Smyrna times., 1905-04-19

AhULET
Bv INA WRIGHT HANSON

= hlund FIorine by the tea table ON
-. reranda gazing dreamily into her
She wore my roses in the belt
q ,,or white gown and in her bronze
% ~. For some time l had not dared
y - orproach Florne without being for
9 saod with diSagreeable speeches; otn-
h '.uise I sho0ld have been guilty of
: s,onosing to her Considering that her
3 monthly income was quite equal to my
i ,rruol one. a proposal of marriage
4 t.om me would be palpably absurd.
7 ,cbed and my sigh aroused Florine.
@Ob I'm glad it's your she said
4 brightly. Il saw a Visitor In my tea
I cup"
/ frowned and took a chair on the
otbpr side of the table.
s 81 wish you wouldn't" said.
: "Wouldn't what? Give you a cup
a of tea? Well, you needn't drink it,
. Are you afraid it will hurt your COM
4 plexiOn|
, Her tone was bantering, but her
I eyes had a hint of concern in their
violet depths looked away as 1 an
a swered:
"The other night at pit you turned
q your chair around three times, and
Il then when you lost you attributed it to
e the misplacing of your rabbit foot"
81 did make a mistake" she said
rayely 1T wasn't the rabbit foot;
n II was the day. Wednesday is my un-
Il lucky day"
IF you keep on folks will think you
are weakminded," l continued, keep
Ing my gaze carefully from the danger
GUS charm of her face. II have actual
u u heard it said that you wear an anu
N let"
u FlOrine was silent so long that
was compelled to glance at her. She
was regarding me with what might be
q termed a complex look. Her mouth
was dimpled with smiles, her lifted
brows were derisive. but her eyes were
troubled l ignored the eyes.
This superstition business detracts
y from your real WORTH" l went on re-
lentleSsly. 1T is the flaw in the dia-
mOnd the blight in the rose, the-the"-
Fly in the ointment?" she suggested
politely.
ITO have it told around that you
wear an amuletr' 1 reiterated in fine
scOrn.
Then Florine laughed. When Florine
laughs
you poor old dearr' she exclaimed
as soon as she was able. Il don't be-
lieve you have the ghost of an idea
what an amulet isr'
l was solid on that score, for had
a Just learned the definition from the
4 dictionary.
n "'An object, usually a peculiar bit
4 Of stone, metal, bone, paper, wood or
A the like, worn by superstitious people
as a protection against witchcraft,
bad luck, disease, accidents, ETC. A
\ Charm
"Oh, DON'T" she choked. "You are
too absurd" Then she went off into
another gale of laughter.
Il don't see where the absurdity
comes in,' l retorted. IF that isn't
an amulet, then what Is it?''
supped my tea with dignity while
FlOrine recovered herself.
81 knew a girl once who wore an
amulet" she said at last. 1T was the
well, the picture of somebody she
n liked"
n Picture-ahI To be sure, l wasn't
an AdOnis, neither was l afraid of
breaking the camera, but for one rea-
son or another had faced a phOtog
rapher. Picture, was it? Was she the
girl? wondered.
3 1T wasn't bone, metal, stone, paper
Or wool" she went on. "And she
didn't wear it as a protection against
anything. She just wore it because
she liked it, because she liked the man
whose picture was In it."
Z 1T wasn't an amulet them" l said.
setting down my cup.
1T was an amulet" contradicted
FlOrine. "Unimaginary folks get their
definitions out Of the dictionary. Other
4 people,
+ How about a walk?'' / interrupted.
| couldn't even pretend to be disagree
able any longer; neither could l mus
ter up determination enough to leave
her-lOvely, laughing sprite that she
was. Perhaps there was less danger
In walking.
But l am going to have another
caller" she demurred.
DO you see him in your teacup"
Il l asked.
NO; 1 see him at the gate" she
laughed, although he may be coming
to see mamma. He is very fond Of
mamma. Possibly l shall be at the
summer house SOON"
1t was clearly a dare, and 1 took It,
went to the summer house. Around
The summer house are trees and flow
ers; in front is a miniature lake-a
beautiful place, but a dangerous one
when man has no right to tell what
sometimes dims his eyes and impedes
bis speech
AS l sat down something at my feet