The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-01-06
Who Was The GOAT?
By DOROTHY B~LAcKMORE.

IF you put it in water on your desk
it will keep fresh for days." said Dor
inc Fable as she pinned a marigold
on the coat lapel of young Doctor
Hanscom. /
I'll do it and you'll see me wear
it home every night while it lives"
replied the doctor. "And for good be-
havior perhaps you'll do me the hon
or of pinning on another"
Dorine nodded. Her dimples played
about her mouth when she smiled and
the sight of them had become a very
interesting part Of Doctor Hanscom's
summer sojourn at the Laketon hotel.
He was a young veterinary surgeon
and his office and visiting hours were
not long, so that he had had the advan-
tage over many Of the summer men at
the hotel by getting home early. And
it seemed almost as II Dorine waited
for him on the tennis court or on the
veranda.
Several times or the suburban train
that took him to the city he thought
Of the girls face as she had reached
up to put the little flower on his coat
That evening while he was at din
ner Dorine came into the dining room
with her mother, and they both wore
automobile costumes.
Dorine gave him her usual bright
smile and nod, and then her eyes fell
on his coat lapel, which was guiltless
Of adornment. A slight flush burned
her cheeks and after that she gave
him only cursory glances, and when
he asked her to walk with him as he
passed her In the corridor she de.
clined almost frigidly.
For three days he did not have
conversation with her. He saw her
across the dining room with her ia
ther, mother and brother, and he re-
ceived each time q cool little nod
from Dorine. 1t was Saturday night
at the weekly dance that he deter
mined to talk with her.
He waited for her at the big dou-
BILE door leading into the ballroom.
He had fully decided to force her to
listen to him. AS she came down.
stairs, lovely in a white dancing dress,
he neither face to face.
"This has been III dance all sum-.
mer, Dorine., Have it with me now"
He put his arm about her and they
stepped off together in the hesitation
waltz they had learned to dance SO
well as partners.
When the dance was over he led
| her out through the French windows
that opened onto a secluded veranda.
"Sit down." Joe said, drawing up a
chair. Himself, he sat on the railing
facing her.
Now" he began, what is the mat
ter? Why have you deliberately
avoided me for days?" He paused.
Il know-it was because you thought
I was careless about your flower
that I had forgotten it." l.
"You were-you did, said Dorins
with asperity. "And I know very well
why it was"
"Dorine-" began Joe, but she In.
terrupted him. |
"Wait-let me tell you! Let me
show you that I realize all about it
before you tell me your excuse" She
laid emphasis on the last word.
"George-my brother-told me when
he saw me pinning 1t on you that you
would w be cen wearing a vel.
low flower-that it was the emblem
Of the s~uffragist! So you: let some
n ridicule you out Of 1t. I did not
pin it on you because Of my views
on this woman question-though they
are very strongly in favor of it-but
because I was beginning to-well, to
like you, and I always give father
and George a %buttonhole bouquet when
they leave in the morning. II was
very foolish to do it," she said. =
"Dorine Fable, listen to me-" the
young man said, earnestly. "This
, sounds so funny I a hardly tell you,
though I assure you It. Isn't funny
: to me. The morning you gave me
that flower I was called out to. the
estate Of Mr.. Phillips to see what was
the matter with the foot of a very
fine goat. While I was looking at its
foot the animal chewed my flower of
and the stable man who was with US
roared with laughter. If you doubt
this, I will show you the witheredI
stem still pinned to the under side Of
my coat lapel. I had not put it In wa,
ter on my desk, but was still wearing
it. Now, do you see how badly you
have treated me? Do you, Dorine?"
"And-and it wasn't because it was
yellow, them" she asked.
Search me! Maybe the goat was
an antisuffragist, but I'm not respon.
sible for his views. Seriously, Dorine,
aren't you sorry?"
Dorine nodded.
And then Doctor Hanscom whis.
pered three little words in Dorine's
ear. -.