Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-04
EVENING STORY
I VlVlAN'S PLAYMATE.
BY Belle Mandates.
Copyright, 1912, by the Associated
Literary Press.)

Vivian's keen sense told her that
the first signs of lost illusions were
visible in her liege lord. He had be-
come used to her beauty and his pride
in possession. He was naturally cold
and cynical, and her girlish, affec-
tionate nature had made the first i'm
preston on his impassivity. In the
usual course of affairs his coldness,
she concluded. would naturally in
crease. Her keen insight showed her
where the trouble lay. She had been
too easily won-too anxious to please
him. She should make him Jealous.
Then she realized with sigh that
she could not, even to rekindle his
one.
Finally she decided to have an in
aginary absent lover. Then she would
not harm any one else-or herself.
Her husband coming into her sit
ting room one afternoon found her
looking tenderly at an object she held
in her hand.
He made no comment, and she
quickly slipped it back into a drawer
in her desk.
II have been looking" she said,
with flush for her deception, at
some of my girlhood keepstakes."
His Indifference was stirred.
; ooh, then, that was a picture of an
old sweetheart you We're gazing
.upon?' D.. h. sss
M well, 1 suppose you might call him
that" she replied with a remin1scent
smile and deprecatfng manner He
lived across the street from us when
we were children, and we grew up to-
gether. He was two years older than
/, but he was nice and protecting to
me-" -# se
"Well," he asked sarcastiealiy, as
she paused, what became of him.
1--WE went to school together. Then
he went to college. went abroad,
and-well, you know how people come
and go in your life."
"And you told me- he blurted,
that l was the first.
How foolish I was" she thought,
ito have told him anything like that.
but there are many things a woman
can't learn until she has been mar
RED"
"Oh," she said aloud. "A boy and
girl affair. Valentines and all that
Stiffness, you know-hardly counts as
a love AFFAIR." ST..
whats his manner" he demanded.
Her quondam sweetheart was rap
idly assuming tangible proportions.
She had no idea he would bite so
quickly and easily She ran over In
her memory the scores of boys whom
she had known in the way she men,
toned. She had said that he lived
across the street, though. With the
delightful Inconsistency Of her sex
she strove to adhere as nearly as
possible to the truth while in the
webs of deceit. She recalled the
cognomen of boy who had lived on
the opposite side Of the street.
Harry Walters" she said, inger-
ing tenderly on the name.
"Show me the picture you were
incoming over when L came in. I
should like to see what your young
fancy chose.
She opened the drawer and selected
a picture of cousin, q youth OF
eighteen. who lived in the far west.
"This is he, Harry" she said, find
ing a loophole for her conscience In
the recollection that her cousins
name was Harry.
He scowled at the delicate features
and threw the picture down vindic-
lively.
+ 1T strikes me-" he saiu, with an
air Of cold displeasure, "that you are
rather sentimental for a married
woman
She laughed lightly. We'll, Hugh,
why not? But it is time to dress
We dine at Mrs. Gordon's tonight,
you know"
ssWho will be there?'
"The Langdons, Maude Wilbur,
Arthur Beauchamp, and some others.
It is given for girl from Los Angeles
who is visiting at the Gordons."
The last arrival at the dinner was
= r.