The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-07-24
The Struggle
for Arthur

1t dawned on Miss Violet Mills in .
surge OF regret that there were disad-
vantages connected with being 16
Vears old.
For example, If one were displeased
with friend one could not make up
! face and say "Smarty! You think
you're smart, don't you?" And no
,ther method OF procedure really
seemed to at the present case.
There was not particle of doubt
hat Elsie Wangness had deliberately
yet out to trap Arthur. He had come
70 visit in the Mills home, displaying
he full glory Of his gray summer suit.
aeliotrope silk socks and tie, and wite
10 businesslike assortment OF golr
clubs and tennis rackets and accom-
panied by Speckle. the sportiest look
!ng Boston bullpup that ever was seen
IN that street. Since Arthur was tall
md INTELLECTUALLY designed after tho
pattern of the young man who makes
modern clothes advertisements things
II beauty, it is easily seen that there
was nothing for any girl in the neigh
Dorhood to do but fall desperately IN
love with him.
After Arthur's arrival there began
perfect surge Of girls toward the
Mills residence. It appeared that they
Ill loved Violet half to death and were
sitting up nights planning entertain
ments for her to show their devotion
entertainments to which she was r.
1uested to bring along your brother
John-and his guest"
But Elsie Wangness was the most
devoted of them all. for she took to
bringing over her fancy work and SIT
ding on the porch with her dear friend
Violet. OF course. she could not help It
4 she was there when John and Ar
thur happened to be there also.
Violet recalled, when she thought 1t
over, that Elsie most generally had
been sitting there on the porch when
the young men were around. 1t was
|ao wonder, then, that she actually be-
gan wearing Arthur's fraternity pin
no doubt she had wrested it from
him by main force! Violet had OBJ
served that pin two seconds after Ar
thurs arrival and instantly wild hopes
of wearing it herself before his depart
IRE seized upon her. Only week OF
Arthur's visit had gone by before Elsie
ostentatiously displayed the pin and
also maddening air Of ownership Of
Arthur before Violet's very eyes. Any
one can see, therefore. that Violet was
justified in longing to say "Smarty!"
and wrinkle up her nose.
The unwritten laws of girlhood
irown upon one girls flirting with a
young man to whom another girl has
= prior right. AS Violet told herself
hotly, If she didn't have first right to
a visitor in her very own home. she'd
like to know who did!
What was hardest to bear was
Elsies sweet ,commiseration. Her
every glance seemed to say how sorry
she was for Violet because Violet's at
fractions were so limited that it was
Impossible for her to capture hand
some young man. Violet, however, was
convinced in the depths Of her heart
that If she had used one-sixteenth Of
the artful wiles of Elsie she could
have beaten Elsie in the first inning.
That was what came OF being re-
served and modest-it wasn't true that
men wanted to do the chasing them
selves. Hereafter-Violet set her lips
In way that presaged i'll for any help
less and unsuspecting masculine indi-
vidual that fate henceforth threw in
her path.
Arthur says he just loves brown
eyes," Elsie would confide to her. VIC
let's eyes were blue. Or Arthur says
be much prefers smooth hair like
mine' Violet's hair was naturally
wavy. After these little episodes VIC
let would retire to weep in rage and
mediate revenge.
II only in some way she could get
even with Elsie it would assuage the
bitterness ranking within her. That
she should have been such a simple
ton as to let another girl get ahead
of her was a dreadful reflection.
In the last week of Arthur's stay,
when Elsie dropped frequent remarks
that were calculated to show Violet
that Elsie expected to hear from Ar
thur frequently Violet broke six en-
broidery needles. Arthur had said moth.
ing about writing to her!
The day the visitor was to leave Ar
thur and John came home to luncheon
and Elsie, who had the chair nearest
the porch steps, bestowed her sweet
est, most bewildering smile upon them.
It was as though she said to Vio-
let: "See how Arthur rejoices at my
welcomed"
Then Arthur paused instead of 60
Ing indoors. He smiled down at Elsie
and for an awful instant Violet won
dered If he was going to make love to
her before Violet's anguished eyes!
Then he spoke:
"Say, small GIRL" he said from the
height Of his % years, don't forget
that I'm going today and want my pin
back that you borrowed. You see.
a.