The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-07-02

In the hall below he looked about
him with satisfaction. For the last
three days he had labored tirelessly to
ht the place for the evenings event.
The parlor now showed walls trimmed
with straight-back chairs and the
grand piano-long ago put in order
had been relegated to the library That
instinct for the artistic. which had
made him last resort in the vexing
problems of club entertainments, had
aided him in the Courts adofnment.
Out OF the kitchens Cassandra's
egg-beating chatted like a watchman'
ishing touches to an array of lighter
edibles destined to grace the long ta-
BILE on the rear porch, now walled in
with snow-white muslin and hung with
candle-lusters Under the trees Uncle
Jefferson was even then experimenting
with various punch compounds, and a
delicious aroma of vanilla came to Va
liants nostrils.
D
The Red Road, as Valiants car
passed. was dotted with struggling pc
destrians: humble country folk who
trudged along the grassy foot-path
with no sullen regard for the swift
cars and comfortable carriage that
left them behind; sturdy barefooted
children who called shrilly after him,
and happy-go-lucky negro youths clad
in their best with Sunday shoes dan
Cling over their shoulders, slouching
regardlessly in the dust-all bound for
the same Mecca, which presently rose
before him, gateway of painted can
vas proclaiming the field to which II
opened Runnymede.
He halted his car at the end of the
field and snapped leash in the bull.
dogs collar. Il hate to do 1t, old
man." he said apologetically to Chum's
reproachful look, but I've got to.
| There arc to be some stunts, and in
such occasions you're apt to be con-
vinced you're the main one of the con-
testants, which might cause mix-up.
Never mind; I'll anchor you where you
won't miss anything"
With the excited dog tugging be-
fore him, he threaded his way through
the press with keen exhilaration. Now
and then his gloved hand touched his
cap at a salutation. He was con
scious of swift bird-llke glances from
pretty girls. Here was none of the
rigid straight-ahead gaze or vacant
stare of the city boulevard; the eyes
that looked at him, frankly curious
and inquiring, were full of easy open
comradeship. Some of the girls wore
gowns ard hats that might that morn
ing have issued from the Rue de la
Paix; others were habited in CHEAP
materials. But about the latter hung
no benumbing self-consciousness. AL
bore themselves alike. He was begin
ming to realize that there might really
exist straitened circumstances, even
actual poverty, which yet created nc
sort of social difference.
Opposite the canvas-covered grand
stand sat twelve small mushroom
tents, each with staff and tiny flag
Midway lines of flaxen ropes stretched
between rows of slender peeled sap
lings from whose tops foated fanged
streamers of vivid bunting. A pavilion
of purple cloth, open at the sides
awaited for the committee, and neal
the center, a negro band was disposed
on camp-stools, the brass of the wait
ing instruments winking In the sun
light. The stand was confused glow
of color, of light gauzy dresses. o.
young girls in pastel muslins will
flowers in their belts, picturesque hatl
and slender articulate hands dartinl
in vivacious gestures like white swal
lows - the gentry from the "bil
houses"
The light athletic figure, towed b,
the white bulldog, drew many glances
Valiant's eyes, however as they swep
the seats, were looking for but one
and at first vainly. He felt a quicl
pang of disappointment. Perhaps sh
would not come! Perhaps her mothe
was still Ill. Perhaps-but then sud
denly his heart beat high, for he saw
her in the lower tier, with a group O
young people. He could not have toll
what she wore, save that it was of sof
Murillo blue with a hat whose down
curved brim was wound with a shade
| piuAiS VI iut tlhN IlcI lnOlut
was not with her. She was not look
Ing his way as he passed-her arm
at the moment being held out in a.
adorable gesture toward a little chill
in a smiling matron's lap-and but
single glance was vouchsafed to hiI
before the major seized upon him an
bore him to the purple pavilion, for h
w nf
But for this distraction, he Nigh
( have seen. entering the stand with tn
Chalmers just as the band struck u
a delicious whirl of Dixie" the tw
strangers whom the doctor had oil
served an hour before as they whirle
by the Merryweather Mason house b'
} hind the judges grays. Silas Farg
{ might have passed in any gatherin
: for the unobtrusive city man. Kathi
1 | rine was noticeable anyWhere an