The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-12-02
The Eyec Of
Cupid
BY KEITH GORDON
Copyright, 1901, by Mary McRcon

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"Give me n sensible girl" said Billy
as he unconsciously began to respond
to Mrs. Jacks artful promptings 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 q girl
with no nonsense about her"
He paused impressively and stared
dreamily into the haze of blue smoke
that surrounded them rs 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 semblance 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 wavered, DETECTED by the be-
witching thinness of her daintily shod
foot, which had an apologetic 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
n o,,to tot; l., TO =;
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 n "husky BRUTE and could
| take care OF himself, she had not been
| convinced
II 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 hairbrushcs, to flash
a half humorous glance 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 smite her.
ut 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 II
ought to find him q wife,"
Now. encouraged by Mrs Jacks
sympathetic, questioning eyes, Billy
rambled on, explaining that, though he
was not 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, n smiling, teasing process
sion Of blonds 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 1t was apparent that nc
other need apply.
Then, just as two worried lines OF
thought began to appear on her smooth
forehead and as Billy was winding ur
with, You see how 1T is, Mrs. Jack
the girls Of today are too brilliant and
worldly for humdrum fellow like
mew 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 ;
dreadfully noble manner" the younl
matchmaker thought to herself as sh,
revolved schemes for bringing the two
together, "but / suppose Billy admire!
that type. And she doesn't pinch he
feet or her waist. Obviously she wa!
made for Billy"
At the dinner party which she CAV,
soon after for that particular though
unexpressed purpose of bringing then
together Billy took Miss Blair out. Sh,
was tall, handsome girl, with dark
serious eyes and smooth, heavy hair
Before the first course had disappeared
Billy had discovered that she and lif
took each other seriously, and he hat
an uncomfortable feeling when lie
serious gaze fell upon him that b.
was trivial soft of fellow after all
When she asked for his views upol
municipal reform. he was sure Of Il
He was as confused and nonplused a
Ii a canary bird had suddenly begul
to bark.
For years he remembered that din
ner with q sort Of horror He an
Miss Blair, 1t seemed to him afterwart
had worked like galley slaves, discuss
ing all the knotty problems Of the day
| Around fhpn, Itch nk