The daily Alaskan., 1915-12-28
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

"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
 "Who2"
 'oTho first letter of his first name is J."
 "Thats because you never tried" My first name is James.
 "Perhaps will"
 "What would poor Harry do in the meanwhileH He would be swallowed up by Ida Perkins"
 "Oh, that affair could wait"
 ''When are you going to begin on meT'
 "You? Oh, you can wait too. Good morning. Come and see me soon. ] have things to tell you"
 "Very soon. GOOdbyT
 This scrap of conversation, which I nm free to admit was not concentrated wisdom, occurred at the glove counter of Jones', where I met Miss Chamber | lin. The next time l saw her was at | Mrs. Winters salon, so called from the brilliant dialogues that take place there. Betty was tied to Ashurst. He was graduate of a scientific school and could drown her in a pool of ideas seven feet deep I was sandwiched between two girls directly behind them. We conversed with one another, but had our ears open for what Ashurst l 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. It was this:
 "Why do you bright men get stuck in the honey of stupid girlsT
 "LeaYe out the you and I will an- swer the question" I replied.
 But she wouldn't, and I confess l i would not have been pleased If she l had.
 1 Betty made n lOdgment with Ash urst at that salon, and this is the way she did it-
 "I have heard, Mir. 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 everythlng? grunted Ashurst
 "so say I-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 off.'
 This was a trIhe mixed, but Ashurst didn't seem to mlud 1t.
 Some of the women here make me laugh" Betty went on. "They think they're quite wise. Don't they tire you, | Mir. Ashurst?'
 "I don't know; some of them dO."
 "I 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- l tion."
 Which allles?"
 Why, l suppose she meant-is there more than one ally? I saw Ida Perkins and Belle Town send-Belle was the other sije Gf the sandwich that had me for a middle l 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 tury problems of the great v"r. h. | deed, it had not been her intention to do so. She had become inadvertently drawn into 1t by attempting to hold up one of her rivals in an unfayOrable light
 Are you fond of motoring, MT. .AshurstT" was her next remark. q don't suppose you are. At least so busy a 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 uufortu- nately the latter member cannot wag without drawing on her brain.
 "The reason why I asked you if you were fond of motoring is that have car, and if you could spare me some afternoon about o'clock
 q should be very happy" was the reply.
 Don't you think an fee 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 if you tried?"
 Whats this 1 hear about you and Ida PerknsT' she asked. looking at me anLiously.
 "Oh, we're engaged too" Ihave never since regalned the place I occupied in Betty's good graces. l don't see why. Surely she could not A-1,,,-4E ,.,7 ,,.