The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-12-16
Carlotta's
Second Love
BY II. LOUIS RAYBoLD

Cnrlotta'S voice was very determined.
1--WE are TOO utterly different In tenn
permanent, and besides, have n the
ory that no girl should marry her first
love"
"Rats!n Marks explosive utterance
matched the disgust In his look. Car
lotta wasn't at all the sort of person
from whom to expect theories. being
plumply, prettily feminine, with wlstful
eyes and dlmple In the chlnward cor
ner of her cheek
The girl drew her brows together In
a little frown of displcasure. 81 sap
pose that seems silly to you" she said,
"but conceding that | am somewhat
fond of you, | am afraid II Is proba-
bly, case of being In love with love
liking the candy you bring me, the
little attentions generally. A girl
ought not to marry until she's had
an opportunity TO make comparisons"
"And by the same token" came back
the man promptly, II suppose I'd feel
surer loved you II you were the ninth
or tenth on my list of lady loves, In
stead OF being the first and onlyw
"Nonsensei" Carlotta lightly repu-
dated the compliment. mo man ever
marrles his first love, who was prob
ably his Sunday school teacher And.
anyway, what proof have | that you
really and truly do love me?" and she
smiled teasingly.
Possibly II was that smile that did
II. At any rate. Mark rose from his
chair. speaking coldly, deliberately:
"Carlotta, you've often accused me OF
not appreciatlng your work. Heaven
knows that II you really were that rare
bird, genius, hope | would not have
the nerve TO propose marriage to you.
But II seems TO me you were destined
for other things than musslng up can
vases with pictures that look to me
like Italian scenes laid in Russia with
oriental fairgrounds.
However, daresay that's where l
show my ignorance. Blu. as to this
business of whether l really love you
and this tommyrot about marrying
your first love-well. here's hoping
your second love has better luck than
J did !" and with a bow intended to
be both slightly ironic and extremely
dignifed, Mark opened the door and
went out.
Carlotta. astonished looked after
him doubtfully. Was he really accept
ing his dismissal with so little protest? I?
Then she sighed. Poor old practical
Markl
SO completely lacking any tiniest bit
Of creative genius which would help
him understand her own intense yearn-
lngs for self-expression SO prosalc-
ly unromantlc that he could not COM
prehend her desire TO be sure that II
was love with capital L he offered,
before surrendering to III
A month later Carlotta sold her first
| picture, at n price far less than she
expected-but then, to sell one at all
was something. And the girl regular
ly took a roundabout way home TO
look at It In the window OF the small
novelty shop where II was displayed
along with crocheted outfits for In
fants and hand-painted place cards.
Evidently Mark had also seen the pic.
ture with the artists name nlainly
scrawled In the corner, for one night
when he and Carlotta found them
selves adjacent strap-hangers in. the
subway. he extended his congratula.
tions. And Carlotta, frankly pleased
added 10 her thanks the little remark
that she had missed his calls.
"Same here" had answered Mark
but by Juplter. he had been working
his darned head off lately. and hat
had TO let all social duties 20 hang
IL Carlotta felt n touch OF chagrIr
that she had become merely one OF
Mark Hastings social duties" her ex
tremely sweet smile nj parting sue
cessfully concealed II from him.
Mark soon had n rival. A few day,
after the sale of her picture. the post
man had brought CarIotta a lettel
whose writer, on delicately perfume,
paper begged her, in a flowing hand
TO pardon his effrontery in addressin,