The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-09-16
1T WAS LOVELY,
BUT NOT SAFE
BY ELIZABETH GAINES
Copyright, 1910, by american Press
Association.

Bert" said Celia-"you're altogether
too serious. When your face is at rest
you have a very harsh look. Your
smile is delightful. Unfortunately you
never smile"
"Have you any more compliments
like that" asked Bert. "For If you
have you'd better dismiss me alto
gether."
Bert Cummings left his fiancee very
much disgruntled. He unbosomed him
self to his friend Arnold Priestley,
who sat thinking while Bert talked.
Finally Priestley said:
II would advise you to try hypno-
tism. know man who can make
people laugh or weep or anything else
he likes. He doesn't put them to sleep,
either. shouldn't be surprised If he
could make you smile. I'll take you to
see him."
Cummings assented, and they went to
see the hypnotist, Smithers. Smithers
said he could make the young man
smile, but as soon as the hypnotic eff
feet was removed he would become
serious again.
Bert said he believed he'd try it. He
was to go to see Celia Effingham that
evening and he would like to give her
for once all the smiles she required.
At half past that evening Miss Eff
fingham heard the doorbell ring and
| flew to admit her lover. There was
Bert with q beautiful smile on his
face. Celia was right about Bert's
smile. 1t was enhancing. There was
delightful curl to his lips, dimple
in each cheek, and his regular white
teeth showed beneath his dark mus
tache.
"Oh, Bert" said Celia, clasping his
hands, "how handsome you are when
you smile! Keep it up!'
"I'll try. Ha, har' Bert responded.
Because Helen and Molly and Lou
are all coming in tonight to meet you.
If you will keep up that smile all the
evening they'll be delighted with you.
You know how anxious l am that
these my dearest friends should be
pleased with you"
"I'll be cordial. Ha, ha, hap
There was another ring at the bell.
| and the girls were admitted.
"This," said Celia, rs Mr.. Albert
Cummings, Miss Helen Ward"
A bow and ha-ha!
"And Miss Molly Malloy."
A bow and ha-ha-ha!
"And Miss Louise Truesdale."
A bow and ha-ha-ha-ha!
Albert's smile was contagious. His
fancee caught 1t, and it extended to
the three other girls.
"Helen," said Celia, you are my old
est friend. l propose that Bert shall
sit by you first while we three have
bit of gossip by ourselves. Then I'll
turn him over to Molly and then to
Lou"
So down sit Mr. Cummings and Miss
Ward to get acquainted
I'm very glad to meet you," says
the lady. Cecilia and are such very
old friends that one who is to be so
| LuuCu W DluSJ DG HULL "
Bert smiled that heavenly smile OF
his, and Miss Ward was beside herself
| Never before had man smiled at her
like that. Every time she made re-
mark Bert smiled, or, rather, his lips
wore a perpetual smile which was in
tensified at every remark. He made
no other reply. Whether his hypnotic
| condition admitted Of his receiving
what was said to him and making a
| reply is question. Probably his keep
| ing his mouth shut was an advantage
to him.
1t was not very long before Celia
concluded to change the girl with
whom her lover was getting acquaint-
ed. Celia had observed Helen's gaze
fixed on Bert's beautiful smile and
thought it time to break the spell. So
Molly was substituted.
"Tm so glad for dear Celia" said
Molly.
"Ha, ha"
II consider her happiness the same
as my own"
"Ha. ha, har'
In the beginning of a conversation
Bert's smile was more of a laugh.
After that it simmered down into a
mere curvature of the lips. But the
dimples were there and the pearly
teeth under the mustache. The eff
feet on Molly was the same as on
Helen, only more so. Celia, seeing
that Molly couldn't very long keep her
hands off Bert, made the third change,
putting Lou In Molly's place.
II don't blame you for not being
able to conceal your happiness" said
Lou.
"Ha, haw
ats delightful to be engaged, isn't
it,"
"Ha, ha, ha"
zone feels like smiling all the
while"
"Ha, ha, ha, ha!'
Lets have the conversation gen.
eral," said Celia, moving her chair to-
ward Bert and Lou. Draw up, girls"
Celia tried to talk to one or two Of
the girls, while the other conversed
with Bert But 1t wis no use. Every
girls attention was fixed on that beau
tiful smile. Celia rose, with great
hauteur, and walked into the hall, mo-
tioning Bert to follow her.
"Go home" she said, "and get that
idiotic grin of your faceV
Bert went to Smithers, who dehypno-
tized him. When Bert saw his fiancee
again he had his hard look on his face.
AZ don't like 1t so WELL" said Celia,
''but it's safer-much safer"
FoxgloVe.