Gunnison news-champion., 1917-03-09
DIPLOMACY
BY CATHERINE cRANMER.


-. as well as the daughters them
elves.
Practically everybody in town r.
lad Lewis Farinington's magazine ar
icies describing the customs and PEG
les Of the distant parts Of the wori,'
. which his diplomatic service Ia,
aiken him.
In all the town perhaps the only giri
ho kept the even tenor 81 her way h.
ne general fever Of anticipation wa
..ydia Rohb. who continued to enjoy
ennis. allowing her smooth arms t.
.ecOine sunburned and her sgucy nose
o gather a flock Of tiny brown
rockies. The afternoon ~ Lewis Farm-
n.ton's arrival. when the other giFis
ere either out in their smartest aft
moon toss or were swa'hed in cold
srcam and beauty sleep n preparation
1Ur possible eyeuin. conquest, Lydin
.guS PLAYING tennis with her brother.
Mother, dear" said Lewis, as they
passed up the quiet street in the vii
'ag. bus, lets have things an To our
elves tins summer I've tim" only for
lou and for my book. aud the fewer
functions we have to attend the better
Il will suit us both, fancy"
L do want TO make the most of our
first opportunity In years 10 be to-
EITHER and even he little selfish. Tm
afraid: but the people in town ara
Tulic astlr with expectancy over youf
VISIT The mothers proud smile made
the big. dark-eyed man at her sid.
Lush under his tanned skin
Invitations to teas, garden parties
nd dinners made Lewis Pennington,
frrr thnt he would either have 10 an
fasouizc the villagers or give UP ut
hope Of making any hcaIHuy with Ia
boabk
Early on the morning of the Fourth
u July. Lewis took his portable type
writer and some blank paper and
camp stool and made for the wooded
banks Of the small river half a mile
from town. He found delightful
spot under big onk tree that stood
on the river bank.
Gee. he unused. Il could shut my
eyes and expect to open them upon the
sight of lovely Indian maiden Gid
ing down that stream in canoe lie
closed his eyes and let the picture
stamp Itself on his mind. When he
opened his eyes, Il moment later, he
saw a vision loyclier than the one he
had been pIcturing Ia himself, for
Lydia Eobb was drifting down the
stream In canoe. The beauty of the
face and neck that showed above the
open neck OF a MILDLY blouse had not
been dimmcd by its coat of sunburn
and the dark brown hnir that crowned
the shapely head was FURNISHED almost
to bronze in the morning sunlight. Hen
blue eyes looked straight before her,
but suddenly frightened rs she threw
her hands wide Mt either side, while
her soprano voice rang clearly out:
Ny native country. thee.
Land OF the noble free,
Thy name I love-
Lewis Pennington felt n thrill even
more intense than any that had come
to him ut sight OF his country's tlag
in PARKWAY land. and. thanking his
stars that he had n fairly good voice,
he Joined In the song rs Lydia reached
these lines:
! love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and tempted hills.
Ny hear, with rapture thrills,
Like that above.
Bravo! My countrywoman" calico
out Lewis, as the song ended. "Your
Fourth Of July celebration is worth
while-far more to my liking than ths
one they're to have on the public
square tonight"
but thought you were going I"
make n speech tonight" The words
came abruptly from Lydia's red lips.
Not I. never speak in public un.
less compelled to. I'll admit, though
that the committee did urge me tt
speak"
They asked me to sing. too, but
refused" said Lydia.
'Well. I'm glad to be the one priv
legged person who heard you sing just
now, but don't you think you owe me
that much for having been SO unneieh
borly during all this month. I've lived
only n block from you? Mother has
spoken of you lot. but you've some
how eluded us except that morning
you brought her the raspberries, and
half believe you thought then that
was out hiking"
''Yes, did, or wouldn't have come
I haven't meant to be unneighborly,
but l was determined not to join in thu
general pursuit. Of you"
Both Lydia and Lewis We're momet
tarily embar Ssed nv her frankneSS
but moment later they were laughing
over the whole situation. and he wa
climbing down the bank at her invita-
ton to be taken aboard the canoe.
A week later. when 1t became kunpn
throughout the village that Lydia had
outdistanced all the other girls In town
in Lewis Farmington's regard. the vii.
lage wag felt impelled to voice his
opinion about It.
Every man wants the prize that's
hardest to GET he chuckled. '.and the