Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-11
Eve,,;,,g Story
WILLIAM ACQUIRES WISDOM.
BY STACY e. BAKER.

no one in Toddytown knew this except
pretty Mamie Montclair, q girl who
won secrets from confidential admirers
only to give them freely to the world.
Gaylord-the serious. angular.
specialized William-had long travelled
conspicuously in the train of NAMES
admirers, and although she deigned
him barly more than curt nod and
pleasant salutation on any occasion.
there were those who averred that she
cared more for him than for all the
others.
The Montclair. damsel was thorn
In the sides Of the envious feminine
contingent of the town. When Mamie,
gawky girl In pigtails, had been
thrust upon train and sent TO MRS.
Gentrys finishing school at Savan'
nah there was no one to prophesy the
mighty change that was to take place
in her during her two seasons WIFI
the famous southern beauty maker.
Mrs. Gentry deplored NAMES al
minutiveness, but she marveled mucn
over the maids complexion and astute'
" saw great possibilities in her dark
but clumsy braids.
There had been no bevies OF men
admirers In those days. Willie Cay
lord had peered mistily at the de-
parting one through thick and ugly
glasses-and he had been all! HIS
hand had gripped hers in tight
clasp, and after several attempts he
had convulsively spoken a formal
eoodby and hurried away. Mamie
was Young but she had understood.
Now it was different. Willie was only
to hn
tering male moths around the flame
Of Nantes personality. At least TINS
seemed to be the existing condltlon
to the denser brains Of the men VINO
watched. With the women 1t was dlf'
ferent. They could see the trend OF Ma
mics thought.
Much Of the Montclair currency
the family Golfers were kept replen-
ished from the profits of factory
manufacturing popular hand SOAP
was spent upon Mamie. She was given
trips abroad, seasons in the metropo.
Ills: yachts and automobiles were at
her disposal, and, In fact, anything
for which she wished was laid at her
little feet. She ran the gamut of In
nocent pleasures. She sounded the
depths OF every mans affection-that
is, every man except the slim, narrow
chested William. Serenely he watched
her triumphs, but his lips remained
mute.
In these days William had begun to
destroy much good white paper, and
with two fingers he was laboriously.
painfully, learning the intricacies OF
the typewriter.
His attempts at fiction were crude,
his unskilled pencil generally build
ing a stick for hero and trump
for a heroine. His stuff was unreal.
lifeless. His effusions haste' = J
promptly back when submitted to !. !
magazines.
It was well that the Gaylord for
tune was large-ample enough to
allow the attenuated youth to favor
his proftless fad. There was no
money in the production of fiction
for William.
lust before Mamie had taken leave
of Toddytown on another sudden
schemed, acknowledgements trip
across the seas she had given The
youth whole afternoon.
William had not wholly improved
his onnortunities. He had not spoken
word OF love.
He had. however, broken in the
crypt of his heart to parade his am
bilious secret before her.
Mamie Montclair had listened Sc
riously to the budding genius.
"Haye you sold any of your stories?"
she asked, deity arranging dark
curl.
"Not yet" acknowledged William
1 fyv0
| tiers from editors-outside Of the reg
ular run of refusal slips, you know
asking me to submit more of my
work"
"Keep it up" encouraged the girl,
II ON sure you can win if-if only
you will believe in yourself. You
haven't enough self-confdence." She
blushed at some subtle thought not
plain to the admiring Gaylord, who
was now watching her with admiring
eyes.
| ~ believe can do much-if .ou
want me to-" he said simply, and this
was as near sentiment as he ap-
preached during the afternoon, al
though the forelock of opportunity
dangled temptingly time and again
before his fingers
After Mamie had been gone for
some time, there came back to Gay
! lord letter bearing foreign stamp.
Willie recognized the handwriting.
"From her." he murmured, and as
there was no one there to see, he
pressed his lips to the envelope.
Mamie, it seemed, was interested in
Willie's ambition to become one Of
! the producers Of popular fiction. She
wished to keep In touch with him, to
learn Of his triumphs. to condole with
him over his failures, to encourage
him. Some of this was implied; some
boldly told him in frank sentences.
Through the letter, however, ran
thread Of romance, not wholly agree
able to the youth.
Il have met perfect dear Of a
man here" the girl wrote. HE is
duke or count or something and
he is Just too sweet! He shows me
marked attention. Several other
illusions were made to this scion Of
nobility; so many, in fact, that Will