Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1911-07-14

frantic endeavOr to dig out q mole.
Time was when Billy would have Sec
onded B%elshazzar's efforts-but today
he would scarce have turned his head
to watch a circus parade. The somber
black pail of utter desolation had set
tied over him and life. which once
its useleSsnesS.
For Billy was in love, and his love
was scorned, faunted, derided and re-
fused-and at Billy's age such things
count. The iron had struck deep into
his soul and broken off, and the barbs
still ranked.
That he had reached the epochal age
of ten before attaining the grand pas
sion shows at least that he did not
wear his heart upon his sleeve. Pre-
viously he had sauntered idly along
the primrose path of dalliance, in
dulged in tentative flirtations with his
nurse. mis- Kindergarten teacher, and
the p~ink-cheeked fairy with the laxen
curls who waved him generous kisses
with her chubby hands from the ad-
joining lawn.
On the evening of his tenth birthday
he had had a party-such a party!
At the party she appeared, pink
checked, adorable dimpled, demure,
looking for Ill the world as though
she might have wandered, just awak-
ened, from some huge gilt frame in the
picture gallery-the type of little girl
that one instinctively longs surrepti-
tiously to pinch to convince ones self
of her reality; also she lisped enchant-
ingly, and at her advent Billy beheld
his pr%econceived ideas of femininity
take instant flight.
But you must dance with the other
little girls ALSO" protested his mother.
gently guiding his reluctant steps
where duty pointed, land I'm afraid
Bessie's mamma would not like to
have her eat more than four dishes of
ice cream in one evening"
Bessie-divine name!
After a months devotion on his
part, Bessie had passed him on the
avenue that forenoon, seated in the
donkey cart of the snub-nosed boy
across the street, haughtily uncon.
scious of his existence, while he Of the
snub nose had g~rinned at him often,
sively as they passed.
True, Billy had sauntered casually
across the street later in the day and
gravely pummelled the snub-nosed one
in the ~seclusion of the coach house
till he howled for mercy, but this con
summation of righteous vengeance wa:
- l-1A -;4a uS~,,a ~--f1hV11@ f1r ~.
tickle Bessie.
Appeared presently around the cor
ner of the house Billy's big uncle Jack
likewise engulfed in gloom. with hand
in pockets and unlighted pipe ~despond
emily aslant, who seated himself be
side Billy upon the steps and watched
Belshazzar's efforts deiectedly.
An Uncle Jack u~nsociable, untalka
tive and downcast of men was distinct,
new to Billy's experience that he view
ed the phenomenon with wonder
ment. Could it be possible that tn
barbed shafts of jealousy had like
wise entered his soul? With chin /
hand Billy pondered upon the probler
in silence.
. All HS a IL. SoNoS VA oh~
Jacks woe was plain to him. Aroun
the tickle, the inconstant Bessie r.
volved an attendant satellite ycleI
! Aunt Agatha, after whom Billy liza
: lately observed his Uncle Jack danglin
. quite disgracefully. though why Bill
Z could not understand, certainly she WE
Z not pretty-that is, from Billy's stan
+ point-lacking the adorable Bessie
\ pink cheeks and infantile plumpnes
\ likewise her be%witching lisp.
d Then, too, she blushed If spoken
1: suddenly, which Billy regarded as
Il foolish habit, and III in the ear
4 stage of their acquaintance when
ID had shown her a little green snake
4, longer han that, she had shudder'
with horror and begged him to tai
. the horrid thing away.
=. Still, if Uncle Jack liked that sc
all of a girl-all right. There was
N: accounting for tastes.
or or Belshazzar, d~espairing at last of ca
Of Oh turing the mole, cooked an ear inqu
Ct. ingly at each of his audience in tul
g. and. neither offering further DIVERT:
!. ment curled himself up comfortat
between Billy's feet and went to slef
m Billy cogitated further. Uncle ia
had openly evinced a pronounced FOL
q ness for the society of Bessie's au
NJ and now when by all precedent
,no should have been playing golf W
an her. he was sitting on the garden ste
staring gloomily at nothing.
For this state of affairs there COZ
Il be but n plausible explanation b
sizes aunt had deceived Uncle ia
even as Bessie had deceived aim. Gl
were all alike.
= Then suddenly he remembered n
.,sS ing seer her whizzing down he a