The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-11-23
Spelling
the Game

the doings here at Glen Echo wrote
Elizabeth to her best friend at home.
Its a lovely little place-rather quiet,
you know. Only a few people are
here, but most of them are very con,
genial.
"As l didn't come with any expecta,
ton Of being a summer resort belle,
wasn't the least disturbed to dis,
cover that there was only one young
man to the two girls. They quickly
turned the trio into a quartet by add.
ing me to the group and we all had
the ~jolliest time imaginable for a
week.
tom Denby-we all call him Tom
lis bright and interesting and he
seemed perfectly content to flock with
us three girls without singing any one
of us out for special attention. AS he
was, of course, by far the best tennis
player of the lot. we took turns play.
ing as his partner, and at the little
hop, where most of the dancers were
married women and their young chill.
dren, he danced with us turn about,
with strictest impartiality.
IF he liked any one of US better
than the others, he never showed his
preference in the slightest degree. ]
was just beginning to think him about
the rarest and squarest man l had
ever met when Luella Penderton ap.
peared on the scene.
"She was so extremely gentle and
sweet, with such an appealing voice
and manner, that we girls never for a
moment suspected that a wolf had
come among us CARRIED in the 1eecy
softness of a baby lamb.
The very first morning after her
arrival she asked in a helpless sort of
way how a telegram could be sent.
"'You can telephone it over to the
village 1 said.
"'Oh, l shouldn't like to do, that
she replied. There's always danger
OF getting a message confused over
the phone. l always like to give it
to the operator myself. Is it too far
to walk to the village?'
"'No,' replied Tom. We walk over
nearly every day for ice cream. It's
only two miles,
Two miles! I'm afraid l couldn't
quite accomplish two miles and back
She looked down at her feet and
sighed as if reproaching them for be.
Ing SO inefectively small. Her trim,
high heeled patent leather pumps did
look absurdly little in contrast to the
loose tennis shoes the rest of US girls
were wearing.
II a row you across the lake,
said Tom, laying down his tennis
racket rather re%gretfully, 1 thought,
for we were just starting for the ten.
mis- court. That will save about q
mile
How kind of you! But I hate to
take you from the tennis. Don't you
think | could row myself? never did
row., but I'm sure it can't be so very
hard
tom laughed and said he thought
1t would be rather too strenuous a
beginning to row across the lake at
her first attempt. So we three girls
watched them set out together.
That, my dear Alice, was the be,
ginning of a duet between Tom and
Luella. Her eyes were not very
strong, she said, and she had a novel
which she was simply perishing to
a The first thing we knew Tom
was reading it to her in the most Sc
cluded hammock on the place. She
did not know how to swim and Tor
gave her lessons. Tennis was too VIC
lent for her and she couldn't watch
the game on account Of the suns
glare on the court. So Tom gave up
tennis and we three deserted damsels
gave up Tom. There was nothing else
to do. Luella absorbed almost every
hour of his entire day.
This had been going on for five
days and we were making up our
minds that the affair must surely end
in an engagement when yesterday an.
ether girl arrived at Glen Echo. Luel.
la looked somewhat startled when the
newcomer alighted from the village
bus in front Of the inn just as we all
came out after dinner.
1.-THE girl didn't ever wait to see
after her baggage before running ur
on the porch and enthusiastically EN-.
bracing Luella.
Aren't you surprised to see me-?
she asked exuberantly.
YES" murmured Luella in a
strangely unenthusiastic tone. How
did o happen to Gomez
Why. you see,' she laughed
brother Joe is SO desolate because he
can't be up here with you that he
thought the mex best thing was tc
send me. The poor dear is counting
the hours until you get back. Why
Luella, where's your ring? You
haven't lost it, have your
Tn not wearing it just, now an
swered Luella, a little coldly,
thought.
And what do you think, Alice
Tom strolled across the porch non
chalantly and asked us three girls i
We didn't feel like a set or two of ten