The Wrangell sentinel., 1917-01-18
Cupid Versus
 Connie s Art
Studio Plans Were Abandon
 ed After an Explanation.
By HELEN ]. WOOD.

"See here, Connie, I can't go . step farther. If you want to carry out the rest of your program for to- day you will have to do it by your- self. l am tired out. And here are these home papers l have been carrying around all morning with out even a chance to glance in them"
 Mrs. Curwin emphasized her re- marks by sinking down on one of the benches in front of the Pavilion des Arts 1ndustrieux. Soon she was buried in her papers, quite forgetful of foreign surroundings.
 One glance at the daughter show ed that she was the general of the little exploring party. Filled with a determination to see everything at the exposition, she had been personally inducting" her meek minded mother for a week. Mrs. Curwin was hankering for the al- lurements of the French shops, but Connie had been resolute. The ex- position first and Paris afterward was her motto.
 But today she was wise enough to overlook this sudden insubordina- tion. Besides, she was tired her self. So there she sat, idly watch ing the stream of passing people. What contrasts in figure and cos tune met her eyes-English, Turks, Hindus, Japanese and, more nu- merous than all, Americans. Con- nie saw her compatriots with thrill of pride-the girls so much more beautiful than their foreign sisters, the men so tall and broad shouldered. Oh, the American men! She would choose them every-time. A tender smile parted her lips. Her mothers voice broke her reverie:
 "Why, I can't believe my eyes! We'll, well."' And she paused as if overcome.
 Connie leaned over and read the exciting paragraph:
 "Mr. and Mrs. Van Ingen an- nounce the engagement of their daughter Maud to James Wortman Pennington of this city"
 Connie started in spite of herself.
 "Jim! And he never told mel"
 "That's just what I'd like to know. How did he ever work it up in such a hurry? Why, we have been gone only two months, and be- fore that he was always hanging round after you"
 She fairly sputtered in her excite ment, but glance at her daugh- ter's face calmed her. It wore look of one stunned by the shock of a sudden blow.
 "Of course," she went on more quietly, ''it may have been going on for long time. Maud is not pret- ty," with an admiring gaze at her own daughter, "but she is kind and pleasant. He might have done worse"
 "Yes, he might have done worse," Maud echoed. But l shall write him a note tonight and scold him for not having told me before-me, whom he called his best friend. Now, mother, if you are determined not to see anything more today you can easily find your way home. I will follow out the program alone" And, picking up her guidebooks, she hurried off.
 Mrs. Curwin gazed after her with a growing anxiety. Did Connie real ly care?
 Meanwhile the trim little figure was hurrying down long aisle. Her eyes passed over kaleidoscopic suc- cession of objects that somehow failed to make any impression on her brain. The exposition roared and flashed around her, and in her mind one train of thought kept re- beating with horrible persistency.
 Jim engaged-her Jim! Yes, he had been her Jim, she said almost savagely; had been her best friend for ever so long. She had been CO., quettish and flirted with the other boys, but he had known all along, she felt sure. Had he only been flirting with her? No, no! But here he was, engaged to another girl! And then the whole miser- able circuit began once more.
 She came home to the pension so white and weary that her mother was alarmed, but she pleaded fa- tigue and went off to bed like a tired child.
 Poor Mrs. Curwin was much per ,,loxoJ in tho doya that fo1lOwod