The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-05-31
A JOLT to old HIGH COST OF LIVING !?
- WATCH FOR REST
BROWN BUTTONS
BY MILDRED WHITE.

been urged upon her? That she might
be led into a marriage with the ex.
acting son Of her mothers dearest
friend. John Hamilton's virtues had
been sung into Rhoda's ears as long
as she could remember: John Hamil
ton, the spoiled and adored Of his
mother. Rhoda. In her country home
had anticipated long this stay in the
city. She had thought then only OF
the companionship Of her mothers
girlhoOd friend, and Of the joyful
glimpses into a big world, which she
might give her. Then, AUNT Gym,
thia," as the girl had been taught to
call her hOstesS-spoiled it all.
II am going to be perfectly frank,
Rhoda," she said. ITO have my friends
daughter for my own daughter-in-law,
is the secret wish of my heart.
Cynthia Hamilton regarded heI
guest perplexedly.
ut cannot be possible" Mrs. Ham.
ilton was asking, "that you are al.
ready promised to another Rhoda !
But" she quickly added, "your moth.
er would have told me Of your en-.
gagement."
mot exactly engaged, Aunt Gym
thia," she calmly replied, "but there Ia
a man whom I intend to marry-the
man who has my heart" Which viii
be true, Rhoda told her conscience
when the time comes.
"Your mother made no reference to
a possible admirer," Aunt Cynthia
said sharply.
II don't think" Rhoda replied, "that
mother knows him."
"Not," Aunt Cynthia reproached-"a
clandestine AFFAIR." Rhoda shook her
head.
"He doesn't live in our town." she
explained confusedly. Mrs. Hamilton
sighed in relief and smiled.
"We all have those fancies, my
DEAR" she said indulgently. when
/ see this lover I will consider you
seriously. For the present let us drop
the subject. have an errand for you
to do. Would you mind going down
town? You can ride directly to the
store door. have some buttons to
be matched, brown buttons, for my
new suit. The tailor must have them
tonight.
Rhoda seized upon this escape, but
great department store a sample but.
ton In the palm of her gloved hand.
Rhoda's cheeks were still flushed from
her encounter, and two dimples
popped out in her cheeks
"Rhoda Blair" she said mentally,
shat was an awful position to put
yourself into. -almost-and
not a man on your horizon"
Just then Rhoda, dimples and all,
bumped into a man who sent the
brown button rolling down the floor.
The young man nimbly pursuing the
button brought it back with a bow
to it's owner. And Rhoda perceiving
him to be hatless, took the nice young
man to be a floor usher and asked
to be directed to the button depart.
ment." With stare and quick, pleas.
ing smile, the young man offered to
escort her there and with a protect.
ing arm against the shopping throng
led the way to an elevator. AS q
store usher, however, he was strange.
ly remisS, for as the two issued
through a labyrinth of ways no but.
0vvfY, In,
was necessary for the obliging young
man again to seek the elevator and q
search of the floors below. His gaze
as he did So was admiringly, though
politely bent upon Rhodas pretty
face. And when at last the button de.
partment was found the particularly
desired button, was not among its
number; the nice young man promptly
offered to have 1t hunted out In stock,
and delivered surely, that evening. II
was with evident regret that he bowed
his fair customer through the door.
way, while Rkoda riding back to Aunt
Cynthia's, experienced a pleasing
sense of coming adventure. The ad
venture arrived that evening. An ex
ceedingly nice looking young man
ushered by the maid into the presence
Of John Hamilton and his mother
asked, flushing boyishly, to see "Miss
Blair" While Rhoda, entering al
that moment, was in, time for Mrs
Hamilton's reproachful remark. "Yor
did not tell me-" she said, "that the
friend of whom you spoke lived in oul
CITY,"
Impulsively, though pe1plexedly, tn,
friend himself, saved Rhoda reply
81 am Jack Warren of Warren (
Sons department store" he said, "per
NIT me to introduce myself"
John Hamilton arising, bowed tesrtl,
and left the room, while his mothe
with an astonished murmured re
Spouse quickly followed.
II came" the nice man told Rhoda
''to bring those buttons: My own de
livery. Thought, when your folk
knew who was, that they'd let M
stay awhile-with you. But my pres
ence seems unwelcOme. So