The Taney County republican., 1919-10-23
THE ANNUAL PICNIC.
BY JOSEPHINE MURPHY.
lJlN. Oy MCNIule
Syndicate.)


developed would be hailed forth into
the gay light Of publicity. Not that
thr number was so very great, but 1t |
must be admitted that even the most |
distinguished floOrwnlker loses a GER
tpin Chnrm-the charm, perhaps, OF |
the proud and unupproachablc-when
y0u have taken notes on him for
twelycmonth across the counter.
Nevertheless, something WIS always
to be hoped for Mt the annual picnic.
A wear ago II was confidently predict
cd that Kenneth Moore of the hook de-
uartment and Cynthia Grny Of the rib
hon counter were TO afford the neces'
sary love interests. There must have
been an understanding between them,
certainly; he hardly so much as said
Good morning" now to other girls;
they had been seen together ut the
otcr and lunch. Oh, there were plenty
Of signs! The seal Of ilnality was all
that was larking
The long expected day brought only
confusion 10 these cherished hopes.
CYNTHIA, who was looked upon as one
of the most refined girls in the whole
store, appeared unusually gay ana
reckless. First she was devoted to one
man, then to another with an impru-
drnce that set friendly eyes wide with
horror. Finally, when the picnic din
ncr was over, the party broke up for
games, swan-boatrng and strOlls In the
woods. Cynthia flung herself at n GER
tain Mr.. Green, newly of the shoe de-
pnrtment, and before the eyes of all
they had gone together toward the
lake.
"Well, wouldn't that frost you"
gaspcd Florence Small. as the girl
crazy? The way she's treating Ken
meth. and he the most refined fellow
IN the store, toOw
They saw Kenneth alone, and sent
one Of the new men over to him with
an invitation TO come to the skating
rink; but he only shook his head with
wan smile and replied: 81 have got
sort of headache; guess III Just sit
around n while. Perhaps I'll come
down later" He did not have head
ache; but he wanted to be alone, for
his heart was sore. He had not eX-
pccted Cynthia to treat him like this.
During the whole trip she had
scarcely spoken q word to him. No
one would ever have thought they
knew enCh other. And 1t didn't seem
ike her either. He couldn't under
stand It. Why, only the last time he
called on her they had sat together in
her little "den" and had talked on
quite number Of subjects. There
was nothing sentimental about Gym.
thia; they had been just good pals
together; that was what he liked best
in girl.
She sang well and loved poetry, both
of which he also was fond Of. What
had first attracted him to Miss Gray
was the sight Of her buried in a vol
ume OF poems. He had asked her what
she was reading. She had glanced up
at him with a smile he could never
forget, Lucille" she said.
Now, Kenneth had never read "Lu.
clle," so he purchased o copy, which
at this very moment wRs in his pocket.
He had brought 1t, thinking Of how he
md Cynthla-but what was the use of
thinking. That was all II had come
to. And he mused, MS others mused
before him.
In the distance he heard the gay
strains of the band ut the skating rink,
and the sound disturbed him, so out OF
harmony was II with his mood. He
thought Of Mr.. Green, perhaps even
now padding down the lake with the
falthess Cynthia. But Cynthia had
ruthlessly deserted Mr.. Green when
he went in quest Of a boat, and strolled
of by herself.
Kenneth arose from the bench on
which he had been sitting and wan
dered up the path. Sitting down I'M
der tree he opened his volume, "Tu-
cile." He was glad even now that
cynthia was not beside him
Afternoon sunlight began to peep
through the trees. He got up and
leaped to the summit Of a fern grown
bowlder, and, looking down the path, II
chill Of terror ran over him. Cynthia
was walking toward him with down.
cast eyes, digging the toe Of her little
boot into the moss every now and
then. All at once she stopped, and
with a cry snatched something. It
was "Lucile." She pressed the volume
to her lips. "lt's hist" he heard her
murmur-"Kenneth's." There were
tears In her eyes. Kenneth !"--he
heard her murmur again. He took q
step forward. Cynthia" he cried.
Cynthia, dearW
He forgot the steepness and height
If the bowlder; he slipped, lost his bal.
lnce, and In minute was lying below.
Cynthia ran to him, fell on her knees
with cry Of distress.
"0h! Kenneth, are you hurtf"
He sat up and shook himself, like
IN English sparrow after hoth.