The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-07-17
. Springline
Thaw
ny ANNA KRDFKRN

W~P@F~FF~fReNN% eNN%NrNNeNNepNeeNANE
tcopyughL 1918. W ne Mecsurs News.
papsr syndleats.I
Big nm sheldon was decidedly not
westerner. One could have guessed
that fact by his air OF reserve--a re-.
hned. courteous. bus nevertheless clear
~ obvious I-an-suflleient-f0r-m myself
manner. The manner. however. was
not Of Bllls own choosing: rather was
u product Of environment. More
over. u was a source of deep grievance
TO him. for try a. hard as he might hs
could not make friends, with a reserve
as lrnpeaetrable as the Rock Of Glbral.
tar rising between himself and every
one he tact. Even the glad spchtaneity
Of n merry Western city, where friend.
illness was the rule. rather than the ~.
verse. seemed not 10 melt the lee.
How could his new.found aequalnt.
ances divine for themselves that with,
In his six feet bulk Of calm. blond non.
chalance lay a desire for adventure as
keen ns that OF some twelve-yearaold
devOtee Of Nick Carter; or that the
wistful look showing forth every now
and then from his deep gray eyes be-
tokened only the strong desire that
somewhere. sooner or later. some Que
would notice him and really like him
In spite of himself. No wonder he
moped; and no wonder Aunt Della
stood nj her wits end to entertain him.
She had fed him to the fattening
pOlnt: she had introduced him la turn
TO every one she knew she had waited
on him more tenderly than his own
mother would have done. and still he
looked bored.
Il think. Runtie." he said after the
arst week Of agony, that shall have
60 be starting for home. Father can
scarcely run the shop without mo
much as l would like to stay" he
added as a polite afterthoughi.
There was no doubt that ban was
homeslck. And whether q feet 30
pounds suffers prOportionately more
than does 8 feet 100 pounds. even BIN
had no heart 10 answer. Blue to the
bottom Of his No. boots. be paced
gioomily around Aunt Dellas sunny.
comfortable living room. impatiently
humping against knlck.knaeks and
chairs. Fourteen times without stop
ping he paced. On the fifteenth round
he stopped by the long French window
with jerk. He pulled aside the blue
cretonne curtains. and drawing him
self erect In the soft spring sunshine
he drank In the pleasing sight through
eyes aud nose and mouth.
The morning was clear and fair and
radiant; the clouds were blue and soft
aud feecy; the lawns were lush and
green with young grass; the trees
were newly In leaf. Hut a faircr sight
than all this caught aud held his at.
tentiOn. In q nelghboring yard. scarce
ly two rods away. there flashed a
maiden back and forth with move
ments as graceful and dainty as those
of some wood nymph.
With a few deft movements she
drew up the sagging whlte-string net
and fastened u taut across the tennis
court. She tried out her balls and
rackets with a bubbling. bOyllke ex.
ultaney. as n the tonic Of springtime
had found afinlty with her feet.
-YOugh." gnsped BIN. and ~YOuEh -
~oh. auntie. who's the young lady next
dOorF'
Aunt Della carefully set her Pic
crust In the yellow mixing bowl. wiped
her hands and came at her young
nephew's excited call.
That's no young lady" she correct.
ed. THAT Is Irene Roberts. Why,
I've known that child ever since she
was born"
"How long Is that. auntieY'' Bob per-
sisted.
swell. now. let me see. II must be
twenty years or thereaboutS" Bob
raised his eyebrows quixzlcally. but
Aunt Della ratified on. "Yes. aud lust
as you see her now she's always been
jumping, running. playing tennis.
riding horseback. She's a regular TOM
boy"
To Aunt Della Irene was lust the
same madcap little eirl that she had
always known from childhood up. Not
80 to nm He stood by the window
and watched his lively young neigh.
hOr's gyrations with distinct approval.
"She ls hame and action he mused
rs her re,l-brown bobbed curls flashed
In the sunshine. Altogether he ap-
proved of her-of her trim white fan.
mel dress and hlgh-cut russet boats. Of
her well-knit, graceful figure swaylng
In the sheer delight Of motion. and her
frank boyiSh activity. so much did he
approve that the wistfal look came
back into his deep brown eyes. and
the homesick feeling formed a hard
lump and settled In his thruat.
That she had no companion In her
game seemed not 10 bother Irene al
all. Back and forth she sclntIllated.
her tennis bali now On one side Of the
net. now on the other.
Suddenly she threw down her ball
and started toward Biii's point OF OBJ
servanee. -Auntie Base0m" she cali
ed. -rm coming IN 10 see you."
Blll's experience OF twenty-five
years. did not include instruction IN
chaln-llghtning action. Of course. ne
wanted to meet the girl. For what
else had he been planning during the
last fifteen minutes but for thlsf How.
ever. this was sudden action. As Irene
called he hastily drew back from the
window and began measuring win his