The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-03-24

Old Captain Banding had two alb
sorblng passions in life-his love for
cards and his love for his daughter
That's.
1t Was wonderful how many young
men We're willing to pass their even
ings ut the captains house playing
with him. Tie was wary old oppo-
nent and all but inyincible.
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
times when fourth hand was needed
at whist she lent her aid Otherwise
she betook herself to the par.or and
practlced as diligently as If there was
not a man in the house.
Aunt Lefty, Captain Blanding's wild
owed sister. kept house for him and
hip'HtiNt us otlitl W iSt lllotlltIltSS
daughter She was gentle soul,
large hearted and small minded. who
made the best doughnuts In town. BY
the aid of her smiles and her cakes
she encouraged eligible men to fire.
queht the captains house, hoping that
some one of them would prove ac-
eeptablc to That's
That's name had been given her be
cause of an early fondness of her ia
ther for Greek literature. That's, de
spite her name. did not lean toward
scholarly achievement. She was
butterfly, very beautiful to look at
and very difficult to catch.
She had read little poetry and very
many romanccs where the heroines
We're all beautiful like herself and the
heroes proved their devotion by as
founding deeds of Valor. These men,
who sat evening after evening with
bits of red and black pasteboard be-
tween them, evidently lacked every
heroic quality.
W hen che by one these timid adorers
laid his heart at her feet she promptly
trampled upon It and sent him away
smarting
When after few evenings he did
not again appear the old captain would
wonder mildly what kept him away
Sometimes he asked the victim and re-
ceived II stammered excuse.
by the time the young mans place
at the card table was filled the captain
had ceased to remember him
1t was Sheldon King who brought
Billy Smith to the house for the first
time. Billy Wis Ii newcomer ia Ken
sington and wholly unacquainted He
was Il little fellow with hair of no
particular shade of brown. n square,
plain face and blue eyes behind
glasses. lie 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 10 1t with n WILL and when he
went away the captain slapped him
on the shoulder and told him he would
make player If he kept at It, The
captain always said that To the de
feated, who sometimes chewed their
lips over il bitterly
The captain conceived II great liking
for Billy, and 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 tcld 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 10 be
seen ut the captains card table. But
Billy came unfailingly. The captain
was delighted with him.
Here at last was Il 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.
Ilt sAuNtd AWAY WV hiph'h't anu tbs
captain openly fretted for him. Then
one evening Billy appeared with box
of the captains favorite cigars. The
captain fairly wept for JOY at sight OF
him and shook his hand twenty times.
He called Thais to see who had come.
That's came, startled by the clamor and
little disguised when she found only
Billy. She gave him cool little hand
and cool little smile and a cool little
phrase of welcome, then returned to
the piano and Chaminade. She did not
understand Billy who brought cigars
to her father instead OF bonbons to her.
Two years went by The circle about
the captains card table had changed
many times and had dwindled to an
occasional wdower, silly Tom Pike
and Billy. One by one the other young
men had mended their hearts and Of
fered them good as new elsewhere.
The votive offerings that now came
to That's shrine were far less frequent.
Billy brought her nothing at all. but 1t
was wonderful how many little things
he found to present the captain with.
He even gave Aunt Lefty beautiful
crochet hook with chased gold han
die
More years passed and more slowly
for That's Chaminade had ceased to
charm her, and she missed the excite
ment of past alteration. Mr. Sweet
had gone away, and Tom Pike, In de
spair Of winning That's, had married
woman easier to WOO There were no
new lovers Forthcoming, for That's was
now generally labeled dangerous More
over, she had ceased to be the beauty
of the time.
She had reached a very trying period
OF her life, being too old to go In the
young set, too young to go in the old
set and prohibited by reason Of her
maidenhood from the married set.
Her dreams did not, as In the past,
satisfy her. Her hero, the ideal of her
imaginings, had not come. She believ-
ad Ia.