The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-10-05

BY ALLISON BURR.

Dear Aunt Lucy l wish L cOulu
make you see how impossible 1t is for
me to like Wilbur Kirk in the way you
want me to like him."
"And l wish l could make you see
that he is far superior to any young
man who has paid you marked atten-
ton since you came out last fall"
'But, auntie, even If 1 saw all the
superiority that you seem to see IN
him, it would make no difference. 1t
will be something more human than
such superiority that will win my
heart"
Mrs. Ames shook her well-waved
and tightly-netted gray head as Nell
started down the boardwalk toward
the post office with a handful of let
tiers to mail.
AS Nell came out Of the little frame
post office she caught the tinkling
sound of Hawaiian stringed instru-
ments playing a lifting melody that
was soothing to her restless mood. Fol-
lowing the sound, she went down the
boardwalk and found the musicians
were stationed In the center OF large
refreshment pavilion which she often
patronized.
The bustllng manager found Nell a
small table where she had a glimpse
of the water front. With the menu
card in her hand she sat for moment
dreamily listening to the music and
watching the frothy little white caps
follow one after another TO the wa
ter's edge. She had quite forgotten
about ordering anything until she be-
came conscious that man had paused
expectantly beside her table.
Without looking up she gave
careless glance at the menu card, and
asked: "Do you still serve that deli
ciOus peach miracle"
Il beg you pardon" said mans
full-toned voice, and, looking up, she
saw, not a waiter, as she had expect
ed. but much-tanned young gentle
man in a blue serge suit that covered
a well-proportioned figure six feet in
height. 1t was Nell's turn TO beg par
don now, and she did 1t in a state Of
very pretty embarrassment.
"This seems to be the only seat left"
said the young man, indicating the va
cant chair at Nell's small table. Have
you any objection to my occupying itY'
"Not at ALL" said Nell, and she be-
gan studiously to scan the menu card.
Suddenly ball of well-frozen pink
ice cream tumbled from n tray and
went rolling across the table straight
for Nell's lap. When it was on the
very edge of the table the sunburned
hand of the tall young man opposite
shot across the table and grabbed it
firmly. While the penitent walters re-
placed the cloth Nell and the young
man laid aside reserve and laughed
lightly about the awkward incident.
"a moment ago 1 asked you wheth-
er you served peach miracle" said
Nell, "but you've made 1t very evident
now that you can even stop miracle
already In progress"
as that pink stuff peach miracleY"
he asked.
eyes"
Nell decided that silence would be
more embarrassing than conversation,
so, as they ate their ices, they chatted
and enjoyed the music together.
"That music certainly strikes my
''for I've been four months in a mining
camp where q metallic graphophone
grinding out ragtime was the only
thing that even pretended to be mu-
sic"
Immediately Nell attributed the sun
burn to the outdoor life Of mining
engineer and drew a pleasing picture
of the young man opposite in corduroy
and puttees. And, as other women
have done, she had jumped to the right
conclusion.
Nell was sure now that she had met
tbs man of her dreams and she could
have wept because her ice cream was
all gone and she had no further excuse
for remaining, as the musicians were
silent for the moment.
When they rose from the table Nell
extended her hand to the young men
as a gentle way of saying that their
acquaintance was at an end.
81 shall not forget your coming to
my rescue" she said sweetly.
"And / shall not forget you" he
said. Her eyes fell before the visit
fulness in his and she withdrew her
nanu anu leII the place WITHOUT elluer
of them speaking another word.
When she reached her aunt's cottage
Mrs. Ames was enthusiastic over tel
ephone call just received from Wilbur
Kirk saying that he and his mother
would motor out that evening instead
of waiting until Saturday morning.
'There they 6rel" exclaimed Mrs.
Ames later as a car drew up at the
curb.
I'm afraid we're dreadfully late"
said Mrs. Kirk, when they were all In
slsS the drawing room, "but we
stcpped at the hotel for a little visit
with NY nephew, Jack Ainslee, who is
just in from South America. Jack in
sisted upon being a mining engineer
instead of a minister or lawyer. as