The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-11-25
The Eyec Of
Cupid
BY KEITH GORDON
Copyright, 1901, bu Mary McReon

as he uiicOnSclOuSly began TO respond
to Mrs. Jacks artful promptings oil
the last half hour, which had, however
been so deftly administered that he
did not so much as suspect that ht
was being pumped dry on the subject
OF his ideal woman. "Give me CIR
with no nonsense about her."
He paused impressively and stared
dreamily into the haze Of blue smoke
that surrounded them as if striving tc
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 semblance of BiIly'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 wavered, 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
It is necessary" he added weakly, find
ing his companions appearance fatally
antagonistic 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 a "husky brute" and could
take care Of himself, she had not been
convinced.
81 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 at the moment deftly
manipulating his hairbrushes, to flash
half humorous glance at his image
III the mirror and then cross the room
to her side.
With an orange wood stick in one
hand and the finger tips Of the other
rosy with pomade, 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.
"It must be awfully lonely for him."
she had resumed as If their conversa-
ton had received no interruption, land
since it's all my fault 1 feel as if l
ought to find him wife"
Now, encouraged by Mrs. Jacks
sympathetic, questioning eyes, Billy
rambled on, explaining that, though he
was not a marrying man, there were
moments when he hoped that some
time he might have a 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-
ed as q "girl with no nonsense about
her." and from the fervor Of Billy's
it 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 it Is, Mrs. Jack
the girls of today are too brilliant and
worldly for humdrum fellow like
mer' the face of Virginia Blair arose
before her, and the lines disappeared
In the radiance Of q bright, assured
smile.
"She certainly is good looking in q
lreadfully noble manner" the young
thought to herself as she
revolved schemes for bringing the two |
together, "but l 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 |
purpose Of bringing them |
together Billy took Miss Blair out. She
was q tall, handsome girl, with dark,
serious eyes and smooth, heavy hair.
Before the first course had disappeared
Billy had discovered that she and life
look 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
reform, he was sure of it.
He was as confused and nonplused as
4 canary bird had suddenly begun
% bark.
For years he remembered that din
her with q sort Of horror. He and
Miss Blair, 1t seemed to him afterward,
lad worked like galley slaves, discuss
ng all the knotty problems Of the day.
Around them were lightness, gayety
md laughter, especially on the other
'ide Of the table, where Tessie Loring,
Who was the very embodiment of fem
nine frivolity, bubbled and dimpled
Ind cast languishing glances about her.
Mrs. Jack had often wondered wheth-
n there would be anything left of
Jessie should the dainty gown, hats,
hoes and wells be swept away, for sho
seemed nothing more than q spirit