The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-12-01
The EyeC Of
Cupid
BY KEITH GORDON


as he unconsciously began 10 respond
to Mrs. Jack's artful promptlngs of
the last half hour, which had, however.
been SO deity administered that he
did not so much as suspect that he
was being pumped dry on the subject
Of his ideal woman. GIVE me Il girl
with no nonsense about her"
He paused mpressively and stared
dreamily into the haze Of blue smoke
that surrounded them as If striving to
call his iGeal clearly up before his
minds eye.
Venus de Milo waist and common
sense shoesT suggested Mrs jack.
who for reasons of her own wished 10
get the outer semblance of Blllys
ideal woman clearly impressed upon
her memory.
Bnly'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 mis- companions appearance fntniiy
antagonistie 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 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 at the moment deftly
manipulating his hairbrushes, to flash
half humorous glnnce at his image
in 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 smlte her.
at must be awfully lonely for him, "
she had resumed as If their conyersa-
tion had received no interruption, and
since its all my fault | feel as If !
ought to find him wife"
Now, encouraged by Mrs Jack s
sympathetic. questioning eyes, Billy
rambled on, explaining that though he
was not a marrying man, there were
moments when he hoped TINT some
time he might have 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 girl with no nonsense about
her" and from the fervor Of Billy's
convictions it was apparent that no
other need apply.
Then, Just as two worried lines oil
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 a humdrum fellow like
mew the face of Virginia Blair arose
before her. and the lines disappeared
in the radiance of n bright, assured
smile.
"She certainly Is good looking In II
dreadfully noble manner the young
matchmaker thought to herself as she
revolved schemes for bringing the two
together but suppose Billy admlres
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 tall, 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 lie
was n trivial soft of fellow after ali.
When she asked for his views upon