Smyrna times., 1905-02-15
BY s. L. TinS!eY

rain. are you, Betty!
..lyhv not?" Eetty turned around
slowly and looked at her mother.
"Why not? Why, because it is pour
,ng-simply pOuring?
"WelI. what of it? I'm not afraid of
rain" And the young lady clasped her |
gloves with a snap, unfastened her UNI
5rpIla and tripped out beneath the drip |
ping skies
Hardly two squares had been covered
when Betty saw a young man coming
toward her. Jack Winslow bowed,
smiled and stopped. Betty blushed.
"Why, really, Jack, what tempted you
out to wadeT'
"What tempted Miss Betty away from
her chocolates and novelsT
"Mr. Elflands new picture"
glove. that's just my excuse! Say we
90 together" Jack looked anXiously,
wistfully, at his companion. Miss Bet
ty blushed more deeply.
"Come along" said she. And tegeth
or they walked down the street. Ar
riving at the art gallery, they hunted
ont the much talked of picture.
Several people were standing before
# in silent admiration. The painting
renresented a room, seated in the fore
ground of which was the figure of a
girl in a white gown. Her black hair
was parted and arranged in soft, thick
rolls on both sides of her fair, pale
face In her hand she held two roses,
a red rose and pink one. The trou-
bled expression of her face told of per-
plexity. A question was to be solved,
hut the answer could not be found.
Betty clasped her hands with delight.
"Oh," she cried, chow perfectly beau
tiful it is! oh, Jack, isn't she-isn't
she Just perfectP
The young man smiled down upon
the enthusiastic girl at his side.
"She is beautiful, but not perfect"
"Why not?"
Betty opened her eyes wide with
amaZement.
Because" continued the young man,
'she ought not to have any trouble in
knowing whom she wants for her hus-
band"
why not? One man might be rich
and the other man poor. Don't you
see the pink rose is small and pale,
while the other rose is a full blown
beauty of rich velvety red.
Jack shook his head.
Anyhow she should not hesitate for
a moment. She should take the man
she loves"
And be poor and miserable all her
life?" inquired Betty mischievously.
Not miserable, but poor and happy,
perfectly happy"
Jack Winslow was watching his COM
panion's face Betty laughed.
''Well," replied she, perhaps you are
right after all. Here comes Frank
Carlyle"
, A TALL slender young man walked
leisurely up to Miss Betty's side, and
bowling slightly to Jack, he turned to
ward the picture.
WELL" remarked he after a mo
ment's silence, "she is in a fix, ISM
she? Pink or red; it's down to {
choice of a favorite color, it seems t.
me-"
"Not at ALL" replied Jack testify
(which does she love bestT
"WeI"-Frank elevated his brow
as though surprised-"isn't that abou
what l said? She has a chance to sc
lect her favOrite now, and why doesn'
she do it without so much trouble"
Betty, who had been silently admir-
ing the picture during the converse
ton, now turned again toward her com
panions.
"She is q girl you know?"
'Yes," replied both of the young me
at the same time.
"a girl" continued Betty, ''has
wonder sometimes whether she know
her own mind or not. Here are tw
men. Both are kind and attentive
the girl. Both offer her the best tn;
he has to give. Both pay her the higl
est compliment that a man can pay
a woman, for each one In turn ash
her to be his wife. Here, on the OF
hand. are riches, life with every wis
granted, a mother and father mac
comfortable, and husband who low
YOU If she does not love him, 81
respects and admires him. On Il
4 other hand are a life of everiastii
4 economy, a home where there may ;
/ ways be the necessities of life b
1 very few Of the luxuries; father al
mother who must continue in the
1 same circumstances, little trip no
and then when there changes to be
4 excursion, and a husband awho Low
] you, who denies himself for you al
whom you in your turn love. Viii
shall it bef'
Without a moments hesitation bo
Of the young men answered, ''The M
you love-"
Betty was twisting the chain of /
satchel around her finger. Sne laul
ed and shook her head when she hea
the answer.
"Well, l see that you are both
yet at the romantic age"
Are your
Frank Carlyle looked down into
lair, sweet face close beside him. B
ty looked at Jack Winslow. He v