Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-03
DAILY NOVELETTE,
The Un.Byronic Byron
By LOUISE NJ. ADDELsON

E,LINoR WORTH, rushing downstairs
in answer to the furlously ringing
doorbell, found her chum and next-door
neighbor, Alice Gloring, in a wild state
of excitement.
Hes coming!" painted Alice. thrust
ing slip of yellow paper into Elinor's
hands
"Byron?' breathed Elinor, quite awed
Byron! Isn't II wonderful?" Elinor.
you'll just adore him. If I were not
engaged myself Id-he's such a dear !"
Elinor did not doubt 1t. For two years
she had heard praises Of Alice's won-
derful cousin. For two years she had
listened TO the recital Of his many per-
fections, the tales of his heroic deeds |;
Of his kindness, his generosity, his good
looks. .suntil In her youthful imagination
he had become a god. Even his name
appealed to her romantic fancy. A man
named Byron, she felt, could never be
commonplace.
Well introduce you tomorrow after
church." promised Alice.
And. as her friend had predicted, the
following day being Sunday, Elinor was
introduced after church. Mrs. Gloring
performed the ceremony with a little
fiutter of pleasure. She was fond of
Elinor, and matchmaking was her
hobby.
My nephew. Byron, dear Elinor, just
returned from service. Byron, darling,
Alice's best friend, Miss WORTH"
Elinor lifted her eyes. She tried to
,>fo
her tongue refused to obey her. Some-
sunshine became hateful, the songs of
the birds q mocking chorus. For Byron
the Byron Of her imagination, the poetic
creature of her maiden fancies had
IN his place stood an odious. long
limbed, quite un-Byronic creature with
sandy hair, light blue eyes, a wide
mouth and a nondescript nose.
isn't he just too sweet?" murmured
Alice In Elinor's ear.
Elinor flushed, not so much at Alice's
words, as at the sudden twinkle in By
ron's eyes.
The days wore on. Elinor survived the
shock she had received. She met Byron
That gay twinkle in his eyes seemed to
relieve his plainness. But she felt that
Fate had played cruel joke on her,
nevertheless and that she would not be
the same again. The real Byron could
never attain a truly Byronic place in
her Imagination. But he had been in
service and 1t was her duty to be kind
to him. so she helped Alice entertain
MIN. She walked with him, talked with
him.. drove with him and felt herself
very magnanimous in doing it.
A few weeks after his arrival a
French army officer came to see Byron.
The girls were curious as to the object
Of his visit, for Byron foretold nothing.
merely smiling with that exasperating
twinkle In his eyes. And the surprise
Of the. ladies was great when the young
Frenchman pinned a medal on Byron's
chest as O mark of favor from the
French Government for unparalleled
bravery and fortitude on the field of
French widows and orphans.
That night when Byron invited Eli
nor out for a walk, she was strangely
shy. IT had come over her suddenly that
Byron was a parsonage.
"Elinor." said he, after. they had
walked few minutes in silence, don't
you think you could like me little,
for9",
nor.
Yes. You see. know my aunt and
and I could tell they'd given you a
wrong impression Of me- Also my name
has been a stumbling block all my life.
don't know what my parents had
against me when they named me Byron.
1t isn't so bad with men, but girls have
habit of Judging you by name. Con-
fess now, didn't you rather expect to
meet O shaggy-haired poet instead Of a
plain John Jones'"
''who has been decorated by the
French Government" sadi Elinor, soft
ly, "and who never said a word about
1t. though he knew the decoration was