Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-12-14

AoCC CnOSo VlOlotS ana my sympathy
Tor Jim had in influencing my decision
q half-hour later 1t is not surprising,
under the circumstances, that for some
time after the odor of violets made
me i'll.
We all met downstairs in the living
room, quite informally, and Dallas
was banging away at the pianola,
tramping the pedals with the delicacy
and feeling Of football center-rush
Kicking a goal Mr.. HARRISON was
standing near the fire, little away
from the others, and he was all that
Anne had said and more in appear
ance. He was tall-not too tall, and
very straight. And after one got
past the oddly of his face being
Dronze-cOlOred above his white collar,
and of hje brown hair being sun
Dleached on top until it was almost
yellow, one realized that he was very
handsome. He had what one might
call a resolute nose and chin, and a
pleasant, rather humorous, mouth.
And he had blue eyes that were, at
that moment, wandering with interest
over the lot of US. Somebody shout
ed his name to me above the Tristan
and Isolde music, and l held out my
hand.
Instantly I had the feeling one
sometimes has, Of having done just
that same thing, with the same sur
roundings, in the same place, years
before. I was looking up at him, and
he was staring down at me and hold
Ing my hand. And then the music
stopped and he was saying:
Where was it?"
Where was what?" I asked. The
feeling was stronger than ever with
his voice.
I beg your pardon" he said, and
let my hand drop. "Just for a second
I had an idea that we had met before
somewhere, long time ago. I sup
pose-no, It couldn't have happened,
or | should remember" He was smi-
ling, half at himself
NO." I smiled back at him cit
didn't happen, I'm afraid-unless we
dreamed it."
"We?"
Il felt that way, too, for moment"
"The Brushwood Boy!" he said with
conviction. Perhaps we will find
common dream life, where we knew
each other. You remember the Brush
wood Boy loved the girl for years be-
fore they really met" But this was
a little too rapid, even for me.
Nothing so sentimental, I'm
afraid" / retorted. II have had ex-
actly the same sensation sometimes
when l have sneezed."
Betty Mercer captured him then
and took him off to see Jim's newest
picture. Anne bounced on me at
once.
isn't he delicious?" she demanded.
did you ever see such shoulders?
And such a nose? And he thinks we
are parasites, cumbers of the earth,
heaven knows what. He says every
woman ought to know how to earn
her living, in case of necessity! I
said | could make enough at bridge,
and he thought | was joking! He's a
dear," Anne was enthusiastic.
I looked after him. Oddly enough
the feeling IL at we had met before
struck me. Which was ridiculous Of
course, for we learned afterward that
the nearest we ever came to meeting
was that our mothers had been school
friends! Just then / saw Jim beck
oning to me crafty from the den. He
looked quite yellow. and he had been
iC fro
Fer heavens sake, come in, Xiii"
he said. II need a cool head Didn't
| tell you this is my calamity day."
Cook gomez" asked with interest.
/ was starving
He closed the door and took up a
tragic attitude in front of the fire.
did you ever hear of Aunt Selina?"
he demanded
81 knew there was one" l ventured,
mindful Of certain gossip as to
whence Jimmy derived the Wilson in
come.
Jim himself was too worried to be
cautious. He waved brazen hand
at the snug room, at the Japanese
prints on the walls, at the rugs, at the
COdhWOUu CdUlu0IS ana Iu0 SCT0Ou III
laid with pearl and ivory.
"All this" he said comprehensively
every bite / eat, clothes / wear,
drinks | drink-you needn't look like
that; | don't drink SO darned much
everything comes from Aunt Selma
buttons" he finished with a groan.
Selma Buttons" said ref1ectively.
Il don't remember ever having known
any one named Buttons, although I
had cat once
Damn the cat!" he said rudely.
Her name isn't Buttons. Her name
Is Caruthers, my Aunt Selma Caruth-
ers, and the money comes from but
tons"
"Oh," feebly.
TITS an old business" he went on,
with something of proprietary pride.
my grandfather founded it in 1775.
Made buttons for the Continental
army"
ooh. yes" I said. "They melted the