The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-10-20
155e
Tuft Hunter
@~~0
By
AMALIE ELIZABETH COBB
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.)

1t was Myra Lane who pleaded ex-
citedly, a small gilt-edged blank book
and a pencil in her hand, and with
radiant face she gazed eagerly through
the crowded parlors of that queen of
Longdale society, Mrs. Eunlce Bran
dell. g-s.st
Right behind the piano, dear" de-
clared the latter. Tell him l sent
you and your sweet face will do the
rest"
Come, Alma" urged Myra, catch
ing the arm of her companion, Alma
Dysart, and hurrying her forward
Alma would have drawn back. only
that Myra was close friend. Then.
too, Alma was not disinclined to view
the lion of the occasion He had been
advertised far and wide among the
group who revolved about its gifted
and exclusive center, Mrs. Branded.
the popular writer Of the day, Horatio
birmingham. Forthwith Myra, armed
with the little book, a volume CON
talning the signatures of numerous
social and literary notables, hurried
along.
The tuft hunter pretty, impetuous
Myra was very generally designated.
In truth Myra cherished her auto.
graph album as might a schoolboy
rare coin or stamp collection.
Alma was of timid, retiring ma
ture, the precise opposite of Myra,
but to a certain degree she could
share in the ardor of her friend. She.
too, had her favorites in the higher
realms of literature, art and music
Very especially was she an ardent
lover of poetry. Hector Birmingham
did quite little in that line, although
his principal effusiOns were noyeIistic.
There was minor celebrity, but the
real poet, in the estimation of Alma,
was also to be present at the function.
This was Armand Lisle, many of
whose exquisite little sonnets Alma
and many another who loved pure
sentiment and expressive feeling had
by heart. She was curious to have a
view of him, but too retired to ask
Mrs. Brandell for an introduction.
In her rushing, impetuous way
Myra, like the typical hunter fixed
her eye upon the person Mrs. Bran
dell had suppOsitiously indicated and
made direct for him. The subject of
her fixed gaze was a young man stand
ing silently behind a group listening
to the words of an overdressed and
seemingly overfed man with a haring
tie, a very red face and an affected
lordly air that indicated he was one
OF the lions of the occasion. In her
headstrong, helter-skelter way think
ing only of the coveted autograph,
Myra reached the supposed object Of
her quest The young man seemed
somewhat distracted, as though deep
in thought, and almost mechanically
took book and pencil rendered in his
hand as Myra said:
Wont you please add to my little I
collection of autographs? Mrs. Bran
dell directed me to you"
The young man bowed and smiled !
He penciled
name, his own. Myra gushingly
thanked him, turned away and came
to a blank halt.
"Ah, Alma" she exclaimed. "See,
] have made a mistake. He is not
Hector Birmingham at ALL" and Alma
noted the signature: Armand LisIe."
Myra reversed her pencil and deliber-
ately erased the name with its rubber
end, and flashed away after the man
nearer the piano.
Alma directed a quick glance at the
young poet, admiring and reverential,
for she sincerely recognized his
genius. He had noted the unthlnking
and ungracious act of Myra. A sense
Of deep pity for the affront moved
Alma to attempt to mollify any hurt
he might feel.
My friend is so enraptured with
her favorite writer" she said, "that
in her needless way she has hurried
to her shrine of devotion. What she
has ignored l would cherish. Mr..
Lisle, won't you please autograph this
little volume?" and she drew from her
pocket dainty book Of his own
poems.
81 could not think Of aspiring to at
tention, with Mr.. Birmingham pres
ent" spoke Lisle lightly, but there
was a shade of annoyance on his
clear, intellectual face. He wrote his
name on the fly leaf of the book with
Il fountain pen. Then he began run
ming over the pages, where a number
Of passages were underlined A won
lerful look of pleasure came into his
eyes, while Alma flushed hotly, for
he sentiments she had by heart were
hose covering the theme of love.
"You encourage me by understand :
ing me-" he said, and his magnetic :
eyes flashed a grateful CLEAN, and :
!hen Mrs Branded came up, intro :
luced them, and the continued COM :
Dany of the gifted writer for the eve :
ling made it one of the most memo :
rable in the young life Of Alma Dy-
iart
Myra Lane was a very much en-
ightened and indignant person, when /:
/ charge Of plagiarism against her
Iavorite resulted in the discovery
.hat most Of Hector Bermingham's
sffla,ionS were translatiOns.