Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-07-16

At the end Of an hour my darling
stared at him from an otherwise
empty page. and he was glowering out
into the sunlit streets and wondering
why Kazia wanted him to stay. why
her Indifference of the morning and
why his disappointment.
A youth and his sweetheart strolled
by below him. The sight, the music
of their laughter. aggravated his rest
lessness and gave him an idea.
That's 1t, exactly. l will go down
and get Kazia and take walk in the
park. Poor girl! l expect she needs
company. too"
He found her in the dining room
and already attired for holiday saun-
tering. A ladies' seminary graduate
might have been stirred to criticism
of the cheap white dress and coarse
straw hat with its single blue ribbon;
he was not. We may doubt that he
saw them at all. for her eyes were
dancing and her lips smiling mischiev-
ously at Piotr, who sat in one corner.
nursing his club foot and glaring
fiercely at her. She could be gay.
then.
But the smile disappeared upon his
entrance. Nevertheless, "Kazia," he
announced boldly. we're going walk
ing in the park"
Are we?"
We'll, aren't we?" He modified his
sultanesque air little. I'D like you
to come"
No"
She's going with Jim Whiting"
Piotr explained grumpily. Hes her
fellow"
"oh!" Mark blinked stupidity. Evi-
IDENTIFY other youths had discovered
her. 1t was strangely disturbing
He recovered himself. grinning wry-
ly. Serves me right. took too
much for granted. didn't 1? I'm sorry."
"I'll go with you." Piotr volunteered
promptly.
"Oh. all right. Come along. Piotr."
Pete" corrected Piotr. I'm a min
Ute"
So. though not as he had planned.
Mark sailed forth into the golden aft
ernoon. Piotr. anxious to impress this
wonderful boarder whose learning
made light of the difficulties of Messrs.
A. B and C and defied the intricacies
OF the subjunctive, talked, at first
shyly, then more freely, mostly Of him
self. this being one of the two sub
jects in which he was deeply inter
ested. Mark let him ramble on and
listened to his own thoughts. which
chiefly concerned Kazia- He ruefully
wished that he had not been SO ready
to assume her assent.
Piotr's ambition. the monologue de-
veloped. scared high: 1t included no
table achievements as labor leader.
although his notions of the historic
conflict were a little vague.
AS they passed the mouth OF a lit
tie dell they were halted by this tab
leau: Kazia leaning against a tree
and Jim Whiting at her feet tying the
shoe-lace that had come loose. He was
unconscionably long about 1t, Shark
thought. He must have said some
thing, for she laughed, a clear ringing
note. The kneeling gallant arose.
Mark saw a man two or three years
his senior, not Unlocking despite his
too heavy lips and loose jaw and
sporty" clothes Mark disliked him
at once. Whiting took Kazia's arm
and led her slowly along the dell.
"Psiakrew!" muttered Piotr, in the
Poles deadly insult
The homely face was pale. con-
vulsed with hate and a real suffering
Even Mark. self-absorbed. could see
that. He patted the boy on the shoul-
der.
Never mind. Pete. She can't think
much of him."
Hes not fit for her." Piotr cried.
Right" Mark agreed firmly.
Piotr went further. "Nobody's fit
for her"
"Kazia's a mighty nice girl" Mark
declared, less sweepingly.
Yes. she's nice. And she's smart.
too, smarter'n me. She's smart as YOU"
Piotr looked up fiercely. as il expect.
ing contradiction.
Sure, she is, But I'm afraid"
very casually. this. 'she doesn't like
me very WELL
Piotr jumped at the bait. She
thinks you're stuckup and selfish" he
explained. And she's always afraid
everybody. 'cept Jim Whiting, II look
down on her because her mother
Piotr fiushed-"wasn't married"
So that was the reason for her out
huref of the NIGHT hefora poor Kpzia,