Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-06-14
IN coils or Love
Professors Artistic Tempera'
ment Chastened Through the
WiIes Of Cupid.

"Mrs. Martini Professor May
woods voice was plaintive, his man
! ncr a trihe injured, though not
enough so 10 impair his courtesy His
landlady, plump and CHEEKY, in her
lilac print gown and snowy apron,
came to the dining-room door, pam
cake in hand, injury in her eye
I'm so sorry to trouble YOU" her
boarder apologized, pushing toward
her a plate upon which reposed his
breakfast egg, with a cash in its side,
but, really, my egg-it seems to
be-" The widow hustled forward,
all solicitude. "Isn't it a good one ?"
she asked. Reassuring herself on
that point, she listened as Alpheus
haywood continued delicately, 'T'm
afraid you've left it in just a little
bit too long-to me, you know, exact
ly four and a half minutes is the
er-happy medium"
"Oh," Mrs. Martin responded, eff
that's it, I'll do you another one. The
waters boiling" If an ironic hui
NOR fiickered for a moment in her
blue eyes, the professor did not no
tice it, his attention being caught by
the shadows in an April cloud which
floated past the window. Soon Mrs.
Martin appeared with his egg, and a
plate of smoking cakes as well.
"When I'm turning cakes" she OBJ
served, in manner more cheerfully
explanatory than apologize, 81 don't
always have time to watch the clock
real close. But this one is just on
the minute" Alpheus gave her
grateful glance from his soft, dark
eyes, murmured his thanks, and fin
ished his breakfast in a pleasant rev.
erie. AT its close, he reached absent
ly for his glass of water, but as his
lips encountered its edge, he set it
down somewhat hastily, with a
panied expression.
whats the matter2" questioned
his landlady. isn't it cold enough ?"
The professor flushed sensitively, and
begged pardon. cit is unfortunate,
| know, to be so susceptible to inn
pressions, dear Mrs. Martin, though
the artistic temperament must often
suffer- 1t was the glass-not, l
think, the one 1 usually"
"Oh, 1 forgot your thin one; wait,
III get it," and she extracted it with.
care from the glass-inclosed wall cup
board. al can't leave 'em around,
they break so easily; SO l don't al
ways remember" she explained, as
she had often done before, and AL
pheus thanked her tenderly, supping
the cool water with chaste enjoy
ment, and regarding with growing
approval the widows neat blonde
head and still youthful complexion.
Dear Mrs. Martin, l do appreciate
your efforts to make me comfort
able" he smiled, as he rose to 60;
"indeed, you quite spoil me, l fear"
But, manlike, his manner betokened
no deep regret.
''Maybe l do" she returned, With
a little laugh which held hint of
vexation at herself, though this he
did not notice, as he left the room.
She could not quite explain to her
own satisfaction her tolerant attitude
toward her exacting boarder. To be
sure, he paid regularly, with no un-
derbred haggling over details, and
thus he had certain claim to ade-
Iuate service. Ordinarily, however,
'he was not a woman who encour-
aged ''fnicky" ways, even in her
boarders; and the late Mr.. Martin
had been notably the best trained
husband in Brookdale. But Alpheus
well, he had lovable, boyish help
'essness about him, which made him
seem younger than herself, though
both were lowering coyly about the
wrong side of forty. Mrs. Martin
had not read "'The Dangerous Age"
and she was not interpretive,
though she sometimes reminded her
self mercilossly that there was "no
fool like an old fool" when she
caught herself humoring the artists
whims. "Such a fusserl" she scold-
ed, as she cleared the table; half |
a minute out of the way on his egg,
and it's foo hard Or foo soft and no