Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-06-25
ROMANCE IN HYDRoPATHICs

damsels staying in the place. For one
thing it was because Paul was the only
person staying there who might in any
way be considered a celebrity. Really
well-kDown people purposely avoided
Gurdlestone-on-Se pronouncfng it vul-
gar, while smart young men of means
were a raTa avis among the conglomera-
ton of suburban vulgarity which every
year assembled there.
Thus the triumph of Milicent in the
face of so much competition was as
glorious as it was complete. But then
she was an old hand at the game of
husband hdnting. Every summer was
spent flying meteor-like round pier-ends
in a dazzling succession of attractive
frocks, enormous and unsuitable picture
hats, and cheap and gaudy turquoise
earrings. There was no rule in the mat
rimonial game at which she was not an
adept, the only thing being perhaps that
she knew the different maneuvers a lit
tie too well. Her art in this respect
was not of that kind which conceals it.
self. 1t was too apparent. Probably for
this reason she had never been able to
secure anything really permanent in the
way of an engagement. Not one of the
men she had pursued had ever really
come up to the scratch.
And now alasl she had reached that
time of life when woman knows the
advantages of a thickly curtained win
dow. She stood, still unattached, on
that borderland between Cooking wello
and wearing well''-on the threshold
between Il wonder who she'll marry"
and Il wonder why she didn't
Nor was she in any way exigent. Her
needs, Economically speaking, were of the
most modest. All she wanted was plen-
ty of money, an assured social position,
and host of friends. Love, respect,
fidelity-all those things most difficult
to possess. most precious when obtained
she left to other women. All she her
self required was of the world worldly.
She wondered whether Paul Vallierion
Happily things seemed to be going
extremely well with her in that direc-
tion. Wherever he went she also was
to be found. They gave each other
secret glances of mutual understanding.
They had the usual stock of more or
: less silly Jokes in which lovers always
indulge and which are swee! because
understood by themselves alone. They
giggled and Uttered in odd corners, and
playfully paved each other on the
slightest provocation. All of which
things are understood in Gurdlestone-
on-Sea, to be the unmistakable symp-
toms of true love.
He being literary man. she talked
literature. She had no ideas on the sub
ject, but she played up to his prejudices,
and manlike, she considered he was de-
ceived. She let him talk to her about
his work and iattered him at every
available opportunity.
As for her parents, they watched their
daughters fascinating ways with the
greatest pride and satisfaction. Such a
son-in-law, they considered, would be
distinction to any family. The younger
daughter gave herself literary airs and
talked glibly about Bernard Shaw and
Schopenhauer with all the complete as
, surance of real Ignorance. In fact, the
! whole Stubs family lived in a perpetual
2 state of subdued triumph.
But alas! in the middle of all tnes.
! eager anticipations the object of ali
their rising hopes vanished suddenrv
from their midst. A telegram was our
day received requesting his immediate
presence in London
1t was only for few days. however
and Millicert at the bottom of her heart
was secretly rather relieved
, There is such a thing she knew ~
, absence making the heart grow fonder''
As everything between them had 81.
far succeeded beyond her very wildesI
hopes a few days absence would bul
bind him all the more securely to ner
! side. One tender "good-bye' is worth
4 all the coy corners in the world. ~
D there anything more melting to mutusI
I devotion than a long drawn out adieur
5 1t Is only when man and woman saw
FL goodbye that their souls touch. B.
sides, they might have gone on simply
flirting for months When a man IL
entertained and amused he is obviously
content to let things remain as tney
are, but it is not of such sentiments thai
husbands are made. A few DAYS AWAY
from her society would bring it home u.
him how necessary to his complete nap
piness she was. Besides which he woule
probably write her a letter. and a letter
is worth all the spoken words in tn.
- world. 1t is evidence if need be for one
thing, and for another it generally r.
quires an answer What then could Ia,
more advantageous
Besides, too, London would he empuv
I and deserted at that time of the wear
All his friends would be out of town
, He would have absolutely nothing to ue
p anu Mltlteul knew lHaI Wlen q muu
a has nothing TO divert his mind he ger
a orally thinks of girls---it is the line OF
2 least resistance in masculine mentality
So they gave each other one of tnos-
lingering "farewells for ever until nex-
] Monday which between lovers reacn
the delicious ecstacy of final adIea-
, and Millicent, sitting beneath the sweev-
ing branches of an artificial palm. looked
like the figure of Tragedy in flamDov.
ant costume. Both of them were strange
ly silent. but between lovers it is in the
. silences that wonderful things are born.
Besides. as Milicent said to herself. a
man often proposes marriage when he
has nothing else TO say"
The next morning, however. he was
gone and his absence was the one gem
eral topic of conversation for the day.
lNhllicent played the part of unhappy