Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-12-28
Disposiing Of
Veronica

ting eXasperated at man." wrote the
girl at summer resort to her dear
est friend at home "It is that you
think you never can be more exasper-
ated than on that special occasion
and then the very next time you get
eXasperated you are astonished to find
how much more so you can be!
II don't know anything better calcu-
lated to infuriate one than to see a
perfectly nice man idiotically IN the
tolls of another girl whose motive is
though the men are blind and imbe-
cile In her presence.
When Veronica Bondy first appear
ed on the hotel veranda and l had
watched her ten seconds l sighed be-
cause l knew what was ahead of me.
l was to view the spectacle of every
man on the place trotting around in
her wake carrying things and asking
her anXiously if the hot sun didn't
make her head ache and couldn't they
get her something cool to drink and
didn't she want to go and look at the
moon!
Nevertheless, 1 privately excepted
Arthur Daw from the list of lunatics
because-well, just because. And that
very night at dance he said in the
middle of waltz: Hasn't that new
girl Miss Bondy, the most wonderful
face? Like a child's in its innocent
appeal!'
II think l exhibited great self-con-
troll. Instead of telling Arthur that she
was selfish, cold blooded, designing
little mink with no sense and whose
motto in regard to womankind was
No quarter!' agreed with him. This
encouraged him to add that such
girl, who was 80 helpless and con-
fiding and trustful always brought out
the best in man, somehow. Where
upon l told him I'd like to sit down
and rest
"Of course there is nothing else so
plentiful in the world as men; still, 1
didn't fancy letting Veronica Bondy
walk off with Arthur just to show me
that she could do it.
so when Veronica blockaded the
way as Arthur and l started out to
walk three miles through the woods
to farm house where they sell ap-
pies, and said pathetically that she
was so lonesome and there was moth
ing to do. l promptly asked her to
come along. That three miles is most
ly climbing hills or coming down
them, and part of the way the sand is
deep. She had on delicate pumps and
silk stockings and a frilly dress-and
| was CARRIED in khaki and walking
boots.
She hated to walk-I saw it in her
eyes-but she hated worse to let me
escape with Arthur for the whole aft
ernoon. So she started When Ar
thur walks he wallls-and though he
slowed down when | murmured that
we were firing Miss Bondy he chafed
under it, He dislikes sauntering.
When we had stopped for the fourth
time so he could help Veronica re-
move the sand from her absurd shoes,
his lips were setting in a straight
line and he looked to me for sympa-
thy, but | merely beamed
When we started back it began to
rain steadily. If there is anything
soppier and wetter than the woods
when it pours rain I'd like to be in
formed of it. My hair curls naturally
and rain doesn't hurt khaki, so didn't
care, but Veronica was indignant. She
complained dreadfully and somehow
conveyed the idea that the rain was
due solely to Arthurs carelessness.
The more her complexion ran off the
more she complained, and at the end
of mile her hair looked like seaweed.
Her style demands fuffiness or Golf
fure to appear we'll at every hill she
stormed. She said once that it must
be nice to be a great, husky muscular
creature like me and be able to nego-
for a delicate, womanly person like
herself, it was different.
THAT was when blithely suggested
to Arthur that he carry her. She'd
have let him, truly believe, only he
pretended not to hear me. She in
sisted on clinging to his arm, however,
and being dragged up the hill. Now
a man has got to be utterly hopelessly
in love with woman before he en-
joys dragging her up hill when she
is quite capable of walking by her.
self. l think the sight of me ambling
merrily along as though l was good
for another 25 miles added to his irri-
tation.
when we were in sight of the ho-
tel turned around and smiled hap
PLY at them. At that moment | ap-
preciated to the utmost my curly hair
and the color the rain had brought to
my cheeks. And Arthur had had to
look at her for three solid miles.
1--WE had perfectly beautiful
time!' l was hateful enough to say.
- hope said Veronica, in voice
of rage-for she knew how she look
ed-'that l don't have pneumonia and
die from this!'
Here, Arthur stormed the minute
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