Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-07-31
BILLY THE BORE,
He Was Very Different From the
Poet and the HaIfback.
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.

| smile that was like sunshine on a
gloomy day. But among the girls OF
the college these qualities counted for
little for they worshiped ut the shrine
of the poet and OF the halfback. The
poet had long hair, and so had the half
back, but otherwise they had nothing
In common except that they both loved
Dulcie Drayton.
Billy loved Dulcie too. But he hadn't
half chance. for the poet wrote SON
nets to Dulcie's eyebrows. and the half
back let her shine In his reflected foot
ball glory
Now and then she consented TO make
Billy happy. "Yes. will walk with
you" she told him graciously one De-
tober day, only we mustn't go very
far. for have an engagement with the
halfback."
"All right" said Billy and promptly
forgot his watch.
The halfback was raging when they
finally reached Dulcie's home. I'VE
have missed the game" he said. "Of
course If had been playing couldn't
have waited; but, as 1t is, have hung
around''-
BILLY forgot his WATCH Dulcie apol-
ogized, land we didn't realize how late
It was
Il should think he would bore you to
DEATH" the halfback said when Billy
had left them. How can you stand
that fellow"
Hes not bad" Dulcie defended. "Of
course he hasn't such an awful lot Of
brains, and he hasn't done such Won
derful things as you have, but he's got
an awfully good disposition"
And the halfback, remembering his
own grumbling and growing, said
"Oh. WELL" uncomfortably and Won
dered IL Dulcie was hitting at him.
A few days later the poet took
Dulcie TO task about Billy. "You
danced with him four times last
night" he said. "and wanted you TO
sit out those last two In the conserva-
tory with me. | had new poem TO
read to you. II was about young Oc-
tober's golden eyes, and II is dedicated
to YOU
Read 1t to me now" said Dulcie.
'I'd love to hear It."
"rhe atmosphere isn't right" the
poet fretted, mot here on the campus.
but last night there was little moon,
and there were red roses on the lat
tice."
BILLY Is an awfully good dancer"
Dulcie reflected. which. as the poet
generally got tangled up even In
twostep, was not tactful.
For several days after that, how
ever. the rivalry between the poet and
the halfback was so intense that Billy
was left completely In the back
ground
The poet sat up iaif the night writ
ing verses, and the theme was "love,
love- love-" and he claimed every
spare moment of Dulcie's time to read
them to her.
HE writes about my hair" she told
Billy, "and calls it soft spun silk
shimmering in the sunshine
Il don't see the use of stringing out
a lot of shimmering sunshine SEN
fences when your hair is too beautiful
to be described" said Billy bluntly.
Dulcie smiled up at him. AFTER
all. like the way you put 1t. Billy"
she said, land I'm glad you like the
color of my hair"
81 love It," Billy stated, "and I love
you. Dulcie."
"Oh. oh, you mustn'tw Dulcie pro-
tested
"Well. not now. II you don't want me
to, but l shall tell you again, Dulcie."
Billy answered.
"And he WILL" Dulcie told her most
intimate friend that night. He viii
ask me over and over again."
"Well, Of course you couldn't marry
him." said the intimate friend calmly.
mot such bore"
II am not sure that Billy deserves
that nickname" said Dulcie. He
doesn't talk moonshine like the poet
or brag Of himself like the halfback,
but he does say some nice, sensible,
good hearted things, and he has a
lovely smile"
The intimate friend sat up and look
ed at her. well, OF all things" she
said; II believe you are half In love
with him. How you can think Of him
when you have the choice Of two such
men as the poet and the halfback Is
more than can understand"
But are they really In love with
me:' Dulcie demanded.
"They have asked you to marry
them, haven't theyf" Marion asked.
"Yes. But somehow II seems TO me
that they are always thinking Of them
selves. But Billy thinks OF me-"
"oh," Marion said softly. II know
what you mean. II you married the
poet or the halfback you would hav,
to worship at their shrlnes. while Billy
would worship at yours"
YES" said Dulcic. that's II. and a
man who loves you that way can't
exactly bore you, can hey'
a. 4.