The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-07-16
DECEMBER
AND MAY.
By CRAWFORD LUTTRELL

hhOot uOiu-
ings in steel alone made him a veri-
table young Midas, and Eloise was So
phisticated enough to believe that no
cupid waxed fat and healthy with the
years unless his tender. flesh was
swathed In silk and protected from
cold by wrappings of ermine and
sable. So far her father had only
been able to allow her dyed muskrat
and skunk! She was ambitious. She
had hopes Of hitching her mortal clay
to a star of riches.
II hate even the thought Of being
DID," she said one day when she aud
Jerry had been horseback riding TO,
gether and he had stopped in the old
fashioned frame house to chat for a
while. Then at the quick look he
gave her, fearing that she had made
a rash statement, she appended: "You
know what mean. II dislike the
idea of old age. Life Is so jolly when
one is young. Now, there's Henrietta.
She's beginning to be so material in
all her ideas. Instead of sitting here
talking to us and being gay and every
thing, she's trotted off to make sand
witches and to fix something cool to
drink"
'That sounds jolly to me, all right"
laughed Jerry happily.
Henrietta Is twenty-six, you know,
and I suppose that Is time to settle
down. When Pm that DID," this with
little shrug of horror, 81 dare say
my own thoughts will soar no higher
than wherewthal shall we be clothed
and wherewithal shall we be fed.
Surely I won't be tearing along coun-
try roads and taking fences like 1 did
today. That is certainly fleet-foOted
horse Of yours that l rode"
He looked at the glowing girl be-
fore him. There was the sheen of
gold in her hair and the color and tex
ture of pink rose leaf in her cheeks.
Her eyes, looking at him from under
lashes that seemed long enough to
tangle, were as dark as patches Of
midnight sky. He had never seen
such beauty, such health, such vitality.
I'm glal that you enjoyed the ride.
you happy"
Eloise thrilled at that Already the
star toward which she was straining
her eager young eyes had begun to
twinkle. 1t seemed to draw nearer -
the look In the mans face before her.
I'm going to give dinner dance
at the club Saturday night" he told
her. "Sort of farewell affair before
1 sail for the orient on business for
dad"
ElOise chOked down gasp Of
fright that seemed to swell her slim,
white throat. "Oh, I'm sorry that
you're going away so soon," she man.
aged at last.
ut will be six weeks before I SAIL"
ne explained, watching her flushing
face with sort Of satisfied smile
lurking around his wide straight
mouth. II am planning to make the
trip west rather leisurely. stopping Off
every day or two to break the mOnot-
oDy of the thing"
{ II can't think of any trip being
m0fiotOnous In a wonderful private
car like yours" chirped Eloise. "WelI,
here's dear old Henrietta at last I'm
simply starved" She tossed her rid
ing hat and whip on the porch floor
beside her and languidly stretched a
hand for the little white napkin that
Henrietta's own hands had made and
laundered, too.
when l get to be as old as you,
Henrietta, maybe I'll do lovely things
like this for thankless young folks"
she laughed
Jerry saw slow blush burn the old.
eT girls olive cheeks. Her fine hand.
pouring the icy drink from the bead
ed silver pitcher, shook bit. The
laughter died in his own eyes.
"She's RELOCATING us to the Shelf
Henrietta" he said calmly. 1t was
the first time he had ever used her
Christian name. He took the pitcher
firmly from her hand. "You sit down
I'm going TO serve you.
I'm really very good at this sort OF
thing. I'm certainly not ornamental.
Eloise thinks we are OctOgenarians
simply because"
"Why, the very idea, Jerry!" inter-
posed the. pretty girl. II didn't say
word about you. We're about the
same age. Henrietta don't mind my
telling her age. She says she looks
every day of 1t and doesn't care.
Don't you, old dearT
1--WE learned not to care" said the
older sister patiently.
"Tm much older than Henrietta
Jerry told the startled girl in the
smart riding habit. I'll soon be
thirty-fve."
"Oh, didn't dream of 1t. You look
so awfully young and are so young.
But then" complacently, "men never
show their ages, do they?'
81 was just telling Eloise," said
Jerry, taking several sandwiches and
a glass of lemonade and going to sit
h. Honrtotta