Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-01-13

Little Emily knew a great deal about
men. She was nineteen and had been
twice engaged. with third engage
ment now imminent. She was pretty,
had clever wit and pair of dancing
eyes whose depths men longed to pene-
trate. A dainty and dashing originali-
y marked her manner and her dress.
No wonder, said envious persons, that
. girl born with such culver Of at
fractions should have adorers falling
constantly before her arrows.
Now Emily's cousin, Honoria, was
better looking, as standards go. She
was tall, Of classic type and fine color
ing. Honoria could talk intelligently
among women or among old friends;
but natural difidence in the presence
Of man, particularly Of man with pre-
sumable intentions. often made her
blushing and dumb at the very time
when she wished most for natural self
expression. She did not suffer from
lack of admiration, mostly of the un-
uttered, worshipful kind; but she had
to accept from those who voluntarily
sought her out and offered homage;
she could not, like Emily, cast an ex
pert eye over the field and draw to her
the most interesting victim. All un-
aware of this limitation, she had been
content until the advent of a certain
man. Now, in singing humility, hand
some Honoria came to Emily for
counsel.
It was a summer morning. Emily
In short-waisted, ankle-length dim
ity. with bit of blue ribbon for a
belt a pair of long gloves over her
bare arms, and an enormous hat bent
into the shape of poke bonnet tied
by blue ribbon, might have stepped
from the pages of Kate Greenaway, as
she bent over long row of sweet peas
In her garden, shipping their brilliant
and too prolific bloom. Honoria sighed.
as she looked over the gate. Emily
would be charming, digging earth
worms! Now, in such a costume"
Hello. Honoria." the CHEEKY greet
ing interrupted. And Honoria, signing
again. opened the gate and went in.
Emily" she said, after a few min
utes, IL know you'll think me fool.
At least, am wise enough to come to
you for advice. There's something l
want to DO and don't know how.
want you to help me-
Emily looked up from her flowers to
her cousins serious face and straight
way dropped her shears
you are exceedingly sober, fair cou-
sin." she said gayly. 81 can't imagine
what advice you want from me. I'm
less it's clothes. shall eternally dis
agree with you about your clothes.
Your type demands austere mag
nificence, not Quakerish simplicity. l
wish you would let me-"
Honoria dismissed the subject with
. wave of her hand. 1T is not Clothes"
she said abruptly. at is man."
Emily stared.
A warm wave swept over Honoria,
20 that her face and neck famed sun
set pink, but her eyes met Emily's
oourageously.
II know l ought to be ashamed. l
am intensely. But you could do the
very thing want to do without being
ashamed at ALL"
Emily remained silent and curious.
1T is-Gregory," she went on slow
ly. Nov, we've always known each
other in distant way. After he came
home from college we met and-we
had both grown up meantime and
seemed different to each other-and
he was conspicuously nice to me- 1t
looked at first like what you call
crush. Well, I've seen him a good
many times since and he comes over
frequently and he's taken me places
you know"
"Well?" said Emily
WELL" Honoria responded, her eyes
reddening and her lips tremulous
There we are and there we stay. +
believe he likes me and any girl but
me would have landed him long ago."
She broke into rueful laughter.
Sounds lovely. doesn't it,"
Emily smiled alphabetically and
Honoria continued. when he's away
l imagine all the brilliant things I'm
going to say to him and all the inter-
esting topics we're going to discuss
and l plan something pleasant to do.
And then-oh. Emily, I'm so disguised
with myself When he comes all the
spontaneousness and lightness rush
from me and I find myself a self-con-
scious iceberg, SO terribly afraid of
OVERRIDING my welcome that l freeze
him. And then he's uncomfortable and
I'm embarrassed. And everything I've
planned has gone out of my head or
cart be brought up without being
dragged in and I'm a miserable image.
think he's beginning to wonder what
It is about me that he likes. Next thing
he'll be wondering why he thought he
cared for me. And now, very soon,
he's going into the city to practise law.
And some other girl will get him." Her
voice fell to broken utterance. You
see. Emily, IL want him myself. |
don't care about any Of the others
l..~k Nrooorv