Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-20
Olga and That
$4,000
g. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
' BY DORA NOLAN


mics conceded her that. Olga was
beautiful; her better friends said so.
Also, so said the world in general.
Olga was tickle; and for this her
mother took her to task, telling her
that If she did not mend her ways she
would end by marrying u good-for-
nothing.
Poems might be written to Olga's
eyebrows, which she wore, "as Is" /;
sonnets to her extended, upward
sweeping lashes; and her hair, "long
and curly" could have served as an
inspirational ad for the most expen-
sive hair tonic. But Olga's strong
point was her eyes. Young men, and
older men, too, fell for them like pins
after the shot of an expert bowler. 1t
was as though they were constructed
of some rare stained glass, beautiful
in the sunshine, but not permitting
the admiring gazer to see what lay
on the other side. Each sultor imag-
ined their beauty was the reflex OF
his own alteration.
First 1t was an ensign, and an or
ficer Of the United States navy was
not to be scorned, Olga's mother said.
"Why, who can tell? He may be an
admiral some dayw Olga liked him,
she owned up to that, but insisted that
she did not want to call the wide
world her home town.
Then came an engineer Of the me
chanical variety. He was earning
weekly hundred, and, as Mrs. Landry
put it, "That much money is not to
be sneezed atw Olga liked him, too,
but he was q widower and told Olga
that she reminded him of his wife.
Olga answered her mothers question
as to why the young engineer came
no more to call with the remark that
she did not relish taking the place of
a piece Of string tied around mans
finger. Mrs, Landry replied with "a
sigh: 81 wish you would sometimes
talk English, Olga. that I can under
standw
The next was an engineer Of the
electrical persuasion, who had made
name for himself. He was twelve
years Olga's senior. AS Olga's mother
phrased it, ut would give you such
an important feeling to see your hus-
bands name mentioned so often in the
papers," To this Olga made answer:
81 don't want my children's father to
be an old man when they are just
graduating from college, mother"
Followed a Yale student, who must
journey yet some way through the
realms of knowledge, and an "at-
mosphere" actor from Movieland.
Olga, however did not like the idea of
being engaged for two or three years,
nor of Lying on air, even of the
screened variety.
Number six had recently passed his
twenty.frst birthday and had received,
along with divers neckties and hand
kerchiefs, the principal Of trust fund
amounting to $4,000. This, together
with fourth interest in an aged mil
lionaire grandfather, he offered to
Olga as a sort of premium or bonus
along with himself. Lee Danforth
was what old ladies call "a nice boy"
and friends "a regular fellow" with
the accent on the adjective. Olga
liked him rather better than any of
the others, her mother suspected.
Olga was thinking it over.
Perhaps her daughters temerity in
letting such an offer hang fire rem
dered Mrs. Landry speechless; or just
possibly she realized that since her
urging had never helped matters be-
fore, it might be we'll to propitiate
Lady Luck" by pretending to look
the other way.
Leo came often until one evening,
when he stayed unusually late. Olga's
mother heard their voices on the
veranda long after she had retired.
They seemed to be arguing about
something. The next evening Leo did
not come, nor the next. For whole
week Olga's mother forbade herself
to put one question to her daughter.
Then Leo drove by in new roadster
with another girl! A girl nearly as
pretty as her own offspring
"Olga," she almost hissed, "have
you lost all reason? Are you going
to let that knock-kneed Harris girl get
away from you the best chance you
are ever likely to have? Leo Dan
forth would be nice boy If he didn't
have q cent! And when it's just like
finding a thousand-dollar bill in q
cereal package, instead of slip that
may possibly get you a cup and sau-
Ger If you live long enough to save the
other four hundred and ninety-nine!"
Mrs. Landry paused, distracted per-
haps by admiration of her own simile.
Mother" (Olga took advantage OF
the hiatus), don't worry your head
over Leo / told him to stay away for
a time and give me chance to see
him with other girls. I want perspec-
tive-just to make sure that he will
wash we'll and not fade in the sun, as
it were"
"And while you hesitate the Harris
girl will nab that $4,000 and you will
no left-n