The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-02-02
The Struggle
for Arthur

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NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. # NJ - NJ m n ###@
1t dawned on Miss Violet Mills in
q surge of regret that there were dis
advantages connected with being 16
years old
For example, III one were displeas-
ed with a friend one could not make
ND face and say "Smartyl You
think you're smart, don't you?" And
no other method Of procedure really
seemed to- fit the present case.
There was not particle Of doubt
that Elsie Wangness had deliberately
set out To trap Arthur. He had come
to visit in the Mills home, displaying
the full glory OF his gray summer
suit, heliotrope silk socks and tie,
and with a businegGlike assortment
OF Golf clubs and tennis Tackets and
accompanied by Speckle the sportiest
looking Boston bullpup that ever was
seen on the street. Since Arthur
was tall and INTELLECTUALLY designed
after the pattern Oh the young man
who makes modern clothes advertise
ments things OF beauty, III is easily
seen that there was nothing for any
girl FRI the neighborhood to do but
fall desperately in love with him.
After Arthur's arrival there began
q perfect surge OF girls toward the
Mills residence. 1t appeared that
they all loved Violet half to death and
were sitting I'D nights planning en-
tertainments for her to show their
devotion entertainments to which
she was requested 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
sitting on the porch with her dear
friend Violet. OF course, she could
not help it if she was there when John
and Arthur 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
no wonder, then, that she actually be-
gan wearing Arthur's fraternity pin
no doubt she had wrested it from
him by main fOrcei Violet had OBJ
served that pin two seconds after Ar
thurs arrival and instantly wild
hopes OF wearing Ii herself before
his departure seized upon her. Only
week OF Arthur's visit had gone by
before Elsie ostentatiously displayed
the pin and also a maddening air OF
ownership OF Arthur before Violet'A
very eyes. Any one can see, there
fore, that Violet was justified in long
ing to say "Smarty!" and wrinkle
up her nose.
The unwritten laws OF girlhood
frown upon one girls flirting with
young man to whom another girl has
a prior right. AS Violet told herself
holly, 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 Ell
sizes sweet commiseration. Her ev-
cry glance seemed to say how sorry
she was for Violet because Violet's
attractions were so limited that it
was impossible for her to capture
handsome young man. Violet, how
ever, 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
themselves. Herearter-Violet set
her lips in a way that presaged I'LL
for any helpless and unsuspecting
masculine individual that fate hence
forth threw in her path.
Arthur says he just loves brown
eyes," Elsie would confide to her. Vfo-
let's eyes were blue. Or Arthur
says he much prefers smooth hair
ally wavy. After these little episodes
TO- - " rmc ca
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 snch simple
ton as to let another girl get ahead
OF her was "a dreadful reflection.
III the last week or 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
nothing about writing to heri
The day the visitor was to leave
Arthur and John came home to
luncheon and Elsie, who had the
chair nearest the porch steps, be-
slowed her sweetest, most bewilder-
ing smile upon them. It was al
though she said to Violet: See
how Arthur reioices at my welcomed"
Then Arthur paused instead OF 60
ing indoors. He smiled down at FL
sic and for an awful instant Violet
wondered if he was going to make
love to her before Violet's anguighed
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, there's lady back east that I've
given that pin to-she's going to be
Mrs. Arthur some day. She just
loaned me the pin to wear on this
trip! Thanks!
Fastening on the pin, which Elsie
had torn from her dress feverishly,
Arthur went whistling into the
house.
Violet drew long breath as she
recovered from the shock. She
smiled happily now, for she saw her
revenge.
why, how surprised you seem to
be to hear that Arthur's engaged"
she murmured, lauguidly. "I knew
it-all the time!"
Wit and Wisdom.