The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-08-12
LOVES INTUITION.
A Girl Who Was Able to Read
Beneath the Surface.
BY MARY WOOD.

rose the hum of feminine voices. I'm
der the green apple bOughs the ham,
mock convention was in full swing.
Miss Maybrick called it a hornets nest
and preferred the doubtful GOODNESS of
the piazza. But, then. she was a col
lege professor, too superior to appre-
ciate the joys of the younger set.
Jane Carew, however, sometimes
agreed with her. This afternoon she
hid her face behind a book, while girl
ish fancies carried her far above the
Swaying leaves up into the perfect
blue of the July sky. How lovely ma
ture was this summer, how full life of
new delights!
Miss Maybrick'S name brought her
back to earth again-MiSs Maybrick,
the one cloud in her sky.
"Oh, yes, she approves of him." saucy
Madge was saying. "She can put up
with his sunburned face, roughened
hands and the general bOorishness of
a farmer. But 1 suppose at her age
any man is acceptable. To tell the
truth, 1 have almost reached that con-
spot" And she shook her head in
mock despair.
"Jane agrees with her." some one
added little maliciously. ''She never
seems to mind sharing his attentions
with her.
A book went down with a crash and
angry spots of scarlet glowed in James
cheeks as she said defantly: John
Staunton is not a boor. He is a gen.
tleman. Just because he scorns to
talk the twaddle that men usually
think good enough for us girls you
vote him q boor. He often makes me
ashamed of the little 1 know, and the
books he lends me have opened up a
new world, a world bigger and better
than all the flirting and shams and
heartaches that go to make up So
ciety. No wonder he likes to talk to
Miss Maybrick She's worth the whole
lot of us when it comes to knowing
the things that are worth whilev'
The girl stopped short with a gasp
as she realized the Mortified hush which
had fallen on the circle. ''Oh, what
have / said 2" she cried and buried her
face in her cushions.
But Madge's gay voice was tender as
she stroked the brown head. you've
read us lecture, jamie, DEAR" she
said gently, ''but fancy we needed it
a bit It's horrid to talk about one Of
your friends the way we talk about
Staunton, and we ought to ask your
pardon AS for Miss Maybrick, she's a
stuck up old thing, and you're ever so
much nicer than she in spite Of all she
knows. Just wait till Cousin Alex
comes next week and see the new
world that he opens to you. He is
really literary and writes things for
other people to read"
James face was still hidden. She
was battling to overcome her tears
and even harder to drive out of her
heart the unreasonable jealousy of the
older woman that somehow had crept
into it, The time had been when she
would have scorned her as rival, but
love had made her humble. Youth and
beauE seemed of small weight to cast
into the scales against years of scho-
lastic training and study.
Cousin Alex came He was a slim,
dapper young man, with an important
manner rather at variance with his
size But he had a way of retailing
old jokes that made them seem new
and a stock of compliments suited
to every age and was therefore greatly
in favor among the guests at the
sleepy old farmhouse AS beftting his
pretensions as a journalist he ratified
on increasingly about books and litera
ture. He knew this man and that
book, and, above all, he was one whose
name should some day stand foremost
in the world of letters. The date was
not yet set, but he spoke of Ibis novel;
mysteriously, even reverently, and his
feminine audience was accordingly i'm
pressed
More or less unwillingly Jane was
compelled to listen to many of these
predictions for cousin Alex" at once
developed a fondness for her society.
Perhaps certain glances that Staunton
cast in his direction added Zest to the
chase Perhaps it was the elusive
fashion in which the girl received his
advances. Certain it is that a weeks
time had earned him the very fitting
name of James shadow"
Yet to Jane herself each day seemed
to bring more unhappiness. Staunton
came as often as ever, but at sight Of
Alex by her side he left the laughing
group to chat with Miss Maybrick in
intimate aloofness. And as the girl
saw the door to the beautiful new
world closing because the hand of him
who held it open was withdrawn the
pain and WEAKNESS Of her old frivo
lous life seemed almost past bearing.
Her eyes were more wistful than she
knew one evening as she saw a TALL
muscular figure swing up the walk
with the easy, confident stride Of the
man who was master of his fate.
Staunton's face softened as he met
them. and, though Cousin Alex Ham
bin was on hand. as usual, he settled
himself on the top step with the air
of a man who had come to stay. The
brown eyes were downcast now, but a
shy blush of pleasure still flushed her
cheeks.
There was always a visible air Of
constraint between the two men, but
Hamblin rose manfully to the occa-
sion Here was a most longed for op-
portunity to prove to Miss Jane that
Staunton was but boor of a farmer,