The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-09-24

assembling OF the contestants. They
were to come in their best apparel
and to abide by the vote of the Judge!
without murmurings or disputings.
The contest was to be held out O
doors, in the sunny garden of one O
the graEdees of the town, that the
searching light Of day might add t.
the impartiality OF the decision. The
affair was thus turned into a lawn
party, and, the first families agreeins
to be present, the rest of the towr
followed suit.
A week before the day appointed
Richard Gordon, young lawyer. went
to call upon Mary Bennett, whose
father before his invalidism had been
professor in the college town from
which Gordon's family also came
Richard, waiting for Mary in the dim
parior with its steel engravings OF
famous pictures, felt that the girls
life was somehow like them, beautiful
In line and form, but lacking the
color that selfshness, rather than self
denial seems to impart to human ex,
istence. She had always sacrificed
herself to the demands and needs of
others, until she was like white
flower brought out of the sunshine
to cheer a sick-room.
He was absorbed in his thoughts
of her when she entered, a welcome
glowing in her eyes. Though she
was tall and straight and wholesome
to look upon, no one had ever called
her pretty. Her chief asset was her
abundant dark hair Richard had
never thought of her being in the con.
test, so he did not even apologize
when, after few moments conyersa-
tion, he showed her list he had made
of the women who, in his opinion, had
the best chance of winning-a list
from which her name was omitted.
Il see that you have headed it with
Bertha Klendenning. That is easy to
understand"
But my grounds are different from
most peoples" he said, with the ear
nestness that he always brought to
any subject which interested him.
Her blue eyes and yellow hair and
story'book complexion count very lit
tie. It's her lovely figure and her
charm Of manner-her more subtle
advantages, so TO Speak-that make
her what she is, graceful and wom-
anly."
Il quite agree with you. Who is
next on tha list?"
Katherine More-its the curve of
her uppcg lip" he added. confiden-
TALLY.
And neXt?"
Dora"
'Because-..?"
He laughed
1T has something to do with the
tip of her na8e."
!, \ quite understand Doras. nose
will Keep her young when she's So"
And then come the ladies who
have only. to put on pink ribbon to
be called pretty. You see my scorn
Of them places them last"
Poor things! Wen, / think it will
be Bertha. You rlust tell ne all about
1t afterwards"
But, my dear, you're surely going!"
he sEaid. earnestly, knitting his boyislr
broUs.
i can't unless father is better"
oh, you must-.it will amuse you |
so! I'll call for you to make sure."
Well! / don't forbid your calling!"
she answered, with a smile.
She spent troubled week, trying
to come to terms with herself. In
her dark moments she had perYcrsely
wished to make herself look as plain
as possible, taking kind of pride in
being utterly out of the rtaaning; hut /
with the first dawn Of gentler feeling
came the desire to look her best. and
to enter into the spirit of the occasion.
So when the time came she curled
her hair and arranged it with all the
art that she could command She nut
on a soft, white summer gown and a
picture hat with roses. She was
drawing on her long gloves when
Richard arrived. He seemed in the
|
Il was prepared to use force, If /
found you backing out. l have some
news to tell you about myself-some-
thing that's made me very glad, and
want you to be glad with me-"
Her heart sank. Was he going TO
tell her of his engagement to Bertha?
She turned a. pale face to him.
Cant you guess, Mary?"
But she was dumb. He leaned
towards her and took both her hands
In his.
I've got the position 1 wanted in
the Office with Jenkins & Bart-and
It's a kind OF partnership, Mary. It's
easily worth five thousand year"
She drew long breath of relief and
looked at him with shining eyes,
I'm so glad-so giad!" II
You can't be so glad as l, because,
ny dear" he hesitated. Her sudden
little flame Of Joy again sank.
trYou see didn't want to speak un- |
Il 1 was sure" 4
Even then she would not believe. !
She had turned her head away Was [
I Bertha-oh, YVES it Bertha? H
You see I've loved You always /
shy Mary a III