Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-16
Euening Story
BETTY's BROKEN RESOLVE.
copyright, 1916. by Mcclure News,
paper Syndicate.)
By Catherine Cranmer.

Oy SdInCIIHS STdnTncT.
Copyright, 1916, by Mcclure News.
paper Syndicate.)
"I'll tell you, Sis, you'd better not
try Markham too severely, or you'll
drive off an a number one matri.
monial chance"
"Pshaw, Jack! Aren't there plenty
more fish in the sea -
"Not plenty Of Markham's kind
"You are evidently Of one mind with
him, for it's because he Is SO sure that
he can't be wrong about anything that
I've been keeping him on the anxious
seat"
"Take 1t from me, Sis. it was a wise
fellow who said that a man is some
thing like an egg-if you keep him in
hot water little while he boils soft.
but keep him there too long and he
hardens. Do you get me-" Jacks
question was flung over his shoulder
from the front hall, where he was get.
ting into his overcoat and hat.
Eyes, I get you," laughed Betty. as
she curled up in big tapestried arm.
chair in front of the fireplace, and be-
gan looking idly through new maya.
zine. She started to read a story. but
presently found herself quite uncon-
scious Of what she was reading She
shifted her position restlessly, rested
her right elbow on the arm of her
chair and, cuppfng her chin into her
palm, gazed at the cracking fire.
Although she had firmly resolved
not to give a single thought to Fred
Markham until he apologized for his
part in their quarrel Of the evening
before, somehow, as she gazed into the
fire. her thoughts were all of him. The
quarrel had come about from Betty's
mention Of lark she had enjoyed at
the country club a few evenings be-
fore when a moving picture had been
taken of the ball room by society
man whose latest fad was moving pic
lures. .-.. ...
Great Scott" exclaimed Fred. '1
hope you didn't get in range Of the
picture machine?" .5....s'-...
"Why, yes! Why not? Larry Mapes
and did a special stunt before It,"
"And may I ask when and where
this picture is to be run as means OF
Haunting you in the face Of the pub.
lic?" .... -.
I'm sure L don't know, or care" re.
turned Betty defiantly
"Well, I care, and I mean to know
and to stop it If possible"
''Now may ask" began Betty, with
dignity and even hauteur in every inch
of her five feet of height, whether
this picture is any affair of yours and
whether you want to shield the public
or the picture by preventing its ap'
pearance"
ut may not be my affair, Betty
that rests with you," Fred answered,
"but l want to protect the picture be-
cause you're in It, l don't want every
Tom, Dick and Harry thinking that,
you belong to feminine type on
par with the masculine sort repre-.
sented by such men as Larry Mapes.'
'And may I ask you to specify his
type?" Betty was sarcastic.
"A dancing, driveling cad would do
fairly WE'LL"
"Oh," loftily retorted Betty, ANY
account of my frivolous pleasures
would naturally sound most flat, stale
and Improbable to a great highbrow
who prefers stale books to society
buds and delving for knowledge to
dancing for pleasure
Fred WINGED at the cutting sarcasm
of her speech and resented her sheer
at him as highbrow. Betty resented
his assumption of authority over her,
and so the quarrel had continued until
Fred had bowed formal good nigtN
to naughty Betty, whose big, brown
eyes had looked high above his head
at nothing in particular Y
She was still curled up in the arm
chair gazing meditatively at the fire
when her mother and father returned
from their dinner engagement at
Judge Mapes'. -.- ...
"My, but you're home early!" she
exclaimed. did the Judge run out OF
stories or did the cook run short on
courses?'
"Neither, my dear" answered her
father, as he removed his gloves and
slapped them together and held them
tight in his right hand, "but Larry
evidently ran out of sane amusements
and came near causing his own finish
as we'll as that of two other people,
Poor old Larry! What's he up to
now?" asked Betty indifferently.
He's in the hospital right now, hav-
ing his many bruises dressed, and a
poor little chorus girl will be too ner-