The Monticellonian., 1917-08-16
"a "a "a A "a pR E m H "a "a wm POINT OF VIEW $
 By EARL REED SILVERs. ez
n "a "a n n Ea "a Ez "a n 3

urely way down the high front porch and depart with tossing head for 1.-The Avenue" Mary appeared to him to be rather stuck up; she had way of carrying her head as if she were afraid 1t might fall off her rather thin neck If she inclined 1t the least bit forward, and once or twice Jim had found those rather large blue eyes of hers looking straight through him, as If he had wood leaning against the fence post. Looking at Mary from the viewpoint | of a stranger. Jim decided that she was just the kind of q girl he didn't want to know.
 Jim was twenty-four years old, and he made S24 week, and more than one blooming maiden had looked at him with rather covetous eyes. But Jim considered himself girlproof. Yet on the evening of the annual outing of the Republican club Jim was destined to meet his fate. The day had passed along rather uneventfully ; he had managed to secure good seat on the trip to the island, and hav- ing once reached the boat landing he had hastened to the beach and had spent the entire day in q bathing suit. But when the big excursion boat start ed on it's return trip Jim began to feel the stirrings of vain misgivings. A big silver moon hung over the water, faint breeze rippled through .1 I,,- S,f ,,tNl stt np near him. and from the shadows came the sound of soft voices. For a time Jim sat fin the bow of the boat with his bachelor friends and tried to per suade himself that his pipe was all that he needed to make the evening a perfect one. But his honest heart told him that he was deceiving himself, that what he wanted was girl with laughing eyes and jest or two on her lips. He arose restlessly and started to walk toward the stern. In every conceivable nook he could glimpse dark figures, sitting surprisingly close and making surprisingly little noise. They awoke in Jim vague memories of other nights when he, too, had sat in the shadows.
 But suddenly from little nook at the end of one of the small passage ways, came the sound of a sob. Jim stood still and listened. It came again. girls sob, expressing misery such as only youth can know. Jim turned and made his way into the shadows, find ing in the very farthest corner of the niche the huddled figure of girl. There was something vaguely famil- jar about her, and Jim hesitated a moment before addressing her. But another stitled sob caused him to touch her lightly on the shoulder. "1s there anything I can do?" he asked.
 The girl raised her head and turned a tear-stained face toward him. And then Jim received shock. It was Mary Foster. Gone was the proud toss of her head, gone the superclli- ous stare of her big blue eyes. She looked very much like helpless child, and Jim's heart went out to her.
 I'm Jim Higgins he announced. "Ain't there something I can do?"
 Mary's eyes opened just little wider.
 'Are you the boy across the street?' she asked.
 Jim's heart leaped just bit at her words. He had had no idea that she knew him from Adam.
 "Yes," he said, "I live across the street. Now tell me what's the mat ter?"
 The girl half turned on the straight backed chair and wiped her eyes.
 "Nothing very much,' she answered. II came to the outing with Jerry Ly- ons and he wanted me to come here and talk with him, and I wouldn't, and so he went away"
 And you want me to get him again?'
 A hint of the Mary Foster of old was manifested in the girls sudden change of manner.
 "No, I wouldn't have him back for hundred dollars" she exclaimed. "I never want to see hAn again."
 "Then how are you going to get home?"
 MdTy 1OOhcu dl Jiiu uClplCSSiys
 T don't know"
 Jim exercised his prerogative as one of the stronger sex.
 "I know how you're going to get home," he announced "I'm going to take you"
 Mary's hand grasped his arm i'm | pulsively "Oh, do you mind?" q -l.n Ir,$ "a whole body thrilled at that trusting clasp of Mary's hand. "Supposing we | take walk.
 The girl hesitated.
 My eyes are wet and I wouldn't want people to see me" she answered Would you mind just sitting here?'
 Jim assured her earnestly that he wouldn't mind at all, and so the girl moved over slightly and they both sat on the chair that was made only for one. One silver moonbeam rested fair, ly on Mary's brown hair. Jim's fingers touched it lingeringly. There was something about Mary which was different from any girl he had ever known.
 lie liked the Dlue oI ner eyes an0 the proud way she carried her head
 Mary" he said softly, you're one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen.'
 Which all goes to show that good deal in life depends upon ones point | of view.
 Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa
 per Syndicate.)