Cheyenne record., 1916-11-09
As LYDIA LIKED IT
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.

unQer twenty-five, Lyuld ulu uot Sce
high value upon 1t.
On the first evening of house party
at Mrs. Hornsby's charming mountain
cottage, Lydia was taken In to dinner
by Jack Madison, who had taken turns
at teasing her and making love to her
for years. Her neighbor on the other
side was Stanley Barnes. dignified
man of perhaps t.lirty-fve, who had
the double distinction of being a s..c-
cessful lawyer and remarkable
Shakespearean scholar.
Dear me, jack" said Lydia, in IL
dramatic undertone, 'tell me some
thing from Shakespeare quick! Some
thing can throw in for good measure
when talking to my distinguished
neighbor on the other side"
"Better not start anything with thar
wiseacre," said Jack. 1T will be wasi-
ed sweetness on your part and intel
lectual condescension on his. Besides,
saw you first and love you.'
"Just for that!" Lydia Indignantly
ignored Jacks avowal of his love and
turned to Stanley Barnes with a win
ming smile in her sparkling brown
eyes.
"Mr. Barnes, do you think the
Shakespearean revival this year will
tend to create more general interest
in the immortal bard?"
Stanley Barnes lifted his eyebrows
and opened his gray eyes wide in sur
prise as he turned to reply.
"Why'er, 1 hope SO, Miss Parker"
AH,,n, 7
mistook his slowness in answering for
the intellectual condescensiOn Jack had
predicted. The truth Is that Stanley
Barnes was thinking what charming
Katherine or Rosalind this vivacious
questioner of his would make. She in
wardly determined that she would
some day compel that terrific high
brow to recognize her as something
more than a doll baby in conversation.
The next morning Lydia crawled
out Of bed early to take peep at the
mountain sunrise, and she saw Stanley
Barnes setting out for climb all
alone.
In her corduroy suit and high brown
boots Lydia started out for climb.
The cool stiffness of the early morning
made her feel very tiny and helpless
but as the sunlight warmed her body
and frightened the coppery tints in
her hair. she was once more seized
with the spirit of adventure, and went
higher and higher, with eyes alert for
all the beauties around her.
Its absolutely perfect!" she said
aloud. Nothing more is needed"
II agree with you, Miss Parker, yet
I hope it will not mar the perfection
of it If join you in enjoying it." Stan
ley Barnes was standing on a large
bowlder almost directly above Lydia's
head, and when she looked up and met
the smiling question in his eyes she
answered it with a frank smile that
brought him quickly to her side.
"Words are sadly unequal to all
this" said Lydia, throwing out her
hand to indicate the sweep from zenith
to horizon.
".For we, which now behold these
present days,
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues
to praise"
Lydia was unfamiliar with this QUO
tation, but she felt its aptness so keen
~ that unconsciously she slipped her
hand into Stanley's as her sign Of ac
quiescence without words.
That night, for the fourth and last
time, Jack proposed to Lydia and was
refused with more f1rmness than she
had shown on any of the three former
occasions.
Seeing Mrs. Hornsby corral Jack
for bridge game, Lydia slipped from
the room to avoid being similarly cap
tured. She stood quite still for few
moments thinking Of all the pleasures
she had enjoyed with Jack, but felt
that she had been right in refusing
him.
"The man marry must have
enough seriousness to recognize what
little bit there is Of it in me-" she
Gus than l."
Then she recalled how Stanley
Barnes had that morning recognized
her as she had resolved the evening
before to make him recognize her-as
something more than a doll baby, or a
chnttering society sparrow. At the
sound Of step on the porch, she
turned and recognized the man who
was in her thoughts approaching her.
"Are you also a refugee from
bridge?" he asked. MAY 1 join your
"Yes," Lydia answered both of his
questions with one word. 81 seemed
to hear the bigness Of things outside
calling me-" As Stanley joined her
where she stood at the railing. she
added, II defy even your Mr.. Shakes
peare to find words to describe the
loveliness Of this night"
GAS you like It, lady fair" said
Stanley, with deferential bow, and
SO they stood there for a time in