Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-04-09

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Old Captain Banding had two alb
sorbing passions In life-his love for
cards and his love for his daughter
That's.
1t was wonderful how many young
mon were willing to pass their even
ings at the captains house playing
with him. he was wary old oppo-
nent and all but invincIble,
The young mel came by twos and
threes In their best tailor made suits.
with posies In their buttonholes Often
they brought offerings to the captains
daughter.
That's accepted the gifts and the too
evident good viii indifferently. Some
times when fourth hand was needed
at whist she lent her aid. Otherwise
she betook herself TO the par:or and
practiced as diligently as IL there was
not a man I'm the house.
Aunt Lefty. Captain Blanding's Wild
owed sister, kept house for him and
mothered his otherwise motherless
daughter. She was a gentle soul
large hearted and small minded. who
made the best doughnuts in town. By
the MD OF her smiles and her cakes
she encouraged eligible men to fire.
quept the captains house. hoping that
some one OF them would prove &C.
ceptable TO That's.
That's name had been given her be-
cause OF an early fondness of her In
Their for Greek literature. That's. de
spite her name, did not lean toward
scholarly achievement. She was n
butterfly. very beautiful. to look M
and very difficult to catch.
She had read little poetry and very
many romances where the heroines
were all beautiful like herself and the
heroes proved their devotion by rs
founding deeds or valor. These men
who sat evening after evening with
bits OF red and black pasteboard be.
tween them. evidently lacked every
heroic quality.
When one by one these timid adorers
laid his heart at her feet she promptly
trampled upon It ard sent him avay
smarting
When after a few evenings he did
not again appear the old captain womb
wonder mildly what kept him away.
Sometimes he asked the victim and re-
ceived stammered excuse.
by the time the young mans place
at the card table was filed the captain
had ceased TO remember him.
1t was Sheldon King who broupht
BlllV STnifh fn tho g.
time. Billy was q newcomer I'm Ken.
sington and wholly unacquainted. He
was little fellow with hair of no
particular shade of brown, a square
plain face and blue eyes behind
glasses. He had no stories to tell. no
Jokes to raise laugh. and he had
never handled cards before In his life
Ii took him the entire evening to
learn to play pedro. but he applied his
mind to 1t with will. and when he
went away the captain slapped him
on the shoulder and told him he would
make PLAYER II he kept at 1t. The
captain always said that to the de-
feated, who sometimes chewed their
lips over IL bitterly.
The captain conceived a great liking
Tor Billy, ard they spent many even
ings together. BY spring Billy had
learned all the games the captain knew
and could even beat him at some of
them
He came obviously for the captains
sake alone. for he brought no offer
ings to That's. He had his own way
to make and an invalid sister to main
tain at an expensive sanitarIum. This |
much he told the captain and was for |
ever after silent about his affairs
Sheldon King presently. having had |
his wings badly singed at the candle ]
OF That's Indifference, ceased to be !
seen at the captains card table. But
Billy came unfailingly. The captain
was delighted with him.
Here at last was a man who did not !
play to ones humor. who beat one un-
mercifully If he could or was beaten |
without showing the white feather.
The second winter Billy's sister died. |
He stayed away two months, and the
captain openly fretted for him. Then
one evening Billy appeared with a box
OF the captains favorite cigars. The
captain fairly wept for Joy at sight OF
him and shook his hand twenty times
He called That's to see who had come.
That's came. startled by the clamor and
a little disguised when she found only
Billy. She gave him n cool little hand
and cool little smile and cool little
phrase or welcome, then returned to
the plano and Chaminade. She did not
Billy, who brought cigars
to her father insteed Of bonbons to her.
Two years went by. The circle about
the captains card table had changed
many times and had dwindled to an