Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1912-02-23
The Struggle
for Arthur

1t dawned on Miss Violet Mills in a
;;urge of regret that there were disad-
Tantages connected with being Is
:,ears old
For example, II one were displeased
With a friend one could not make up
face and say "Smarty! You think
you're smart. don't your" And no
other method of procedure really
seemed to At the present case.
There was not a particle Oh doubt
that Elsie Wangness had deliberately
net out to trap Arthur. He had come
to visit In the Mills home, displaying
the full glory Of his gray summer suit,
hel1otrope silk socks and tie. and with
businesslike assortment of golf
CLUBS and tennis rackets and accom-
panied by Speckle. the sportiest look
Ing Boston bullpup that ever was seen
ON that street. Since Arthur was tall
and INTELLECTUALLY designed after the
pattern Of the young man who makes
modern clothes advertisements things
OF beauty. 1t is easily seen that there
was nothing for any girl in the neigh
borhood to do but fall desperately in
love with him.
After Arthur's arrival there began
{: perfect surge of girls toward the
Hills residence. 1t appeared that they
ill loved Violet half to death and were
sitting up nights planning entertain
rnents for her to show their devotion
entertainments to which she was re-
quested to bring along your brother
COMMAND his guest"
But Elsie Wangness was the most
devoted Of them all, for she took to
bringing over her fancy work and sit
ting on the porch with her dear friend
Violet. OF course. she could not help 1t
II she was there when John and Ar
thur happened to be there also.
Violet recalled, when she thought 1t
ever, that Elsie most generally had
heen sitting there on the porch when
the young men were around: 1t was
10 wonder, then, that she actually be-
San wearing Arthur's fraternity pin
mo doubt she had wrested it from
Linn by main force! Violet had OBJ
served that pin two seconds after Ar
CT wearing it herself before his depart
ure seized upon her. Only a 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
enc can see, therefore, that Violet was
Justified in longing to say "Smarty!"
and wrinkle up her nose.
The unwritten laws of girlhood
frown upon one girls flirting with q
young man to whom another girl has
6 prior right. AS Violet told herself
Lofty, If she didn't have first right to
visitor in her very own home, she'd
like to know who did!
What was hardest to bear was
IIlsie's sweet commiseration. Her
every glance seemed to say how sorry
she wa; for Violet because Violet's at
fractions were so limited that It was
impossible for her to capture a 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
lave beaten Elsie in the first inning.
That was what came Of being re-
served and modesto wasn't true that
Lien wanted to do the chasing them
selves. Hereafter-Violet set her lips
In way that presaged Ill 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. Vio-
let's eyes were blue. Or Arthur saws
he much prefers smooth hair like
! mine" Violets hair was naturally
wavy. After these little episodes VIC
let would retire to weep in rage and
mediate revenge.
IF only In some way she could get
even with Elsie 1t would assuage the
bitterness ranking within her. That
she should have been such q simple
ton as to let another girl get ahead
OF her was dreadful reflection.
In the last week of Arthur's stay.
when Elsie dropped frequent remarks
that were calculated to show Violet
taat Elsie expected to hear from Ar
thur frequently Violet broke six en-
broidery needles. Arthur had said moth
Ing about. writing to herl
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
1. was as though she said to VIC
lot: 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 II he was going to make love to
her before Violet's anguished eyesi
Then he spoke: