Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-09

Wouiu nave you KNOW, PROFESSOR,
that this girl is a lady"
Don't be so irritable, and let me
summarize briefly on your own hypoth-
| ests: You stared at strange girl
and she winked at you, safe in the
consciousness that she would never
see you again. And now you are going
| to New Orleans to look for her. She
| will probably meet you at the station,
with her bridesmaids and wedding
cake ready for you. And you think
this will lead to an adventure-you de-
fer finding the north pole for this -
for this? Poor Ardy! But did she toss
her card from the window? Why New
Orleans? Why not Minneapolis, or
or Bangor, Maine?'
I'm not an ass, Grissy. I caught
they're all named, like yachts and tall
buildings-the name Of her car was
the Alexandra. l asked our conduc-
tor where it was bound for, and he
said it was the New orleans car. So
! took the first train back, ran into you
here, and that's the whole story to
date"
Il admire your spirit New Orleans
Is much pleasanter than the polar ice,
and girl with winking eye isn't to
be overlooked in this vale of tears.
What did this alternating balm for
tired eyes look like, If you remember
anything besides the wicked wink?"
She was bareheaded, and her hair
was wonderfully light and fluffy and
it was parted in the middle and tied
behind with black ribbon in great
bow. She rested her cheek on her
hand-her elbow on the window sill,
you know-and she smiled little as
the car moved off, and winked-do you
understand? Her eyes were blue,
Grissy, big and blue-and she was per-
fectly stunning"
There are winks and winks, Ardy,"
observed Griswold with judicial air.
There is wink inadvertent, to which
no meaning can be attached There
is the wink deceptive, usually given
behind the back of third person, and
vulgar thing which we will not as
sociate with your girl Of the Alexan-
dra. And then, to be brief, there is
the wink of mischief, which Is OBJ
served occasionally in persons of ex-
ceptional bringing up. There are mo-
ments in the lives of all Of us when
we lose our grip on conventions on
morality even. The psychology OF
this matter is very subtitle. Here you
are, gentleman of austerly correct
life; here is a delightful girl, on whom
you flash in an out-of-the-way corner
of the world. And she, not wholly dis
pleased by the frank admiration in
your eyes-for you may as well con-
cede that you stared at her"
We'll, l suppose 1 did look at her."
admitted Ardmore reluctantly
"Pardonably, no doubt, just as you
would look at a portrait in a picture
gallery, of course. This boarding
school miss, who had never before
lapsed from absolute propriety, felt
the conventional world crumble be-
meath her as the train started. She
could no more have resisted the temp
tation to wink than she could have
refused caramel or an invitation to
appear as best girl at church we'd
ding. Thus wireless communication
is established between soul and soul
for an instant only, and then you are
cut off forever. Perhaps, in the next
world Ardy-"
Griswold and Ardmore had often
idealized themselves as hopeless pur-
suers of the elusive, the unattainable,
the impossible; or at least Ardmore
had, and Griswold had entered into
the spirit of this sort of thing for the
JOY it gave Ardmore. They had dis
cussed frequently the call of soul to
soul-the quick glance passing be-
tween perfect strangers in crowded
thoroughfares and had fruitlessly spec
ulatsd as to their proper course in
the event the call seemed imperative.
A glance of the eye is one thing, but
it is quite another to address
stranger and offer eternal friendship.
The two had agreed that, while, soul
call or no soulcall, a gentleman must
keep clear Of steamer flirtations, and
avoid even the most casual remarks
to strange young women in any cir
cumstances, a gentleman of breeding
and character may nevertheless fol-
low the worlds long trails in search
of ever-to-be-forgotten face.
The fact is that Ardmore was ex-
ceedingly shy, and considerable ex-
perience of fashionable society had
not diminished this shortening.
GriSwold. on the other hand, had the
Virginian's natural social instinct, but
he suffered from widely-diffused i'm
preston that much learning had made
him either Indifferent or extremely
critical where women are concerned.
Ardmore shrugged his shoulders and
fumbled in his coat pockets as though
searching for ideas. An austere COM
posture marked his countenance at all
times, and emphasized the real dis
tinction of his clean-cut features. His
way of fitting back his head and star
ing dreamily into vacancy had estab-
lished for him reputation for stupid
ity that was wholly undeserved.
please limit the discussion to the
present world, professor"
When Ardmore was displeased with
Griswold he called him professor, in
a whitening tone that disposed of the
academic life.
1--WE shall limit it to New Orleans
or to the universe, as you like"
I'm disappointed in you, Grissy.
You don't take this matter in the
proper spirit. I'm going to find that
girl | tell YOU !"