The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-14
FLORINE'S
AMULET
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
Copyright. 1901, by Ina Wright Hanson

found Florine by the tea table on
the veranda gazing dreamily into her
cup. She wore my roses In the belt
Of her white gown and in her bronze
hair For some time l had not dared
to approach Florine without being for
titled with disagreeable speeches; Otn-
erwise l should have been guilty Of
proposing to her. Considering that her
monthly income was quite equal to my
annual one, a proposal Of marriage
from me would be palpably absurd. 1
sighed, and my sigh aroused Florine.
'Oh, I'm glad it's you" she said
brightly. II saw a visitor in my tea
cup"
l frowned and took a chair on the
other side of the table.
II wish you wouldn't" said.
"Wouldn't what? Give you a cup
Of tea? Well, you needn't drink it.
Are you afraid it will hurt your COM
plexion?'
Her tone was bantering, but her
eyes had hint Of concern in their
violet depths. 1 looked away as 1 an
swered:
1.-THE other night at pit you turned
your chair around three times, and
then when you lost you attributed 1t to
the misplacing of your rabbit foot"
II did make a mistake" she said
gravely ut wasn't the rabbit foot;
1t was the day. Wednesday Is my IN
lucky day"
IF you keep on folks will think you
are weakminded," 1 continued, keep
ing my gaze carefully from the danger
GUS charm Of her face. II have actual
ly heard it said that you wear an anu
lety'
Florine was silent so long that l
was compelled to glance at her. She
was regarding me with what might be
termed a complex look. Her mouth
was dimpled with smiles, her lifted
brows were derisive. but her eyes were
troubled. ignored the eyes.
This superstition business detracts
from your real WORTH" l went on re-
lentlessly. ut 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' l reiterated In fine
scorn.
Then Florine laughed. When Florine
laughs
You poor old dear!' she exclaimed
as soon as she was able Il don't be-
neve you have the ghost Of an idea
what an amulet ISL
was solid on that score for l had
just learned the definition from the
dictionary.
can object usually a peculiar bit
Of stone, metal, bone, paper, wood or
the like, worn by superstitious people
as 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.
II knew a girl once who wore an
amulet" she said at last. cit was the
well, the picture of somebody she
liked"
Picture-ah! To be sure, 1 wasn't
an Adonis, neither was 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.
'1t wasn't bone, metal, stone, paper
or wood" she went on. "And she
didn't wear it as q protection against
anything. She just wore it because
she liked 1t, because she liked the man
whose picture was in it."
1T wasn't an amulet then" I said,
eetung down my cup.
1t was an amulet" coutradicted
F1orine. "Unimaginary folks get their
definitions out Of the dictionary. Other
Doodle