The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-11
A PORTIA OF ...-.
SOUTH WEBSTER
BY NzXOLA GREELEY:S1lZZH.


Full-fledged member Of Shakspere
club thai she was, she was neither very
literary nor very wise, save in the wis
dom Of softly crinkling hair and sweet,
u,p-curhng lips, and blue eyes, in which
the myriad sparklcs rose and blended
with one another as they do the middle
reading Of the cassket scene, in which
the fair Portia is made to select that
one: of her suitOrs who chooses the
leaden casket containing her portrait,
came Cynthia Kirkland s great idea.
Why should not she, the acknowledged
belle Of South Webster, do likewiseq
70 be sure, no stern parental tS- decree
stood between her and the unhampered
choice Of the man she loved. But was
she not young, beautiful as the fair lady
Of Belmont, and troubled with similar
embarrassment Of suitors9
Thus did the infertilet South Web
| ster brain adapt the casket idea to
modern conditions. Cynthia kirkland
Ehad read the casket scene in the morn
ing. Noon found her parading3 iauntily
thru the street clad in the freshest
Of white shirtwaist suits, on picture
frames intent. > . .. .'E j
Seth Rodman, issuing from 1.-THE
swinging doors of the South Webster
Bank Of Commerce, his mind set with
mid dle-aged intentness on the question
as to whether he would let the Iroquois
hotel have $4,000 on second mortgage,
| let his thoughts slip Emomentari1y from
lucre to love at sight Of the beatifc
vision. sss.E$ - 4.
-. Where are you going, my pretty
maid9O he asked ponderously. He had
asked it in just that tone Of every
pretty woman he had met since it had
seemed to make hit with the first
Mrs. Rodman, some thirty years be-
fore. He thought it a most graceful
way Of opening the conversation. AND
4 Webster conversations were Hopened z
and "closed with as much formality
as the Sunday church service or the
4 Monday shop shutters.
I'll am going up to Brownson Is tt
A look at photograph frames. Will yol
won = y %, come with me and hell
Distinctly fattered, the banker sait
{ he would, and right in the middle 0:
j the next block he took occasion to re
new his proposal Of marriage.
yttYou know, Miss Kirkland, how
! much I think Of you, " he said witt
lslow, deliberate, impressive utterance
IstI mentioned that in our conversation
Of, i believe, Monday, the 18th. Yo7
1intd doubt as to how much you were pre-
J. pared to think Of me, but that yo
& would reflect and give me an answe
4 soon.
i es, =, interrupted the .up-to-dat
:, Portia, briskly, but bewilderinglJ
and ] am going to do it. / am buy
ling the picture frame l1owyo
know, = she confded ii explanation
!, Is am studying the role of Portia e
tomorrow 9 meeting Of our shaksper
!, lclub. Suppose you come up this ever
ii I ing and help me rehearse. ~ Az sh
!. spoke they he'd reached Brownson
Do come, she added. : But, afte
n all, q don e want you to help me choos
Z the picture frame. don It think 4;
!. would be quite fair to- the others.
sHfsinduiry, * Never mind what II mea
: now, come at half past eight. =
The selection Of the picture frame
: twas no easy matter. How could or
: choose offhand between the oval Of 81
4 leaves and the square one made to in
Z itate ribbon, with the bow knots ,
q TOD and bottom. And the oxidize
s frames7 And the wooden onesq Pc
tia had selected wood in lieu OF Il