Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-16
Evening Story
CHOOSING.
BY Grace kerrigan.
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.


them, Trixie.' said DR.. Lane. looknt
over his spectacles at his pretty daugh
ter.
Trixie pouted mutinously. But dad
I'VE told you that like them equally
well. How can | choose from among
three perfect dears like Harry, frank
and Bob? They are like brothers, you
know" reproachfully.
TT is evident that they do not share
that fraternal feeling" retorted her
father, dryly.
ooh. dear" sighed Trixie.
"In my own opinion" pursued the
doctor severely "they are exceedingly
foolish young men. Why one of them
all of them, in fact-should have
chosen to fall in love with a feather
headed girl is beyond my comprehen'
sion. The sort of wife young man
really needs is a sensible helpmate who
knows her own mind and. there-there
there. | really believe the child
has taken offense!" He polished his
glasses vigorously and looked al the
draperies behind which the slender
form had vanished.
Trixie met her mother on the stairs
and Mrs. Lane stared after the whirl-
wind of pink that swept past her. She
went into the labrary in some pertur-
baton.
what is the matter with Trixie?'
she asked.
"The same old story, Mary. It's this
Harry Frank and Bob business wish
they would go off and marry some 9th.
err girl and stop bothering me about
ours. If Trix doesn't want to marry
them why doesn't she say so and end
IT,"
Mrs. Lane smiled thoughtfully. Il
am afraid, my dear, that she really
does care for one of them and she is
afraid to choose"
afraid? Trixie afraid of mere
man? POOH"
"You don't understand girls, James.
81 am glad you were not the COM
plex sort, Mary! But what are we to
do about Trixie and her lovers? Harry
Brinton called on me this morning
about the matter-asked me to use my
influence with her and ! promised!
Frank Demarest called me on the
phone and made the same plea-l
promised him, too!'
"How about Bob Hayward"
"The transaction struck me as be-
ing so absurd, just called up Bot
and asked him il he needed my assis-
lance and he as good as told me to go
to the dickens Said he didn't need
any help in his courting-if he couldn't
win the girl he wanted without assis-
lance he guessed he didn't deserve her.
The doctor chuckled softly.
"Why, James Lane!" protested his
wife weakly. did you really say that
to Bob?"
~ did ask him the question but he
did most of the talking-really he was
very hot about the matter, my dear!
ooh. dear, don't know what to do
sighed Mrs. Lane. "The other girls
married without any trouble, and real
" wouldn't care if Trix never married
and. went away from us-but | wish
she would put these three young men
out of their misery They keep dang
linz on. hoping that she may make up
her mind. They are all fiercely jealous
of one another-but somehow, l 40
wish it happened to be Bob Hayward;
like him.
$50 do I, but they are all likeable IN
way and all equally desirable as to
character By the way, my dear, they
are all coming to dinner this evening
Il shall ask the Human girls, then
decided Mrs. Lane, as she went to the
telephone
Trixie Lane dressed for dinner that
night with her mind quite made up to
accept Frank Demarest If he should
ask her to marry him. She liked Frank
she assured herself: he was always jol-
" and pleasant and would make the
most delightful husband, Harry was
inclined to be jealous and Bob-well,
Bob Hayward was quiet and thoughtful
and diffident-and really she wanted
well, she knew what she wanted!
Trixie Lane was not coquette. Still
she wore her green charmeuse because
1t was Franks favorite among her
gowns, and she wore pink roses be-
cause Harry liked the combination OF
pink and green, and the tiny pink rose
tucked behind her ear in the coil OF
soft black hair was mute testimonial
to Bob's remark that she should always
wear flower in her hair.
So when she greeted the three young
men with equal cordially, Franks
heart leaped at sight of the green f1ock
Harry smiled quietly at the symphony
in pink and green, and Bob never saw
the rose in her hair because his eyes
didn't go beyond her lovely face.
The Human girls, Nellie and Grace,
were charmingly vivacious and devoted
themselves to Bob Hayward and Harry
Brinton, so that Trixie found herself
laughing gayly at Franks sallies and
quite deceived her interested parents.
Really, was hoping it might be Bob
HAYWARD said the doctor after din
ner.
so was l." agreed his wife, II like
his independence-and oh! dear, I'm
afraid he is my favorite."
81 wish he were Trixie's."
Meanwhile Frank Demarest was pro-
posing to Trixie in the moonlit south
piazza. And Trixie, in spite Of her
resolution to the contrary, gently re-
fused him.
"Did-your father say anything to
you? He rather-rather promised to
speak good word for me- growled
Frank, quite unpleasantly.