Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-08-30
BEING
CLEVER,
~
BY HILDA MORRIS

N~~RSAAoAes ASAos W thS VuSSAoA0 ANSWoPo>
Per Syndicate.)
Emily was very clever girl. Every
one had always said so, from her adOr
ing aunt, who taught her the alphabet
to her sociology professor in the uni
versity. She was pretty, too. or rather
as her butterfly cousin. Kate, once re
marked. "she would be stunning II
she'd give herself half chance" That
was the trouble with Emily. In any
save intellectual directions she never
gave herself half a chance. She had
never felt the slightest interest in boys
and men except as teachers and hui
man beings with worthwhile minds.
At twenty-five Emily was that anon.
ally among wOmankind, girl who had
never had any sort of love affair.
True, there had been one or two young
men in her classes who would have
liked to 90 farther than mere acquaint-
ance. but Emily had never given them
the slightest encouragement.
When she went to visit Kate last
summer 1t was not because she wished
to share in the social life Of which
Kate formed so capriciOus part, but
simply because she thought that Hates
home In a small town would be good,
quiet place where she could work on
her thesis undisturbed.
However, Emily was mistaken.
There was not an evening when the
veranda was not filled with gay youth
come to pass the time, or there was not
a dance at the club. party or play.
The days were just as full; tennis,
10y rides" with one Of Hates ridicu-
lOus boys, picnics, teas-in short Emily
found that she would have to state her
purpose in life quite fatty and ask
Kate to count her out. So she sat in
her room one afternoon. trying to con-
centrate on a thick volume with a for
midable title, while the sounds Of gay
voices drifted up to her from the We.
randa below.
Kate was there, Of course, and two
or three other girls. Also two young
men who should, thought Emily, have
been in better business. There was
something quite demoralizing about
the sound Of their apparent pleasure.
Emily found 1t hard to work. Not that
she envied them, rather she felt sorry
for them. poor frivolous things! She
closed her book and sat with her eyes
on space, thinking absently.
"Where's your cousin?" she heard
one Of the men ask suddenly.
"Emily1 Oh, she's boning over her
old books. at least she said she was
going to-"
"Poor thing!" commented another
girl. II feel sorry for her. Just because
she isn't attractive and popular I sup
pose she has to be intellectual. II
must be an awful strain"
II should say So" spoke up a third
girl II felt awfully sorry for her the
other night at that picnic. Everybody
else paired of and had a good time.
She looked awfully lonesome"
"Well," there was a shrug In Hates
voice. 1--WE done my best. can't help
1t If she isn't popular. Besides. think
she really likes to study. You can't
do anything for a girl like that"
Emily felt her face burn scarlet. Sc
they were sorry for her! Sorry fol
her! Why, she had thought the pity
all on her own side. How dared
theyf
The voices below were rumbling on
"They say Grant Sturgis is coming
home next week. haven't seen him
for years, but they say he is perfectly
stunning and an awful heart-smasher
There's some one to set your cap for
Kate. He has loads and loads OF
money"
1t was right then, in anger and the
spirit of revenge. that Emily conceived
her remarkable plan. To think was tc
act with Emily. and she lost no time
In writing orders In to various city
stores. Within a few days mysterious
boxes began to arrive for her. the con
tents of which she kept secret. II
Kate wondered about them 1t Wa
without a great deal Of interest. Books
no doubt, or some more of those i'm
possible tailored skirts and fiat-heelet
shoes that Emily always wore.
There was to be an informal dance
at the Country club one evening q
week later. Rather to Kate's surprise
Emily said that she thought she should
like to go.
"Could you get a man for me?" she
asked her pretty cousin.
'Oh, yes, Of course. There's Emmett
Brown; will he do? I'm going with
Murray Jones myself, but when l gel
there! can tell you, EN-, there's
just one man / want to flirt with to
night, and that's Grant Sturgis. He,
the best looking and richest man ir
Elmville, and all the girls are wild
about him. I want to cut them out.
"You doubtless WILL" Emily encour
aged her. with an odd little smile.
Kate was SO interested In her owl
dazzling toilet that she never stopped
to wonder what Emily might wear
Indeed, she went off with her escOr
linoleum Substitute.
To make a carpet resemble limo
leum, first spread over the reverse sid'
ordinary hot water starch. made rath
er thin and quite free from Jumps
This prevents the paint from soaking
into the fibers of the carpet. Wher
the layer of starch Is quite dry, any