The Monett times., 1921-09-23
STORMY WEATHER
BY PAULA PHILLIPS.
(9. 1921. western Newspaper Union.)

| blO0med, was very miserable, indeed
For the beautiful gift of happiness
was to be found neither in her fathers
luxurious home or garden. Nanette.
with her many cOnquests and care
free days or girlhO0d, had left un-
learned the lesson Of true love. Now
! that 1t was before her, 1t was diff
| cult lesson to understand. 1t had been
very sweet before she had known that
it was love at all. knight Evers was
such q eompanlonable satisfying sort
! Ut friend
She was usually busily engaged In
her partnership Of some game. Bur
Knight would turn occasionally with
his bright smile of comraderie toward
her. and leaving her still undisturbed.
So in their rides together, he always
had time to pause for the viewing of
the glorious scenery which held her
spellbound, and seemed to know in
stlnctively, when and where Nanette
would wish to linger most. They were
merry together. too. with little secret
jokes concerning others, that were in.
nocently their own; and also, knight
vas unostentatiously careful Of her.
! When father Norton, millionaire
Norton. he was called, noticed tile
! growing friendliness between his only
daughter and the young nobody, whom
the Failings had inconsiderately in
| vited TO the country club as their
guest, he merely raised supercllous
eyebrows.
Nanette seldom showed any admir,
er undivided attention, and he be-
lieved that this unusual acquaintance
would be of short duration But as
time passed and Knight Evers, office
employee of an insignificant business
concern. continued to visit the country
cluh. and later to visit Nanette her
self Mr.. Noit ton became annoyed and
chagrined; for his obedient daughter,
for the first time in her life, ignored
his request
at would be WISE her father ad
NiSed her 10 cease encouraging youn.
Evcrs. You know as we'll as /, that
nothing can come of such an attach
ment. To put the case frankly, he is
decidedly beneath you and your fam,
lily in position. Drop him. We have
other views for you"
But Nanette did not at once drop
Knight Evers. Though Knowing her
father, she knew that he would not
relent in his Judgment. She won
1ered, tearfully and vaguely, if Knight
should ask her 10 marry him, and Nan
was pretty certain that the question
was trembling or lis different lips, il
Knight should ask her, would she be
able, after the diTident manner OF
her raising, to make him a competent
helpmeet.
Would Knight he unhappy in her
failures? Wouid she be unhappy in
her restrictions.
Nan pondered seriously, and 1t was
Jim Brent who came to be her fathers
best aide Capable Jim Brent, with
his poise and assurance. Her fathc.'s
friends called the man jim naturally.
TO most of them he was their coniden
country club, of which Nanette's ia
ther was PRESIDENT and he was bach
elor. This latter state, however, ht
was quite willing to forsake at Mans
little yes. AS yet. Nan had not quit
whispered it. But when she compared
Nher future wifely duties at the ac
complished Jin's side, to those lll
acquainted duties which she must
panstakingly learn as Knights wife
Nanette was inclined to throw up even
love and its sweetness for certainty
and the approval of her own family.
so when Knights question came.
spoken all impu!sively in the heauti-
ful moon-lit garden, Nan was ready
for him. Knight had scarcely time to
regret what he called his own selfish
rashness" before Nanette uttered her
no.
1T cannot be Knight, good old
friend she said firmly. Love is all
right for sunny weather, but when It
comes to storms, the frightening
storms of life-welI, it really takes
more than love, dear"
Knight had choked up at the little
word dear, and had gone, blindly on
his way. The days that followed
were the hardest Nanette had ever
known. She had expected to miss Her
understanding pal, but she had no.
counted upon the constant ache of a
longing heart.
And when, one day, Nan fed to the
woods, to be free from the chatter of
guests that wearied her Jim Brent's
talk seemed like idle chatter now, too
Nan walked farther in the woods
than she knew And there, a thun-
derstorm found her. A flashing, roar
Ing thunderstorm in the cathedral Of
trees.
From childhood, electrical storms
had been Nanette's terror. Wild-eyed,
white-lipped, she waited. Before the
last fearful reyerberation, she closed
her eyes. Then out of the threaten
ing darkness, came miraeulously, two
strong protecting arms to enfold her.
Nan glanced UP quickly, gratefully, at
the comforting sense of Suuport