Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-03-18


Nothing else to do" suggested Hen
rietta, but eat"
The car stopped and she started to
alight, but the Watermelon was be-
fore, offering his hand with a grace
bred of absolute inconsistencies of
self.
"Alphonse can take your car to the
garage and fill it with gasoIene," said
the general.
Jaw, don't bother" protested the
Watermelon.
flush, tush, man, it is no bother"
and the general turned to the coldly
respectful .Alphonse.
Henrietta had started toward the
steps and the Watermelon turned to
follow her, when he saw her standing
on the top step, looking straight at
him across Henrietta's shoulder His
first impulse was to stand and stare,
his second, to turn and run back to
Mike and James and his old clothes,
his third, which he followed blindly,
was to stumble forward, hat in hand
not from any respect for woman in
the abstract, but just for her, her tiny
feet, her small white teeth, her dimple.
She would not come up to his shout
der by at least six inches, she was
very slender, and in her high-waisted,
yellow frock, she seemed a mere wisp
of girl. Her hair and eyes were
brown, her cheeks flushed like the
petals of an apple blossom She had
ha crI,4 =,
single dimple in one soft cheek. Her
hat was a big, tapping affair, covered
with buttercups and daisies.
The Watermelon, gazing at her, for
got everything, Henrietta, dinner, the
general He stared and she stared
back. The brown suit with the pale
green stripe and the faint suggestion
of red lent an undenlable improve
ment to the broad shoulders and long
limbs Of the graceful Watermelon.
The admirable shave and haircut the
village barber had given him in ex-
change for his own quarter. revealed
the sQuare-cut chin and the good
natured, careless mouth Of the born
ne'er-do-wen. Under the brim of the
ans eyes, now tragic and unhappy.
for who was ne but a tramp. a fire.
quenter of the highways and back
streets, an associate of James and
Mike?"
Billy" said Henrietta, I'VE have
had an adventure and picked up an
other guest Miss Bartlett. Mr.: Bat
chelor"
Were you part of the ADVENTURE
asked Billy, holding out her hand
Yes" said the Watermelon, incap-
able of further speech.
Henrietta presented him to Mr..
Bartlett, stout, red-faced gentleman
of middle age. Wealth, success, self
complacency radiated from him like
the rays of the sun. He grasped the
hard, brown hand of the Watermelon
and looked the young man up and
down, noticing the pin in his tie, the
panama and the silk socks without
seeming fairly to notice the man.
William Hargrave Batchelor?" he
murmured questioningly.
1.-THE same" answered the general
heartily feeling that he had done
something praiseworthy IN capturing
the young man. He drew off his
gloves and beamed at the Watermel
on. "He is a young one to beat us,
Bartlett We ought to be Oslerized."
Bartlett's eyes cleaned as he shook
the Watermelon's hand with renewed
pleasure Youth" said he orator.
cally sis hard to beat, General, but
we aren't deaduns yet. / have had
an occasional try at the Street. my
self, Mr.. Bachelor. You may have
heard of me-"
ooh, yes" said the Watermelon alb
sently, thinking of the girl with the
single dimple and the turned-up nose.
Father took me, once" said Billy.
ct was terrible. Are you broker.
Mr.. Batchelor?"
Haven't you read yesterdays pa
pers, Billy" exclaimed Henrietta.
81 never read the papers" admitted
Billy. with a charming smile. "Just
the front page headlines. sometimes"
"He was there" laughed the gen.
eral. "In inch-high print He broke
the cotton ring, my dear" The gen.
erals tone was full of reflected glory
as the host of great man.
"Oh, cried Billy, that's where IA
Their lost so much. He told me this
morning, just as we left the house"
Bartlett glanced sharply at the Wa
termelon and interrupted Billy with a
laugh. ''You get everything wrong,
my DEAR" said he, tweaking her ear.
81 said good deal of money had been
lost"
"But, papa" protested Billy. you
said"
Come to dinner, everybody, please"
interrupted Henrietta, in response to
an appealing glance from Bartlett. Il
am starving whether you others are
or not"
1--WE had better" cried the general
jocularly, cor this young man will
become a bear instead of a bull" He
laid his hand affeetionately on the
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