The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1921-07-08
The POET
BY JACK
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%. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.

toAh0t LAAL yOu i OnA kAlAhs OOls
and worried"
The young men sat before the fire.
place in Bob's bachelor apartment. 1t
was sometime since the two had met,
and after the usual ~recOllectiOns of
college days spent together, Bob,
eying his friend over the bowl Of his
pipe, made the concerned remark.
II am worried" Don burst out i'm
pulsively, terribly worried over
Helen, which is the new name my
fiancee has given herself, and it's part
of the new foOlishness that possesses
her. Where she got it l don't know,
unless the poet fellow who gave
readings before her aunt's culture
class put the nonsense into her head.
However that may be, an ordinary
man is mere common clay, in Helen's
opinion, since the poet made his en-
trance and exit. 1, it appears, am
the commonest Of all because of my
devotion to business. And she has
not spared my feelings in limiting
that a matter of fact business man is
no fitting mate for her. She must
soar, she says, whatever that may be,
to a more %elevating sphere, and all
that rot.
1--WE quarrel every time we meet.
She wants a poet for a lover. So
I'm out"
Donald leaned forward abruptly.
"And 1t hurts to lose her." he said,
that's the strange part of it. With
all her unreasonable whlms, little
Helen is the only one girl for me-"
Bob Chalmers studied the fire with
an amused smile.
Couldn't you turn poet" he asked,
until her fancy passesY"
Donald Bruce arose and reached
for his coat.
mo, l can't" he answered shortly.
"And the thing Is not a fancy with
Helen, but a conviction. My middle
name is Gloom. these days. Can I
drop in and unload my troubles when
l pass your city next month? It's
mighty nice to have a friend on my
route"
always welcome" Bob Chalmers
answered. "Where did you say that
your little girl lives?"
"In Elsmere," Donald replied, "a
small town in easy committing dis
lance.
Bob Chalmers whistled meditatively
as he removed his necktie and con-
tinued to whistle rumpling his wavy
locks before the mirror.
AT the end of a month Donald came
again. Bob Chalmers greeted him
cordially, then as his friend was
comfortably seated in the big chair,
Bob frowned.
Thinner and more worn looking
than ever!" he exclaimed.
Don also frowned.
"Well, don't rub it in," he said. IF
n is fool enough to fall in love with
a girl. n has to keep or loving her,
1t seems. At least that's my case
And now he laughed shortly. "there
is no hope for me at all. Helen has
met her poet"
Bob stared.
"Oh! Well. poets these days IRE
much like their brothers." he COM
forted. "Have to be up to date and
busy. The idyllic dreamer was a
product of the past"
Not this poet" Don c~ontradicted.
"He is all that the heart Of a roman
tic maiden could wish. My own sister
Is touched with Helen's enthusiasm
describes this strangers charms by
the hour, then sits looking pensively
into space. 1t would almost" added
Bruce, make you sick. His names
enough to make a man sick. too
Leslie Laverne." r
sounds made up" said Bob.
"Probably is" Donald agreed.
The evening was not a success. Don
took his departure early.
"Im not good company" he sadly
told his friend. In understanding
sympathy Boil wrung his hand.
"Cheer up" he said. "and do not fail
to stop over on your neXt trip"
Donald's next coming was after
more than Il months absence. Bob,
leaning back under the lamp. and
smiling at nothing in particular,
heard his friends voice ut the door.
Come right in. Don," he called, and
Don came in. His face was beaming.
He fell promptly into the proffered
chair and as promptly began his story.
you see." he explained Il can't
stay long. for Helen is just around
the corner at her aunt's, waiting for
me to take her to the theater. We
are engaged again, and l guess the
poet did the job for me. Anyway.
Helen never wants to see a poet again.
Fed up as l understand 1t. Read
lyrics to her morning, noon and eve
ming. and incidentally took his meals
at her house, later, to the disgust of
the family. They rather liked the
fellow at first. it appears, but when
he monopolized the house and m
tinued to overlook such worldly mat
Ay.c o., Rax-s