The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-09-16
Billy's
College Girl
Bv CLAUDINE S1SSON

u By CLAuD1NE s1ssoN
/ F===]
MAKE that girl your wife, Billy,
and drag your mothers gray hairs in
sorrow to the Dust" cried Mrs. Hol-
ton, throwing her apron over her head
and giving way to her grief.
Il wouldn't do that for a hundred
Wives" Billy declared.
and we'll you mightn't!" she
sobbed. you can have a hundred
wives but only one mother"
Not now since they shut down on
polygamy in Utah." Billy laughed.
"Oh, yes. make light of your mother
which you never used to do before
you took up with herr"
%, come. mother" Billy coaxed,
you know never mean to make light
Of you!"
well. then. take my advice and
bring me helpful daughter instead
Of that Eighty"
"Leora isn't Eighty, mother" Billy
Interrupted earnestly.
Her name shows the kind Of a girl
she is" Mrs. Holton asserted.
"She isn't responsible for her name.
you know" Billy returned good.hu-
moredly. II wish you'd let me bring
her to see you, mother. I'm sure you'd
like her when"
I'm sure wouldn't! And you'll
novor m q rrv fhot An{olyv oi<11 rvlvI NTH
my CONSENT" She jerked her apron
from her head angrily.
Gall right, then. I'll die an old
bachelor" Billy assented. But Leora
Is neither finicky nor a city girl. She
was Iaised-"
Il don't care where she was raised!"
Mrs. Holton bounced up "She's a col
lege miss that knows nothing of saving
Tor a man-doing her own work and
making soft soap and such things"
That reminds me-but first"
Billy laid his hands on his mothers
shoulders, looking at her affectionate-
ly. Let US not quarrel or have hard
feelings over this. mother. can't
help it that I care for Leora and that
I never cared for any other girl.
can't say that I'll never marry her, but
I'll wait till you feel differently about
IT,"
Il never will. Billy boy" Mrs. Hol-
ton dropped her head on his breast II
can't consent to it. but we needn't
have hard feelings"
They kissed and made up. Then.
with grin of mischief, Billy impaired
bis news.
"Your speaking of soap made me
think Of It. met Mrs. Jenkins this
morning and she limited that she had
the c1nch on the blue ribbon for soft
soap this year."
THE idea," Mrs. Holton's head went
up like war horse. Much obliged
to her for nothing"
Il suppose she thought she'd save
you the disappointment of trying for
It," said Billy. "She said there'd never
been such superfne soft soap at our
county fair as that she had just I'm
lshed."
"Superfine tiddlesticks!" Mrs. Hol-
ton flared. Martha Jenkins was al
ways boaster. She's never beat me
In her life, and won't this year. Sarah
Jane Pratt came near 1t last fall.
don't know but she could If she'd keep
ut it instead Of teaching. There's q
smart girl for some young man." she
sighed, and Billy squirmed. His moth
er's desires concerning the thrifty
Sarah Jane had not been kept hidden
But I'll show Martha Jenkins and
the whole county!" Mrs. Holton said.
II never have come out second best
on soft soap yet and I never will"
Billy doubted If the county was
much interested in the matter of soft
soap, but he sympathized with his
mothers ambition to win in the annual
competition. Mrs. Holton was ex-
tremely saving in all her ways and
had never wasted" money on store
soap. She considered it the limit of
shiftlessness In woman to buy in
stead of making the family soap.
though she proflted by It and turned
many a penny from the sale of her
own superior article. In her opinion
to be a good soapmaker was the end
of girls education.
Secure in her own supremacy, Mrs.
Holton laughed heartily as she told
her friend, Mary Beach, of Martha
Jenkins presumption.
Her soap is extra fine," Mary re-.
piled reluctantly. ''She showed it to
me. She came across some new
wrinkle in soapmaking at her sisters
this summer. 1t looks so much like
your best that couldn't see any diff.
ference; but looks isn't all with the
Judges of course.
mot IL they know their business.
Well, we'll see who comes out best. u
Mrs. Holton's eyes snapped.
She felt entirely satisfied with her
production when 1t was finally ready.
She knew It was the best she had ever
made, and that was saying much. She
had two entries and was certain that
Martha Jenkins would not only miss
the blue ribbon, but as had happened
before. would not even get second.
Mrs. Holton had always gone early
on the day Of awarding the premiums
that she might tho sooner enjoy hel
No Need to Go Further.
Assemblyman John G. Hackett o.
New York recently told this story
In a speech: Il was up In Rocklant
county last summer and there was ,
banquet given at a country hotel. AL
the farmers were there and all thu