Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-23
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
Mss Sophronia's Half a Beau

Miss Sophronia Higgin was forty-one
and looked 1t, and knew that she looked
II; but, as this eventful May-day after
looked back down the years Of her
youth; she knew that Of all days this
was the happiest.
For the first time the thrill of real
the summer at Seaside Hotel, and,
moreover, as the owner Of II. Seating
herself before the organ in the corner
she started to pick out a ragtime song
mat mat she he had heard at the moving pic.
mcongruous and utterly absurd, but still
she kept on with the sweet abandon
porn OF her new authority until the elder
Miss Niggin's admonitory, why So
pnrony, came from the doorway.
Seaside was to go on the same as be-
fore. She had that very day completed
the arrangements with Mr.. WestIey as
proprietor, and he was to attend to
everything. Her presence there as owner
was not to be known to any one at the
self
June came and went with little ex-
GSnement at the Seaside except to Miss
Hlggin. The season had been cold and
tne guests few, but there were rare days
Wnen she and the young man OF the
orange tie. Mr.. Harding Graves, boated.
ana evenings when the moon was bright
across the water
Il was the first of July that Miss
sophronia looked In her glass and mar
..eied At the unaccountableness of love.
.u hua nc says my eyes are beautiful"
taIs ae reneeted. erO as Che worked at the tell
cream that Mrs. Winters, who passed
ior forty. had told her about.
Nd. nut Notwithstanding the thrill of the
iStsd excitement oit and the softly modu'
moments moments when Miss Sophronia was
soteIy troubled, one reason for which
oe,hg the pretty blue-eyed girl who pre-
sued S.o az the Seaside piano. The other
t"rm n'rIn OF Ezra Bascom. that had Pc
late. '' "S' "''"''''
For twelve years Ezra's brilliantly
h%oIshed No. 9's had crossed tho Higgin
peasant Wednesday evening they haa
SSriVen SiVen behind Ezra's handsome roam
bu. never word of love had passed
ISe'ween be % them. though how many times
nen ne nGd faltered over the proper moment
none but Ezra himself could tell.
,ba put what troubled Miss Sophronia was
syter Mso she had promised TO write, and
farep,a fS,rer week OF Seaside distractions had
ttpprgotten, and had finally concluded
Snat as he knew her address, il was
on. ''S'' oo hiatters went
tioSrTialy brought its usual flock of vaca-
was proa,I' ana me man of the orange tic
Nj
eu nsss ms and considered his unselfish-
tss Stnee, one or his most admirable Quail.
Ava, sun there were hours that ne stole
wh"oSs 10 entertain her and escort her
tmn Yer Yer she willed TO go. while all the
ylsn me biue-eyed pianist cast tender
pain pies AZ him. while her cheeks grew
russ, uhder the demands OF Seaside
rsphe The season was to close the second
Augnst september. and the last OF
heaVU ~ ner conscience having been moro
sent man nan usual Of late, Miss Sophronia
the r.t picture postcard to Ezra, ana in |
can,etu return mail n fiarin1Iy attractive ono
youtbtn Ielurh' In the center sat n
arm nH swain on a rustic seat, one
youns "oUut tn ghostly vision OF a sweet
q thlns, and underneath, '"rhis is |
tha nnNine town without you" while |
Corner WORD Ezra" was written In the |
hoMs Miss sopfronia pu, her hands over b.r
came '%Ee "H. as the realization of things
ISM iFGor rIrnt Ezra" she sighed. OH this
This S"o, ~ ana she loves him, know"
SmoSHt -the'orange "''' '"'
and az thing from Ezra was foolish
crishndo GCiklng, she knew, but still she
THAI 10 her burning cheeks.
very stta, mr, Harding Graves had been
him n, Half a beau" she had called
eluded thrt then later she had con-
But n, 'nt ne was an almost beau"
marred ,ate the pleasure had been
blue-eyed me thoughts OF the little
older than sh.,' hn Who Who wasn't ntteen years
That shs carsa Mss Sophronia felt sure