The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-08-25
A SALON
DIALOGUE
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

kinSG i asked
"Oh, nothing" replied Betty, -only
she's not half good enough for Harry"
''Why don't you interrupt the pro-
ceedingsT
How could do thatT'
step In between them"
you fatterer, One would think to
hear you talk that / could have any
man want for the asking"
so you could and not half try
Betty tried hard TO conceal the pleas
ure my appreciation Of her powers
gave her, but failed
There's one man Couldn't
"who?"
THE first letter OF his first name
Is J."
That's because you never tried"
My first name Is James.
Perhaps / WILL
what would poor Harry do in the
meanwhile? He would be swallowed
up by Ida Perkins"
"Oh, that affair could wait"
when are you going to begin on
mer'
"You7 oh, you can wait too. Good
morning. Come and see me soon I
have things to tell you"
Every soon Goodbye"
This scrap OF conversation. which
am free to admit was not concentrated
wisdom, occurred at the gloye counter
OF Jones, where met Miss Chamber
lin The next time saw her was at
Mrs. Winters salon, so called from the
brilliant dialogues that take place
there. Betty was tied TO Ashurst. He
was a graduate OF a scientific school
and could drown her in a pool OF ideas
seven feet deep. / was sandwiched
between two girls directly behind them.
We conversed with one another, but
had our ears open for what Ashurst
and Betty were saying. One OF the
girls beside me was Ida Perkins. The
only remark that could be considered
to refer to the couple In front OF US
was made by Ida. 1t was this:
why do you bright men get stuck
in the honey OF stupid girlsT"
Leave out the YOU and l win an
swer the question" 1 replied
But she wouldn't. and confess
would not have been pleased II she
had.
Betty made a Judgment with Ash
urst at that salon. and this is the way
she did It
"I have heard, Mr.. Ashurst," she was
saying, ''that you are not one of the
kind TO feel certain of anything and
that you never force your opinions ON
any one"
"Confound those persons who know
everything!' grunted Ashurst
$50 say THAT is, / mean persons
who don't know as much as other per
sons who know a great deal, but are
not constantly trying TO show 1t or"
This was a trifie mixed, but Ashurst
didn't seem to mind 1t.
Some Of the women here make me
laugh" Betty went on. They think
they're quite wise Don't they tire you.
Mr. Ashurst2''
ct don't know; some OF them do"
II heard one OF them Just now talk
ing about the big European war. She
said the allies had the best generals.
only they had been short OF ammuni
ton"
(which alliesT"
why, suppose she meant-is there
more than one allyT"
1 saw Ida Perkins and Belle Town
send-Belle was the other side OF the
sandwich that had me for a middle
look at each other. Fortunately for
Betty a lady passed her, bidding her
good evening and making a remark
about the weather. So Bet was not
obliged to go any further into the mill
tary problems OF the great war. In
deed. 1t had not been her intention to
do so. She had become inadvertently
drawn into IT by attempting to hold up
one OF her rivals in an unfavorable
light
"Are you fond of motoring, Mr.
Ashurstr' was her next remark. 'I
don't suppose you are At least 50
busy man as you is not likely to have
time to enjoy himself"
Ashurst was the scientific adviser OF
a gigantic manufacturing corporation
He looked relieved that Betty should
have spared him the trouble OF an
swering the question she had asked
him Bet has beautiful eyes and
knows that they serve her a better
purpose than her tongue. for unfortu-
nately the latter member cannot wag
without drawing on her brain
THE reason why asked you II you
were fond OF motoring Is that have n
car. and II you could spare me some
afternoon about 4 o'clock
81 should be very happy" was the
reply.
Don't you think an Ice would cool
Us? These rooms are very warm"
They arose and went elsewhere Bet
had caught sight Of Ida In rather too
close proximity TO suit her
The next time / saw Betty congrat-
ulated her on her engagement to Ash
urst. Didn't tell you" said. ''that
you could n you tried2"
What's this l hear about you and
Ida PerkinsT' she asked. looking at me
anxiOusly.
"Oh. we're engaged too"
/ have never since regained the place
I occupied In Betty's good graces-
don't see why Surely she could not
have Ashurst and me too. Perhaps n
/ had married any but the girl she rob
h<.1 Of 1pnfbar .-,ou uf r,,H~whs -.