Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-05-30

never ulVulSe 10 anyone whatever ne
might see or hear.
He might have observed that RelIa's
blue eyes shOne' with unwonted happi-
ness and that she was decked out in
her crispiest white frock. But Steve
couldn't see that Bella looked at al,
different than usual and it was incon-
ceivable to him that Bill was greatly
enjoying himself. Then he overheard
this:
But you really are the dearest. best
man In all the wOrld-really YOU are.
and 1 ought to know. because have
brothers and cousins and I've always
known lots OF boys. And you are. oh.
so good-looking. Bill. Truly you are. I
never cared about mans being so
awfully tall If he was only we'll built ::
and you are awfully we'll built. Bill
Why. Napoleon was lots shorter than
you are and Alexander Hamilton
wasn't bit taller. 1t isn't as i'll was
great tall girl"
Steve listened more intently. Some
how this kind OF talk interested him.
1t threw side-lights on this matter of
courtship that he had never dreamed
Of. There was lot Of talk in between
and then he listened again.
II know you are going to make a
great success. Bill. Men with fore
heads shaped like yours always do if
they are started out right. And you
are started out right because your
hand shows that you have a splendid
talent for business. I just know you
are going to make a great success
On. am so proud Of my Billy. He's
just the dearest. best, bravest man In
the world"
AT the next opportunity Steve crept'
out OF the lilac bush and made tracks
Tor nome. Later he confessed to Bill
what he had heard.
Il see now why you wanted to 20
and get engaged" he said. 81 didn't
know that was what It was like before
cause. Of course. no one but your
girl would ever tell you all those
things. Gee, but she thinks you are
Just perfect, don't she. Bill7 I don't
suppose she ever noticed those freck-
les on your nose."
So 1t was that the elder cousin gave
the younger what he regarded as q
sound sage piece Of advice. "There
are girls" he told him, "who will want
you to do all the flattering, all the
kidding. They may be the most fas-
clnating kind. But they don't make
the best sweethearts and wives. They
expect too much and instead Of help
ing fellow up the road to success
they just hinder him. That's why
fell for Bella. l suppose I might
have met lots of girls that were pref
tier and all that, but I figured that
Bella appreciated me and that that
was what would help me to success"
Steve grew to manhood and Bill and
Bella were married, and moved far
away to the West, and though the two
cousins did not see each other for
many years, Steve always remembered
the good advice that Bill had given
to him. He had been his boyfsh ideal
and somehow though he never saw
him. he imagined that he was still in
his business and family life out there
In the West living up to this ideal.
There were girls aplenty. There
was Ruth Of the Titan hair and the
perpetual bantering laugh. and there
was Matty, blonde, with dropping eye
lashes and imperious manner, and
there were Daisy and Sally and Wv
ian and Gertrude-perhaps others.
1t may be that Steve was engaged to
some of them, but never once did they
compare Steve. who was cast in the
same proportions as Cousin Bill, to the
great Napoleon or Hamilton, never did
they tell him that he was the dear
est man In the world. the best and the
''ravest, though somehow they man.
aged to exact from him numerous pro-
teStationS rs to their angelic and
Seraphic qualities. Steve had just de.
cided that the girls like Bella were
girls OF the past. that the girls Of his
generation were not Of the dotlng
kind.
Still. he remembered Bits advice
and Pill was still in the back Of his
mind. his "beau ideal"
Then Steve got little stenOgrapher
who wnS fresh from the country where
she had taken correspondence
course. And she had nice blue eyes
and hair rs straight as Providence had
made 1T and-wcli. Steve had her in
his employ for month before he ever
thought Of her rs possible Bella.
Then one day absolutely sans CO.
Gurtry. sans calculation this little
Flora Graves said: "Mr. Miller, I