The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-16

This year he had thought Nancy
looked tagged and worn. and into the
midst OF vacation plans he had thrown
d quiet question.
What Of Nan She has never had
Ia vacation Why can't one Of You
girls stay with me and let Nancy 70
away
There was q chorus Of protest. But
father Nan Is home all the time She
doesn't work hard She doesn't re-
quire q resti The rest Of us are polk
ed np all day for nine months IN the
year over stupid children! Nancy
doesn't need a vacation,
Nancy had not been there and
never knew of the argument; She had
become used to staying at home dur
ing the warm summer days and had
4 learned TO arrange The house SO that
/ il always seemed cool and inviting to
her father on his return at night,
\ With one maid servant, Nancy did
4 not have much work to do, but IL was
\ the monotony Oh the lonely life that
told npon her and drove the pink from
her checks and the elasticity from
her step.
50 the girls got away all right
4 questioned Mr. owen as he unfolded
/ bis napkin that night.
Yes said Nancy spi itedly.
I Peel bit lonely, honey?'
Just little, father"
1--WE must get time TO run around
to some Of the summer shows, Nan.
Ii wont do for us to get down in the
mouth just because we're left alone,
eh?"a MI owen finished his soup
before he peered at Nancy around the
/ pinK-shadded lamp
She was smiling brightly as she
smiled every year when her father
A made the same remark Mr. owen
4 detested every TO-. m OF entertainment
save the opera and Nancy merifully
never held him to his half-veiied pro
misses
Afew days after this Mr.. owen tel
ephoned TO Nancy that he would bring
guest home to dinner tnat nighr
II was not uncommon for her father
to invite some business friend TO dim
ner, and the girl was accustomed tc
. listen quietly to much talk ab0At bus
mess and politics.
so she laid another place at the
table and added few touches to the
dainty arrangement, 1t was all very
cool and appetizing after the hot
glare OF the downtown streets. A
frosted green shade on the lamp, a
bunch Of dark purple yiolets In 3
silver vase, the sparkle of cut glass
and polished silver, made the mea
most inviting
In the parlor now shrouded il
brown linen and softly Lighted from
the chandeliers, Nancy sal and playet
on the piano until after her father
latch key grated in the lock. She
hea d the sound Of voices and knew
they had gone upstairs. Presently heI
fathers voice in the doorway, reused
her from half reyerie.
Nancy, dear, ! want to introduce
Mr.. Ballingef-Iay daughter, the stay
at-home, Ballinger'
Tho girl found herself greeting {
younger man than any her father haC
vet introduced He was young anC
: decidedly handsome, with the goOl
looks that are the endowment of per
feet health He was tall and H.
shoulders were broad, and he carried
than with little free swing tina
seemed TO belong more to the opel
Z country than to the cramped cit,
life
He looked with interest at littl
! Nancy in her sott white gown Will
ST. ing of pearls about her whit
throat The brown hair was brushe,
{ softly back fro nher white forehea
! and the perfect crescents of her darl
, brows were arched above her stead.
blue eyes.
Nancy flushed under his scrutiny
3 brief as it was, and with a few woru
+ OF < Getting left the room to give las
+. instructions about dinner When TN
! gong rang she was waiting in tn
dinning room
+ Mr. Ballinger did not permit tn
/ conversation to linger among the dr..
details Of business or politics, h'
brought Nancy into a warm discus
X sion of the merits Of rival opera sing
z ers, and laughingly gave ia when shl
had defeated his arguments. Thei
, talk TUNED upon art and travel an
i MIR. owen learned with surprise tina
his little stay-athomc daughter pos
Sc sed a richly stored mind and
l. wide knowledge OF subjects upo
d which he confessed himself quite il
norant. Both Nancy and her fathe
found Paul Ballinger intensely inter
y esting.
!, Nancy sighed little when tn
e dinner was ended, but afterward, 4
the parlor, 1t was still more delight
ful Mr.. Owens asked Nancy to sin
I and she ought out her old books an
) played as only Nancy could play Al
D the old fayorites that the two me
demanded the girl sang in her ric
contralto voice and sometimes Ba
@ linger joined IN with what Name
Z thought was the sweetest tenor IN th
d wosld
After that Paul Ballinger came o
ten. Sometimes he dropped around !
= the evening and they sat in the shi
y dow of the front door and talked
, the two men grew more ntimatel
acquainted while the girl sat nea
by, happy to listen to the convers,
: ton the only man who had eve
! attracted her
c Sometimes Balhnger brougl
: around his motor car ard the thre
{. went for long spins into the countr
Nancy often wondered what her ST
ters would have said TO see her o
such occasions She was sure tha