The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-10-12
The Genevieve Who Lost a Flavor

heart Of them seemed to be dying, for
James occasionally cast those glinting
eyes of his elsewhere, and felt few
Qualms about it. But still he said
Come and let U.S." because she was
in his set and it was pleasant that
way. Love her? Why-certainly.
Then, as she felt him drawing a bit
away from her, Genevieve held out a
coy hand to James. And after a time
James said: II have waited a long
time, Genevieve." And Genevieve
said: "You need not wait any longer,
James,"
They both expected a thrill, but it
failed to materialize. Genevieve got
busy with her trousseau, which was of
an elaborateness, and James was the
soul of devotion. But they were both
waiting for the flavor Of that big straw
berry, and they couldn't seem to catch
it. Then James whispered to himself:
"This isn't the biggest, this is just the
sizes we have been having for sew
eral years; wait till we are actually
married"
Genevieve wasn't thinking so much
about the strawberry because she had
all those clothes of hers On her mind.
But even at that she could occasional
ly smack her lips at the spoon and
miss it.
Well! Then came the great day, and
the church, and the six bridesmaids,
and the matron of honor-Genevieve
was about the last of her set-.and the
touching incident that gave heart in
terest to the occasion and lovely copy
to the society editor-for James, as
we'll as Genevieve, now belonged to
quite the first flight-but always was
James watching for the flavor Of the
big strawberry.
It might come when he slipped the
ring on-but then he was sweating
with horror because he had almost
dropped It,. It might come when the
"Voice That Breathed Ger Eden
waited them down the aisle-but then
he was cold because he had just been
kissed by his mother-in-law, who wore
put Genevieve into the carriage and
took his seat beside her, his own wife
but then they were finging rice and
old shoes and the rice got down his
collar. No flavor to the big straw
berry yet.
And they came back from their wed
ding tour, their honeymoon, and theil
lips were still undyed from the juice
Of that biggest of all Strawberries
And that is about all.
. Except that, of course, it woult
never do for Genevieve to think about
Another, nor yet regret those years be
fore she told James Eyes" 1t is al
ways best to wait until you know
your mind, of course it is.
And James, who is a man of affairs
and gathers up money, and-yes-anc
never hears the birds sing, must never
cast a glance over his shoulder at the
Janey-girl he used to be engaged to
and who is living a brave and usefu
life-but all alone. That would be
very wrong. And still less would hi
give a twinkle Of those now dull, blue
eyes of his farther and farther bacl
t to the red lips of the girl out in the
COuuIly, LLS Sll1 WAOoC 1lIIl0 uOuUAC
ring is in his box of remembers" be
/ cause she sent it back to him whe1
d he had been two years at college ant
grew careless about writing to her.
, But, surely, they can think abou
the fruit crop of this great land Of our
and what makes it seem to do quee.
things after arriving at a certain stag
t of ripeness?
1t was the very finest berry in thu
dish and now the old thing tastes jus
g like a sandheap and no strawberry a
9 ALL" Maybe Genevieve doesn't sa.
this out loud. Very often Genevieve!
o do not say such things out loud; the!
only feel them in the weary, sorr.
hearts of them.
"The berries are losing their favo:
this year," mutters James to his empt!
plate. "That big fellow looked fine
t the one I saved to the last-just as
used to do when I was a kid. Blu
e there wasn't a bit of flavor left. /
tasted just like-just like-ashes."
And James scowls at his plate a bi
8 and then shakes his broad shout
i ders and thinks to himself: ether,
t couldn't have been any such flavor a
s all, I am sure. 1t was just because
b was a kid"
Me?s like my berries with the dew
on them!
Copyright, by Associated Literary Press.
r No Vacancy for Him.
I'VE once had a night clerk whit