The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-01-11
The Struggle
for Arthur

1t dawned on Miss Violet Mills in a
surge of regret that there were disad-
vantages connected with being Is
years old.
For example, if one were displeased
with friend one could not make up
a face and say "Smarty! You think
you're smart, don't your" 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
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 tai!
and INTELLECTUALLY designed after the
pattern of the young man who makes
modern clothes advertisements things
of beauty, it is easily seen that there
was nothing for any girl in the neigh
borhood to do bat fall desperately in
love with him.
After Arthurs arrival there began
perfect surge of girls toward the
Mills residence. 1t appeared that they
all loved Violet half to death and wee
sitting up nights planning entertain
ments for her to show their devotion
entertainments to which she was re-
quested 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
ting on the porch with her dear friend
Violet. OF course, she could not help it
if she was there when John and Ar
thur happened to be there also.
Violet recalled, when she thought it
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 force! Violet had OBJ
served that pin two seconds after Ar
thurs arrival and instantly wild hopes
of 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 a maddening air of ownership of
Arthur before Violet's very eyes. Any
one can see, therefore, that Violet was
M nTfuF
and wrinkle up her nose.
The unwritten laws of girlhood
frown upon one girls flirting with a
young man to who.e another girl has
prior right. AS Violet told herself
hotly, 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
Elsies 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 hand
some young man. Violet, however, was
convinced in the depths of her heart
that if she had used one-sixteenth of
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 preseged 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 we're blue. Or Arthur says
he 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.
! If only in some way she could get
even with Elsie it would assuage the
bitterness ranking within her. That
she should have been such 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
. tudk EIlSlC SApSClCu " u0dT lTOIu AT
| thur frequently Violet broke six en-
broidery needles. Arthur had said moth
ing about writing to her!
I 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.
1t was as though she said to VIC
let: See how Arthur rejoices at my
" elcome!"
Then Arthur paused instead of go
! 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 aLguished eyes!
Tlen 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 min which .Clcio