The Irish standard., 1913-05-10
HIS own ATTITUDE
Breath Of Spring, Girls, and Fra
GRANGE of Flowers Wrought
Wonders as Usual.
BY a. MARIA CRAWFORD.

BY &. MARIA CRAWFORD.
"Marjory ,Patten is the sort of girl
to warm the very cookies Of your
dtsused heart. She is an airy. fairy
girl. the kind to ensnare an old fellow
like you, Jim. You smack of strange
lands beyond the seas and since wo-
men adore adventurous spirits, your
affection will be returned. There you
are with pretty romance ready made
for you!"
The desert-browned face of the man
relaxed little and his lips parted in a
slow smile. Its funny thing to me
how you drowning men want to pull US
down with YOU"
i wouldn't be single again for any.
thing you could name," exclaimed Sui
Inns Stuart heatedly. II am absolute
ly happy. Kate is the finest woman
in the world"
We'll, am glad to hear that. For
the life Of me, can't place her. She
must have been child when l left
here the last time. They do grow up
in such a hurry"
she has taken a tremendous inter-
est in getting up the dinner for you
tonight. Her decorations, ices, in
fact everything represents the desert
lands Of Africa where you have been
keeping yourself for years."
Sounds like dry dinner" laughed
Jim Heiskell.
Nothing drier than the champagne
except sunlight" Stuart flashed back
at him. you can trust Kate to find
an oasis in any desert"
"Good!" A whimsical little smile
wrinkled the corners of his worldly
wise gray eyes. Il wish that l had
faith In women as you have. Sullins.
1t means everything to mans hap
piness."
Your own attitude has something
to do with it. l remember that you
distrusted girls back In our college
days."
mot without reason perhaps. l
loved a girl then who, in schoolboy
language went back on me-"
Stuart laughed until men in the club
rooms where they sat smiled to hear
him.
Fancy you, an old globe trotter
who has had his fling everywhere, hav-
ing his heart broken at school! That's
too good to keep. Talking of the
past reminds me that Kate was able
to get an acceptance to dinner tonight
from Anne Templeton. She is very
famous woman"
Anne Templeton?"
"Yes, surely you remember her.
Her father was professor of English.
She used to draw pictures Of every
body on the campus. They we're great
too Well, now she is the most dis.
tinguished portrait painter in this
country"
Il remember her. She drew a pic
ture Of me sitting on bench by our
frat house with my arm around girl
and presented it, framed, to me-"
Gould you recognize the girl in tho
picture?"
Instantly! So Anne Templeton has
never married."
The breath OF spring, sweet with
the fragrance of flowers on the street
outside. blew in at the open window.
Golden jonquils in bowls about the
rooms made a brave show of color in
the fading light.
I'VE had better be going soon.
Kate wants you early SO that she can
find out for herself II you are as
attractive as some of US have told her,
Marjory Patten is visiting her and
think she hopes to give the girl a try
at you before the other guests arrive.
Who was the girl Of your youthful
love affair? I'll wager she is married,
fat and has three children"
Il refuse to tell. She must never
know that she shattered my faith in
women. It, might make her happy"
AS the two men stepped into
Staurt's home an hour later, their at
tention was instantly drawn to a girl
who was coming down the stairs.
Fair and slender in her soft white
gown with valley lilies clustered on
her breast, she seemed the very en-
bodiment Of the elusive something
men call youth. For some it endures
only little while but for the elect, it
fingers in the heart when age comes
on. making music out of discord and
roses out Of lifes rue. The charm of
youth, long dormant in the travellers
breast, stirred at sight of the picture
on the stairs like the tiny plants in
the earth fiutter into blossom at the
kiss Of the south wind and the blue
birds love call in the early spring.
Come, Martory. and meet dis.
tinguished cynic! Miss Marjory Pat
ten, Mr.. James Heiskell, late of the
uuromantic country of the Nile!"
Kate was late in getting home
from an auction bridge game this af-
ternoon and isn't ready yet to mono
police you as she threatened" said
Marjory when greetings had been in.
terchanged.
Il WONDER" said Jim Heiskell
thoughtfully when Stuart had left
them together in a coy little een, Il
wonder If l would appear very ungal-