
since her brother had been in charge.
She would take the electric car from
the city and arrive at the sanitarium
triumphantly bearing a box containing
her newest party dress, produced by
home talent. The girls mother en-
couraged her industry by giving her all
the material for party dresses that she
would make up, and her chic creations
were the envy of her girl friends.
When she had arrived that afternoon
she had shown her brother gay little
blue and pink pompadour frock that he
had vowed would make 1t necessary
to send all his harmless patients back
to padded cells and leave paucity of
dancing men.
Dr. Dents train was late. He hur-
ried into his dress suit, and the two
friends started down the hall toward
the ballroom. An attendant came up
hurriedly and whispered that Hllyer
was needed Immediately.
'I'm sorry, old man" he said, turn
ing to go with the nurse. you'll have
to find your way in alone. There's no
hoe Ia, foI 30
you like. You'll find Bettina some
where. Look for yellow haired little
girl in a blue and pink dress. | be-
lieve the little mink has sprinkled dia-
mond dust in her hair and put a black
patch ON her cheek to be in keeping
with her pompadour costume, so you
will have no trouble in recognizing
her."
Bettina was partly hidden by group
of palms when Dent entered the room.
She saw him speak to several of the
patients near the door and finally ask
one dark eyed girl to dance.
Bettina recognized him Immediately
from the photograph in her brothers
room and studied him calmly as he
and his partner passed her.
Certain she was that VIII had not
told her Dent was a perfect Hercules
and that even the photograph had been
misleading. She acknowledged to her
self the improbability of a man of his
type masticating food according to set
rules and was rather inclined to think |
VIII might have mentioned his style of |
dancing as point in his favor when
he had given list of his friends many |
virtues that afternoon.
When she saw him coming toward |
her with the evident intention of speak
ing she thought he mistook her for n |
patient, and her eyes sparkled with |
mischief
"May introduce myself2" he asked, |
bowling before her.
Bettlna raised naughty little head. |
ut is somewhat unusual for royalty to |
be approached with SO little formali- |
ty," she said icily, but of course the |
daughter of the lost dauphin of France |
has had to put up with great many |
trials -