Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-01-04
HIS CHOICE
By jessie DOUGLAS.

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"a. 1890. BY Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
"You don't think she's pretty?" Kit
ty asked scornfully. "Why, her eyes
are bluer she opened her own brown
ones to their widest and gave William
Davey a glance through fringed lashes.
Really, q faded blue, thinkl" And
she paints-my. how that girl paints"
"Why, l thought"
That's all you know about It, thenl"
she answered almost snappishly. "And
Marcia's features aren't bit regular"
II went into the library to get
book I couldn't find and she showed
me just where 1t was In the shelves
smart little thing" he said almost
to himself.
"Of course. If Marcia wants to work
it's all very we'll. but think a girls
place Is at home: at least girl Of our
class" she said decisively.
Then she looked up at William
Davey and said. aren't you starved2
I am" A dimple thimble deep In her
curving cheek caught his eye and he
admitted to himself that Kitty was the
prettiest thing he knew.
He watched Kitty's hands as they
flew about the preparations. soft white
hands with pink oval nails. She light
ed the lamp under the chatting dish and
rang for Sarah. When Sarah came In
TO tile room bearing tray that held
cheese and butter and toast and tall
glasses. Williams eyes were again
fascinated by the skill and rapidity
Of those soft hands Of Kitty's as they
stirred the bubbllng mess In the chaf1ng
dish.
II was a delicious rabbit and Kitty
and William laughed and chartered.
hut underneath II all William was con-
scious Of q discomfort that he could
not place.
When he had said good night and
the door had banged after him. Kitty
came back into the sitting room and
threw herself down angrily on the big
couch.
"Fool!" she cried to the pillows.
Hes q fooli Why doesn't he pro-
pose? / wouldn't even think Of TAX
Ing him If his father didn't own the
Davey mills-old stupid"
"rll soon make William stop living
the simple life. After he marries me
he'll have to give up that room over
q shop on Fairview street and stop
being q workman In the mills" She
blew out the candles beside the mir
ror and climbed the stairs undauntedly.
William Davey. walking home
through the darkness, was thinking OF
Kitty-and thinking hard. "Jove. but
she was pretty. A bit Eighty. OF
course and lots Of notions. That about
not working. for instance. when her
father really needed her help"
He thought of Kitty again suddenly.
when he went into the library few
nights later. returning the book on
merchants that he had been studying.
He remembered as he handed the book
across the counter to Marcia Haden
that Kitty had said her eyes were fad
ed. Faded7 He looked into their
translucent blue depths quite forgetful
of what he was doing until he saw
Marcia's cheeks begin to deepen their
rose. Paint2-no. Kitty was mistaken
there, Marcia didn't paint. Funny how
girls could get those things wrong.
"Could you show met" he stumbled,
"where I'd find the second volume OF
this"
He followed her into one Of the long.
dusky, book-lined abysses while she
pointed out the book sitting snugly on
its shelf. She reached up to 1t and as
she did William saw her profile. not
regular, but with certain piquancy,
q certain something that drew his eyes
back to hers.
81 say" he asked. "what time do
you get through here?"
"At nine," she smiled; and William
wondered why two such simple words
should sound so charming. as there
anything else I can do for your"
"Yes, you can let me walk home with
you," he said.
She did not answer "yes" or mo"
but when at nine he stood waiting for
her, she smiled delnurely up at him.
All the way home he caught glimpses
of her face beneath the lighted street
lamp; and as at last she stood on her
own doorstep. with the yellow light
falling on her, he wondered why he
had never noticed her before.
But It was Marcia herself who star
tied him.
"Tm leaving here In q month";" she
said, give been offered much better
position in Rockport." She held out
a bare hand and then as he took II In
his big one, she said. "Oh, don't please.
don't look at itw and drew back the
roughened little hand.
"You see my hands aren't soft be-
cause I take care of the stoves" she
said.
william suddenly saw another pair
of hands. soft. white, with oval pink
nails; for some reason curious lump
got In the way Of his talking.
"Good night" he said at last,
Why was II that that small rough
hand should come before him again
and again on his way home? And
those expressive eyes. and mouth
neither small nor bowshaped but gen.
tie In Its curves? He let himself into
his own quaint chamber at last and
before he struck match he spoke
aloud to himself In the darkness.
"If It hadn't been for Kitty, would
never have known that the other girl
existed! I wonder If I've got chance"
he pondered.
While over on High street girl
lifting q shovelful Of coal into the
fire with small roughened hand was
smiling radlantly. as she looked into
the tiny blue flames that Ieaped up to
meet her.
A Fair Average.