Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1921-12-23
MINTON'S GIRL
BY HELEN M'poNoUaH

SeSeSeSeeSeSeseSe9eSeSeSsss


j, Van Arden Perkins (the ~ Van
Arden" lately substituted for plain
john laughed heartily from the
depths of the fraternity sofa.
Don't miss this, fellows" he cried.
use your imagination and dramatic
instinct to picture country lnss In
calico dress sitting in hnir-cloth,
fnmily.portralted old parlor-a mouse
cOlOrcd crcature-and then listen to
her metropolitan nerve:
"'Sunshne wouldn't be sunshine,
Skies wouldn't look so blue,
Life would be so drear, dear,
Without thought OF you
sand here's snapshot. How do
you like the Inscription? Taken the
day we parted, when you asked me
to wait for you. Waiting, rs ever,
Nell"
Look out" warned gay, cynical
voice, "there1l be breach OF prom
Use, old mani"
Arthur Minton, serlous-faced
chap, took the picture, first respect
fully-then reverently. III girl like
thnt--n girl who can look at the world
with so level and innocent n gnze-
with lips from which only sweetness
md charity fall-with hands worn
with servicc-if such girl loved me
I'd 90 to the ends of the earth to
win her--and wouldn't make her
loyalty jest OF my fraternity"
With that he flung himself out OF
the smoking room and locked himself
In his own. So, he reflected. Perkins
was the man Nell loved so dcvotedly-
the man for whom she refused him.
He went bnck over the golden sum-
mer days two years ago when he first
met her. He had been touring through
the wonderful northern Vermont
country--when there had been an ac-
ciient to his machine and he was
hurled over the embankment. Nell.
Off on solitary stroll, found him
lying senseless, mass Of lacerations.
Rich In the lore Of > lple, medical
help she did what she could, then
rode miles for doctor.
All summer he was at their farm
house. and Nell, despite her many
household duties. delegated herself us
his special attendant.
Confident that there was no one
else, he asked her at last to marry
him. telling her that she was the most
adorable girl he had ever met. 1t
wns only then she told him she was
promised to another, whose family,
suddenly becoming heir to an unex-
pected fortune, had moved away.
Mnton pressed his case and came
back to see her more than once, hut
though there was an exquisite CANA
raderle between them, she still kept
her faith In her first love.
Mlnton WINGED when he thought
that weak-willed, silly, I'M
pressonable-wns the unappreclative
recipient of her consistency.
He Immediately made up his mind
to go to her.
He went into the hall to find a
roommate. Poised as If for flight
n look of fear and lndecision on her
lovely face, stood Nell. She was not
the questionable country girl whom
he knew and loved, but IN exquisite
ly gowned creature, still simple, but
distinctlvely so.
He wondered afterwards why he
was not surprised to find her in his
fraternity rooms. All he knew was
that he was ineypressibly happy. He
took her, unresisting, In his arms.
81 still love you" he said breath
lessly, land I'm not going to let that
Perkins interfere any more, either"
81 heard everything!" she said, land
your aunt, whose real identity | did
not know until few moments ago,
told me great deal more. After
you had told her about me last year,
she came to us, asking to stay with
us so that she might paint the river
and the mountains. She was very
good to me, and taught me so many
wonderful thlngs--tO modulate my
voice--to walk gracefully-to play,
sing and to paint.
"Then one day she received letter
from yelr sister rcgretting that she
could not attend your fraternity
dance. Unknown to both you and me,
your aunt planned that I should go
instead. and she would Chaperone me.
The rest.rooms which the hostess
provided for the wOmen-guests hap
,pened to adjoin the room you and
John were In I didn't know either
of you were here until heard your
voices
AT first thought-well, I can't
tell you what I thought. But now !
know that | can really honorahly love
you. You don't know how hard had
to try to be loyal, and not to think
Of you too much - not to care for
your
That night, during an intermission
In the fraternity dance downstairs,
az. Van Arden" Perkins remarked to
one of the boys:
"Where's Minton tonight? Guess
he got over his peeve all right, Saw
him taking deuced pretty girl and
bor rhnnarnna over ia thn hOtpl for