The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-03-30
BEING A HEROINE
BY VINCENT G. PERRY.


had ever seen him, and that was one
way of venting Il. After the door had
closed Scales sat down to enjoy nus
laugh he had been suppressing.
He and Miss Geraldine have been
havin' tiHf again, but it's little
worse than usual" he chuckled. L
wonder what new idea she has been
fioutin' on him, nOw."
AS Sanford walked his anger abated.
BY the time he reached home he was
able to see the humorous side of IT,.
"What a dear, little, ridiculous thing
she is" he muttered thoughtfully. IF
some Of those ideas of hers don't get
her into trouble I'll be surprised"
The week passed and Geraldine did
not hear from Sanford. She told her
self she was glad she didn't. She was
skipping through the most interesting
part Of o novel-just where the
heroine had sacrificed her jewels to
buy bread for her starving father and
crippled brother-when her own father
came into the room.
"My DEAR" her father began, sitting
down beside her. 81 have favor to
ask you-a very great favor, one that
viii change your whole life"
Eyes, fatherT' she gasped, for al
though longed for, it was unexpected
"I-I-I--" he hesitated as If in
doubt, but finally went ON. y would
like you to marry"
is that the favor?" she asked IN
disappointment.
eyes, that is the favor and ii makes
it harder for you to grant it when l
tell you that now you believe you don't
love the man have chosen and that
] must not tell you his name until The
day of your marriage. 1t will spare
me great unhappness IL you make
this marriage-sacrihce yourself to my
wishes
Il Will do anything for you, father
anything" II was a speech from one
of her popular novels, but she did not
realize it.
But being a martyr was not the
grand thing it appeared in novels.
Geraldine began to think after she
had become accustomed 10 the idea of
il. AS the day approached for her TO
marry the man she had never seen, she
began to wonder if she hadn't been too
hasty in Offering herself for the Sacri-
fee.
The night before her wedding day
arrived. Her clothes were beautiful
but that did not. interest her. What
mockery ii was 10 have a big wedding,
she thought. Somehow her mother and
father did not seem concerned about
her. They appeared to consider the
affair q wonderful one for her instead
OF great unhappiness. Surely they
could see she was unhappy. although /
she had carried out the heroine role /
TO finish and hidden il from them |
oh, if there was only some one she |
could tell her troubles to and receive
comfort from There was some one
the only one who twould listen sympa
thetically, and no matter what he or
anyone else thought, she was going TO
tell him all, she decided, and went to
the telephone before her courage failed
her.
1t was a very plaintiye and meek
voice that Sanford Ross heard over
the wire. please come, Sanford.
want you" was all it said, but he
recognized it as Geraldines, and that
was enough. He arrived at the
OConnor home in record time.
She did not mind when he took her
in his arms and she cried out her
troubles on his shouldg.
"Oh, I am so unhappy, and being a
heroine is the worst thing ever tried
To do l hate sacrifices and | was
never meant for martyr" she walled
'Of course you weren't, dear, ana ]
knew 1t all along, but you've been .
little brick" he comforted. IF | had
known you would have taken it SO
seriously l would not have allowed
your father to play this trick on YOU.
am all to blame, Jerry dear. 1t is all
my fault"
"Your fault, sapKord?q She
stopped sobbing and looked at him III
wonder.
Yes. am the man you would
have met at the altar tomorrow.
knew l would never be able TO get you
there until you were satisfied by max
ing some kind Of sacrifice"
But father told me-"
He didn't tell you very much dear"
her father said, as he stepped into the
room He just told You one little fb
aud you took the rest for granted"
Two fihs, father" Size corrected
smiling through her tears You said
] had never met him, and it would
save you from a great unhappiness."
so it WILL" her father smiled know
iugly. Il knew you loved Sanford. |
and it would haze made me unhappy If
vDu had rejected him because or a silly II
jttle notion about heroiues alid suchll
things. But you have been heroine, L
Jerryl" 4
Not much of one 1t was surpris L
ing how quickly her appearance had [
changed for she was smiling radiant
Y. "Oh, wouldn't ] have looked fool
sh when ] found you at the altar wait le
ng for me, Sandfcrdl" She was able u
% laugh for the first time today. g
"Would YOU have? Then / am glac St
eamp foufuhf u-ov,,o,r.,..- ,-s,, -,.-Dl K