Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-06-12
Too frivolous
Il
ByR. RAY BAKER
copyright. 1913. BY the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)

map. II you approach a railroad
ticket window and inquire as to the
fare the man behind the wicket can't
shoot an answer at you in terse tones.
He has to get put a little pamphlet
and search through it, and after per-
haps fifteen minutes have passed he
can give you the requested informal
ton.
Just where Castlegrove derived its
name certainly is not known to any of
its denizens. Surely there is no edi-
flee in the town that could by the
most ambitious of ~imaginations be
called a castle. The nearest thing to
1t Is a church, which is just a plain
little white building-the kind you
find at crossroads In the country.
True, there can be and generally is
as much religion in n Of these little
frame structures as in many of the
more %pretentious houses of worship to
be found in the cities. However, at
the time of which I write there was no
minister occupying the ~Castlegrove
church pulpit. The parishioners were
limited in number, because the popu-
lation of Castlegrove and its e~nvirons
had dwindled very noticeably Since
the church was built, and the ones
that were left could not afford to pay
a pastors salary, and a minister must
eat.
In the backwoods Ohio town came
Genevieve Walters. City life didn't
agree with her mother, so Mr.. Walters
bought some land that for politeness'
sake was called a farm, and which
came cheap, in spite of the 1attery,
and the family moved from the fairly
large city sixty miles away in which
they had resided over since Genevieve
could remember. MI. Walters bought
out one of the two general stores,
succeeded in getting the appointment
as postmaster, which had been held
by the former proprietor, and man
aged to wrest a fair living from the
combination.
The moving of the Walters family to
s~Castlegroye brought another person to
the village once a week. This person
was Bert Holbrook, who was in love
with Genevieve. He lived in her old
home town, where he held a fairly
lucrative position as pharmacist, and
The managed to get down at regular
intervals to see his hearts desire,
usually on Saturday, which was his
day off on account of having to work
Sundays.
The two young people had kept com
ipany for two years, but there had
been no direct talk Of an engagement.
1t wasn't that Bert was timid about
such matters, but that he found one
marked flaw in Genevieve that he
wished to see corrected before they
became betrothed. She was stoo
frivolous" according to his ideas. He
loved her none the less, but he feared
she would experience difficulty In
SETTLING down."
Il do like TO see u girl SMILE" he
told himself repeatedly; ''but I be
lieve it would be a genuine relief to
see Genevieve scowl or cry just once.
1t would relieve the monotony. She's
smiling all the time, and It's an at.
tractive smile, too; but it shows she
never has a serious, thought. Then,
she's always telling something funny
she's seen or some joke she's heard
With the removal of the Walters
family to C~astlegroye Bert felt con
WINGED that at last Genevieve was go.
Ing to become settled" One couldn't
very well be frivolous in that town.
But Genevieve failed to improve, sc
far as her sweetheart could notice
She smiled just as much and saw just
as many funny things in life. He
couldn't wait forever, however, so al
last he decided he would ask her tc
take a chance as Mrs. Holbrook. al
though re felt sure 1t was he that was
taking the chance.
1t would not be quite right to in
trude on the scene of his attempted
proposal, SO we'll wait and listen tt
his thoughts as he expressed them
aloud under the rumble Of the wheels
of the train on which he journeyet
home that Saturday night. He hat
a habit OF talking aloud when some
thing troubled him and this was ONT
of those times.
"a fine mess !" he said, as he hall
recllned on one seat with his feet OF
another and glared dejectcdly out thu
window into the darkness fiashin.
past. .sTalk about f~rivolousness
Genevieve certainly has them al
beaten. Can't even listen to a pro
posal Of marriage without laughing
IN your face. One would NATURAL,
think that when a fellow starts talk
Ing love a girl would stop playing {
piano; but not Geneyieve Walters
She keeps right on and looks up a
you and grins. I'm through that!
all. l can't keep this up forever. M
for a sensible girl"
And Bert meant 1t. His was a rath
or grave demeanor at all times. Fl,
took life seriously and could not un
derstand the kind Of people who striv,
to See the funny side at every oppor
tunity.
Ua was sincerely in love with Gene