Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-07
Copyright. 1908, by Ruby DOuglas) ~.

Copyright 1908, by Ruby Douglas) =
But. 1 say Betty. you don't really mean
it?"
Indeed. I was never more in earnest in
my life"
The first speaker was a good-loolting,
welI-built young man Of about Twenty-Five,
with cadence In his voice that was both
whimsical and tender. while his frank gray
eyes and dark red hair proclaimed his an
cestry before you heard his name, which
was Terence Doyle.
The girl he addressed as Betty was Just
at the end OF her teens. and she had nut
brown hair that curled wherever 1t escaped
the hairpins that held 1t loosely coiled to
a pretty and very determined little head.
They were sitting on the top step of the
stairway that led from the conservatory
TO the balcony that ran across one end or
the ball room from which came the throb-
bling strains OF Strauss 'Voce di Prima-
vera" A sweet damp odor from the flow
ers and ferns rose to where they sat- The
situation was distinctly interesting and TO
mantle, and Betty Allison was fully alive
to that side OF It. The most eligible young
man in Westchester county had just pro-
posed to her and she had refused him. He
reached over-it wasn't very far, In truth
and took her hand.
I always thought you loved me, Betty"
Miss Allisons eyebrows went up SO per-
ceptibiy at this that he fastened to amend
It. Il mean have thought 80 for some
time, and love you so much that thought
the rest OF 1t would como along naturally
You know, we could have an awfully good
time; We could so to Europe or live In New
York. or anywhere you like. You wouldnt
have thing to do but enjoy yourself"
That's just 1T, Terence; you don't DO a
thing but enjoy yourself all the time"
Faith! Betty" he broke in, what else Is
there for me to DOR
''Oh, Terence! the world is full OF work.
and you play all the time"
But don't need to work Betty. Good
governor worked himself to death. and
don't intend TO DO IT. Besides don't hunt
and play polo and golf and run the ma
ehne all the time? There isn't another fell
Tow OF my set does half as much as do.
And what does Ii amount to-risktng
your life every day in the field and fright
ening people to death with that awful au-
tonobile!'
Il haven't heard OF single death from
fright or otherwise" he interpolated. but
she ignored him.
nest, and she had just returned from a
three weeks stay with q cousin In New
York who lived in a settlement house.
Why. In New York I saw splendid men,
college graduates all of them, toiling like
slaves among the poor
But you catch all kinds of diseases.
;, Betty. And they're so dirty; Id rather
give EN- some money and let somebody
that to do with you and me, anyway? You
know you love me and I'm bound to have
you; come on now and say SO. Hang
workingl I want to enjoy myself. and you
must help me do it."
His tone was rather too masterfuI for
Betty Allison. The blood of her ances-
tors, including revolutionists, mission
aries and martyrs, asserted itself
You assume great deal when you say
that l know 1 love you. I can't love any
man who idles away his life, wasting the
money his father worked hard to make"
She stood UP straight and her hazel eyes
flashed. Let go my hand, please Yes,
Mr.. Morton" as another figure appeared
at the foot OF the stairs, "our dance" and
she fioated down the stairs and on through
the conservatory. smiling sweetly on the
beatified Morton and leaving Terence too
daZed for immediate clear thought. She
was very gay for the rest of the evening,
surprising even those who knew her best
FOR Betty Allison rarely went out, and IT
was known that she cared little for
ciety.
Terence hung around like a dark cloud
his customary good nature gone for once.
When he asked Betty IL he might see her