The Press., 1905-01-04
The EyeC Of
Cupid
BY KEITH GORDON
COPYRIGHT, 1901, Dy Mary MoKsoa

as ne uncOnSclOuSly DeSdn 10 FeSpOuu
to Mrs. Jacks artful promptings Of
the last half hour, which had. however,
been so deity administered that he
did not so much as suspect that he
was being pumped dry on the subject
Of his ideal woman. "Give me a girl
with no nonsense about her"
| He paused impressively and stared
dreamily into the haze of blue smoke
that surrounded them as 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 a brief moment his
/ taste wavered detected by the be-
witching thinness of her daintily shod
, foot, which had an apologize air of
being more ornamental than useful
Then he reverted sternly to his ideal
once more.
"Er-yes." he began-"that is, If
1t is necessary" he added weakly, find
Ing his companions appearance fatally
antagonistic to his theories.
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 husky brute" and could
take care Of himself. she had not been
convinced.
1T took you away from him." she
had argued with soft persistence, land
OF course he must be awfully lonely
I'D 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 deity
manipulating his hairbrushes, to flash
a half humorous glance ut 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
" Billy had been forgotten. Then the
very excess of their happiness had
made her heart smite her.
at 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 l feel as If ! |
ought to find him a wife"
Now. encouraged by Mrs. jacks
sympathetic, questioning eyes, Billy |
rambled on. explaining that, though he |
was not a 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. a smiling. teasing process
sion of blends 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 it was apparent that no
other need apply.
Then, just AIS two worried lines of
thought began to appear on her smooth
forehead and as Billy was winding up
with, You see how it is. Mrs. Jack
the girls of today are too brilliant and
worldly for humdrum fellow like
mep' the face of Virginia Bl2ir arose
before her, and the lines disappeared
in the radiance of a bright. assured
smile.
"She certainly is good looking In Il
dreadfully noble manner" the young
thought to herself as she
revolved schemes for bringing the two
together, "but | suppose Billy admires
that type. And she doesn't pinch her
feet or her waist. Obviously she was
made for Billy"
At the dinner party which she gave
soon after for that particular though
purpose of bringing them
together Billy took Miss Blair out. She
was tall. handsome girl, with dark,
serious eyes and smooth, heavy hair.
Before the first course had disappeared
Billy had discovered that she and life
took each other seriously, and he had
an uncomfortable feeling when her
serious gaze fell upon him that he
was trivial soft of fellow after all.
When she asked for his views upon
reform, he was sure of 1t.
He was as confused and nonplused as
If a canary bird had suddenly begun
to bark.
For years he remembered that din
ner with a sort of horror. He and
Miss Blair, it seemed to him afterward,
had worked like galley slaves, discuss
Ing all the knotty problems of the day.
Around them were lightness, gayety I
and laughter. especially on the other
side of the table. where Tessie Loring,
who was the very embodiment of fem
mine frivolity. dubbed and dimpled
md cast lenguishing glances about her
Mrs. Jack had often wondered wheth-
er there would be anything left of
Jessie should the dainty gown, hats.
shoes and wells be swept away, for she
seemed nothing more than a spirit
born OF a collection of filmy garments.
Swish of silk. fiutter Of lace, odor
If violets. fash of eyes and teeth and
,ternal chatterr' Mrs. Jack summed up
rs she keenly noted
3illy's wandering glances. What pos.
essed me to include her in party for
he benefit of a man who likes SEN
ible girls! l can see that he's growing
10 Disguised that he wants ID escape
he entire sex" And with u shade of !
oppressed annoyance she rose, formu-
..1lhS an intention 10 keep Tessie as
lr as possible from Mr.. Staunton for
he. rest of the evening I
1t seemed, therefore, almost too I'M
that the two should happen {
0 meet again at her house late one I
fterno0n al the following week. hav- {
ne been moved to make their bread
nd butter call at the same hour of the a
lme day. 7