The Snowflake herald., 1920-04-02
BROWN BUTTONS
BY MILDRED WHITE.


Rhoda sat listening as Mrs. Hamil-
ION talked. and rebellion arose within
ner' was it for this, the visit had
oeen urged upon her? That she might,
oe led into marriage with the ex-
actihg son Of her mothers dearest
friend. John Hamilton's virtues had
oeen 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
mad 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 big world, which she
might give her. Then, Aunt Gym
thla," as the girl had been taught to
call her hostesS-spoiled it all.
i am going 70 be perfectly frank,
Rhoda." she said. ITO have my friends
daughter for my own daughter-in-law,
lis the secret wish of my heart
Cynthia Hamilton regarded hel
guest perpleXedly.
1T 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."
Not exactly engaged Aunt Gym
thia." she calmly replied, but there is
man whom intend to marry-the
man who has my heart" White. will
be true, Rhoda told her conscience,
when the tine comes.
'YOur mother made no reference to
possible admirer," Aunt Cynthia
said sharply.
II don't think" Rhoda replied, that
mother knows him."
mot" Aunt Cynthia reproached-"a
rlandestine AFFAIR." Rhoda shook her
head.
"He doesn't live in our town." she
explained confusedly Mrs. Hamilton
sighed in relief and smiled
1--WE all have those fancies, my
dear" she said induIgently. "When
I 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
when she stood in the aisle of the
great department store a sample but
ton in the palm of her gloved hand,
Rhoda's cheeks We're still flushed from
her encounter, and two dimples
popped out in her cheeks.
"Rhoda Blair" she said mentally,
that was an awful position to put
yourself into. Engaged -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 bow
to it's owner. And Rhoda perceiving
him to be hatlesS took the nice young
man to be floor usher and asked
to be directed TO the button depart
ment." With a 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 a
store usher however. he was strange
" remfss. for as the two issued
through a labyrinth of ways, no but
ton department was in evidence. 1t
was necessary for the obliging young
man again To seek the elevator and
search of the floors below. His gaze,
as he did so, was admiringly, though
politely benz 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 it hunted out in stock,
and delivered surely. that evening. 1t
was with evident regret that he bowed
his fair customer through the door
way. while Rhoda riding back to Aunt
Cynthia's, experienced pleasing
sense of coming adventure. The adj
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 at
that moment, was in time for Mrs.
Hamilton's reproachful remark. You
did not tell me" she said, that the
friend of whom you spoke lived in our
city"
Impulsively, though perpleXedly the
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 testify
and left the room, while his mother
with an astonished murmured re-
Spouse quickly followed.
81 came, the nice man told Rhoda'