Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1908-04-16
BY n. s. PHILIPPE

D1uCS ware uttQ maze 80 many PHI
grimages up those particular steps, it
seemed sometimes to him that he
must have worn pathway peculiar to
| himself. For Moth, he seemed to
| himself to presume. But at the end
| of the pathway was the golden smile
| of NADIA Bartlett, and in it's witchery
he forgot to remember his presump.
ton.
This night was no exception. NADIA,
radiant in a glorified gown of white,
came to meet him with graciously ex,
tended hand
$50 glad to see you, Bruce was
feeling horribly lonely until the maid
brought your card"
Bruce, struggling against the desire
to believe that the pleasantly personal
in those words could have any deeper
meaning, smiled in a manly, whole
| hearted way.
BE careful, or I shall soon be ad,
vertising myself as sure cure for the
blues'"
Don't do it. It's selfish. perhaps
but I'm not willing to share my need
of your society,""
II don't think there's danger of COM
petition, as long as you can endure
having such a commonplace duffer
about" Bruce answered, with his
usual simple directness.
Miss Bartlett bent over a huge mass
of crimson roses and apparently
minutely admired each separately
1 IA of rxyi&
| culiar smile. Don't you rather under
rate YOURSELF" she asked, very slowly.
Rather, it is apparently you who
overrate my value. / don't know just
why. NADIA, you are so kind to me
you who know so many brilliant
men,"
Miss Bartlett was a beauty, woman
of the world, worldly, and an exceed
ingly clever writer. Therefore no
logical reasoning accounted for the ex-
quisite and very evident blush that
| tried to rival the crimson roses.
Don't you?" she questioned, paus-
| ing for wee time. Then she hurried
on: "Sc-called brilliant people don't
always satisfy one. / feel So often like
a puppet that must dance just so, or
my public will tire. It's a drag, this
trying to keep the pace. l can be just
myself with you, Bruce, and it's such
| comfort"
when you need comfort-when you
feel blue-though God knows why you
should-send for me-" Bruce admon-
ished, with Loyalty tender smile.
Only them"
The almost whispered words swept
him to where she stood, still toying
with the roses
Don't look so, NADIA! can't stand
it, loving you as l dol" He took her
hands in clasp almost harsh And
don't let my telling you this make any
difference. I'm always your friend, al
ways"
only ?"-with tenderly visit
full ghost of SMILE
That's enough for chump like
me, dearie. Pm willing to take
crusts."
Quite willing?"
Don't, NADIA! Your sweetness only
makes me wretched!" He let her
hands fall and stood looking at her
with miserable attempt at smile.
why wretched?" This time the
glory of her eyes fairly dazzled the
Moth.
"Because-oh, NADIA! You can't
really care for chump like me? Can
you?"
NADIA INDUCED fetching smile.
"P'raps l cant-but / do
Bruce caught her to wildly beating
heart But he could not wholly be-
lieve
why do you, NADIA? There are so
many men. Men who have written
books, music, painted pictures"
A slender hand put check on his
lips.
"They are puppets like myself, play
things of a tickle public. But you are
a man, dear. 1t is l who should ask
why you care"
But the doubling Moth had ceased
to doubt, and, according to a time
worn but ever new custom, he sealed
the bargain with kiss.