The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-05-21

apparently he had tired ~ her. There
was Lee. OF course, but Just the same
4 she missed Maurice. Tbut some dny
she would have 10 make a choice be- I,
tween them had never entered her
head. or II II had, Ind not dweIt there
for any second thought. Down In her
heart. however. there was n feeling
That she was jnst beginning to recog.
ni1e ana now that the possibility OF
having TO make choice appeared 10
her she felt that II would not tnke
her long to make 1T. But as the days
went by without Maurice making my,
advances to pick up the friendship
where they had left Off, feeling OF
Indignation cropped in, and she won
dered II after VII Lee vas not the
better man.
commencement day came. Them
followed the finnl baseball match with
the. tenn that had been the rival for,
@yehvs. 1t WAS a glorious game and
the way b0fli Lee and Maurice played
gladdel& the heart of Violet and
causedNer to cheer frantically from
her place among the fans. Oh, what
glorious boys they both were, she
thought. But her cheers were ST.
fenced as the game nenred an end and
things looked black for the home team.
When IT ended In favor OF the visitors
she was one Of the first to congratu-
late her friends among them: ut was
grand" she told them, "and was
| nf NIL ha
She knew where to find Lee and
Maurice and hurried to the place. Per-
haps Maurice had been studying hard
to graduate and that was why he hnd
neglected her she thought. OF course
that was I'll Why hadn't she thought
of that before?
' She paused as she reached within
hearing distance of the members OF
the team. 1t was Lees voice raised
in angry protest. As she listened her
cheeks burned. What poor loser he
was. she thought. so unlike a true
sportsman. Maurice spied her first and
hurried to greet her. Lee stopped his
flow of angry denunciation Of every
body and everything in general and
looked around shqmefuily.
I'VE had better get away from
here" Maurice said, trying TO cover up
Lees mistake.
II II am sorry for Lee" Violet sald.
II hadn't any idea he was such u poor
sport. I admire good loser"
Maurice did not speak again until
they were well away from the ball
grounds.
II would not have had you hear Lee
make that mistake for the world" he
said. when he did speak. "He is really
a good sort-onc of the best friends a
imam could haye."
Yes; he makes very good friend
lone can overlook shortcomings in q
friend, but pity the woman who mar
ried him, for there are so many losses
and disappointments in life and / am
afraid Lee won't take them In the
spirit he should"
That startled Maurice's heart flut-
tering. "Why-I thought" he be-
gan. but Violet interrupted him.
"You thought what?" she asked.
"That there was something between
you and Lee. You said"
"What did ! ever say that would
make you think anything like that"
"You remember at the dog show
what you said about shoroughbreds--
men and dogs. Well, Lee is from an
old family. a thoroughbred in the true
sense of the word"
"That is where disagree with you"
she broke in. "A clear brain and head
and clean habits make the through
bred man. Family does not count at
Iall, If he is lacking In these quail
lities."
"But Lee is most Of that" Maurice
defended.
"Ill admit 1t. but I'm not at oil in
terested in Lee. There Is someone in
terests me far more"
Lets 60 some place where we can
talk 1t over" he laughed as she linked
her arm In his.