Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-08-30

not altogether hide. And then re-
morseful for her amazed expression,
explained frankly: Got 1t from your
father this morning, don't you know,
during our long talk about you in the
library"
"Wh--
Then she swallowed and her face
fell perfectly blank, BY Jove, l could
have kicked myself for jolly ass for
breaking 1t to her SO raw! or course,
she would know that If her father
| talked of her, 1t would be nothing for
me to hear that was true or kind
nothing she could wish might be said
to the man she loved.
I hastened to reassure her:
But don't believe dashed word
Of anything he said about you"-I
spoke hotly-"and l don't care jolly
hang for what the others said, either
so there you are!"
"Oh. you dont?" Could tell how 1
had touched her by her expression,
don't you know; and she fell to look
ing at me the queerest way. And
would you mind telling me who the
others are?"
l eyed her gloomily, sympathetical-
ly. AS II she didn't know already!
"Well-oh, dash it, my mind has
been filled with-er-just anything!"
began cautiously.
Il know,'-she murmured 1t as II
to herself-"one can see that!" And
she bit her lip.
In the first place, you know"-and
there I pulled up. No, dash 1t, I
wasn't going to say jolly word about
poor Jack-no, sir! But then, about
the other one-well, she was just a
treacherous snake in the what's-its-
name, and she ought to be exposed.
BY Jove, she should be!
Its the trump, you know" said
Indignantly.
"The-the what?"
Her pretty teeth flashed like the
keyboards Of tiny organ-you could
even hear little gurgIy. musical
culver somewhere behind. And then
l remembered that, of course, she
wouldn't know whom l meant.
"Oh, your guest, you know-your
friend from school, | went on, try
ing to tread cautiously and yet feel
ing myself growing red. "Oh, see
here now, ! don't like to say things
but-er-"
'Oh, go on!" she trilled, her sweet
face shining wistful.
We'll, / mean this-er-Miss Kirk
land; came out with us this morning
don't you know. l think of her as the
frump-little idea-er-nickname oi
mine, you know, she's so awful" And
screwed my glass with chuckle.
For an instant l thought she
wouldn't catch it, she stared at me sc
blankly. Then the joke of 1.-THE
Jolly aptness, SO to speak-got hel
full and square, and she just lifted 6
scream, hugging her knee and rock
!, ing back and forth, her face suffused
her laughter pealing like chime o.
; bells.
And l just rocked, too, keeping hel
company. Really, don't think 1 evel
, laughed so much since some chaI
: plunked down on the hard crown O
my new tile last winter. At least
, wanted to laugh-in church, yol
know, and it's so awful how you fee
, there when something-oh, you know
And If you could have seen that poo
fellows face!
BY Jove, how glad was for he
jolly sense of humor that could Sc,
the point OF things SO quickly, ant
think them clever. Always had S,
dashed little patience with stupid pee
, pie. don't you know. And just her,
: another little thing came to me and
let her have it:
j, "Oh, ] say!"-l leaned nearer
= chuckling-'your father pretends Il
:. think her a most beautiful and win
ming girl-fancy!" And my fac
:. stretched itself in such jolly grit
8 that l could hardly hold my glass.
= She bent toward me, smiling adoI
ably. You mean this-er-'Mis
+ Kirkland?"
nodded chortlingly.
She peered at me through her lon
what-you-call 'ems-oh, such a wayi
d But you don't think so, do your
r How sweetiy. how fetchingly she sal
r it.
;. "Me?" l gasped, By Jove, in m
II horror, lost my grip upon my Joll
9 grammar. "Oh, say now! thin
t. the frump-this Miss kirkland. yo
s lSnow-is fright-regular freak, das
it! | told the judge sol"
l. "You-you-"
e "Of course!" And | shrugged dil
d gustedly, making the ugliest grimac
l. | possibly could. why, dash it, If
e were woman and had a face lilI
4 hers, never would have left Chini
d or England-or wherever her joll
= home was-no, sir!"
II She caught her breath with littl
% gasp-then she was OF again! Thi
II time she rested her arms upon tn
a. rail behind and buried her head 1
D. them, her lovely shoulders juggling u
e and down. her sobbing laughter sen,
n ing her off at last into spell OF cougl
ing.