St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-12-05
MISS MODERNITY
By VIRGINIA WOODWARD CLOUD
Copyright, by Bobbs-Merrin Coz

my feet for awhile. I don't know G
soul here except"
Miss Devourney?" Here she sanl
on seat behind the gallery rail. Sc
never heard of her in my life. and
thought l knew them all-the womer
here"
I looked around and spoke confden
| TALLY, marveling that I did so, yet
realizing that it was no strange thing
Then l will make a confession.
never did, either"
Miss Modernity laughed, softly, but
with evident enjoyment. 1t was &
seal upon our sudden bond of conf
dence, and l was glad of the human
sound which rippled through the mao
clamor of voices around us, like the
| memory Of a meadow brook in the
midst of a noisy thoroughfare, hel
eyes as she turned them questioning
tolerantly, were full of humoT.
Il was really looking for some one
and wanted to recognize her myself
| first. So I hit upon a name to give
me an opportunity of speaking to diff
ferent ones. I think it was quite in
genious! She was an old friend-ir
fact, playmate"
Basketball or rag-dools?" she in
terrupted.
Neither. It was-er-stolen ap
pies and rides bareback, and wading
up stream-I mean on my back, you
know"
Fancy"
oh yes, all that sort of thing
But when anticipation has formed an
ideal, one sometimes shrinks back
from its fulfillment-as if the magma
ton is 10th to relinquish that which
it has found sweet"
She nodded quickly with compre,
hension that was good to receive.
-"And / should like to confess that
I represent that unenviable atom OF
masculinity, an ex-fiance."
"Oh!-Hers, you mean?"
Eyes, she was only five when she
promised to marry me. When went
we parted in the"
Usual way?" Miss Modernity was
evidently interested.
the orchard, think it was. ]
pulled her out of an apple-tree. You
see she was famous climber and had
way of tearing her clothes nearly off.
l used to go in pursuit."
Dear me-how-how pastoral! A
hoyden or an athlete?"
Neither, assure you, but an ador-
able child of about IL years. With
promise of great beauty"
Miss Modernity stirred uneasily.
what was your ex-fiancee like?''
she said suddenly.
"A sturdy little thing with reddish
hair and freck1es on her nose," said,
noticing Miss Modernity's slim, lis
some lines.
"And her name?" she pursued, evil
IDENTIFY with a kind intention to keep
me to the subject most interesting.
Her name was Betty"
II do not know any girl by that
name" She unfurled a fan of white
feathers, waving it distractingly be.
tween US, while / was realizing that
this was the kind Of woman, whose
youth combined grace, control, beau
ty, wit and gentle perception, to make
mans life and keep him clean. All
this passed through my mind with sud-
den light and said, stopping short:
Il have not been duly presented to
you. am Everett ORAL, Of"
"Of a score of brave battles" she
smiled up at me, II recognized you
when you came up the stairs, even be-
fore you spoke to me, or do you think
/ should be here with you?"
I put my glasses on again, perplex,
eddy scrutinizing the humor of those
frank, gray eyes, as voice broke
upon us.
"My father!" she said, and I turned
to face an old friend.
ORAL! - You wild man-of-the-
woods, welcome home! We've had a
search-warrant out for you! The gov
ernor wants you to receive with him
at ten. Might have known I'd find you
with Elizabeth"
elizabeth" / was stumbling man
like before tho complexities of fem
mime transitions-th low knot of
brown hair, the womanly contour of
figure, the grace, the aplomb-then
her laugh murmured toward me de-
lightedly.
"No,-Betty!-Oh, l could not help
tit was too funny"
Miss Modernity, Miss Modernity,
how could your" 1 said Her eyes
grew softer.
Il wanted to know If you had forgot
ten me-if-" suddenly her hand
slipped in mine with breathless
aside, ooh, Rally, you old owl, l am
so glad!-So glad-come tomorrow
Pleased"
l read Miss Modernity's eyes, and
left her with my face turned toward
a glad tomorrow.
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