Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-01

because I am as lonely as an
oid lion In a cage" said DrIstlcs.
why are you as lonely as an old
lion In a eager" asked Nick.
Because Beauty. my lady lion.
ess, goes TO play with monkeys"
said Dristles. -
After that he burst out laughing,
and said: After all, am not
quite lonely. Let 70 and / play
at bears"
But Nick wondered within him.
seit why did Beauty go and play
WIN monkeys. Or, IL she was so
iond or monkeys. why didn't she
take Bristles to join in the game 2
1t was only very rarely that
bristies went. When he did, he
put on black clothes and a waist.
coat with big hole In the middle
OF IL, so that n stiff white shirt
showed through. and a hat that
Folded In and out with a click. mt
II didn't agree with him. Nick nj.
ways knew that he would be sulky
next morning after he had been Ia
see Beauty play with the monkeys.
Ferhaps It was because he could
not lie In bed so long as Beauty.
TIC was always up to breakfast
WIN Nick. while Beauty lay In bed
until lunch time, SO that Nick had
10 go ON tip.toe past her door lest
ho should get What for" as Polly
said
That was one OF the differences
between Beauty and BrIstles.
'noush II ala not explain oil tho
mystery OF them. There were other
diHerences. Bristles was out all
dnY. and Beauty was out all night
or. at least. 30 far into the night
mat Nick was mover awake when
she came back. Bristles dressdd
himself. Just like he had taught
NICK TO dress himself, but Beauty
always wanted Polly to help her.
and Polly was always in a bad
humor during dressing.time, and
said, "Drat tho woman!" when
Beauty called for hot water. and
Lord Almighty" when she called
Tor clean chemise. and "Oh, what
a lifc" when Beauty sat back in a
blue dressing gown while Polly did
her hair, and while Nick sat on n
small stool In a room Uttered with
clothes about the floor, with news.
papers. supper things. cigarette
ends. and paper-backed novels with
vely ladies on the covers.
But none OF these picture lnd,c,
were quite as lovely as Beauty. II
was quite q long time before Nicx
made TINT discovery. lie made II
one morning when Polly was doing
beauty's hair. 1t was long golden
nair' which shone and sparkled in
the sunlight which came through
the window. 1t seemed to Nick
that II flowed down from Beauty's
mead like river OF gold which he
nad once seen In waking dream.
AND as she sat smiling Mt her
own image In the glass, while she
smoked gold.tipped cigarette. 1t
seemed to Nick that her face was
liko one of tho dream princesses
whom he had once married in n
great castle when Peter Rabbit had
gone on big adventure with him.
Only beauty was not quite the same
az the dream princess, because sho
had blue eyes instead of green, and
because her smile showed n row
OF teeth like little white birds In
a nest OF rose-leaves.
why are you so lovely. Bcauty?-
asked Nick.
BLESS the aJoy!" said Beauty.
laughing. II suppose God made
me So"
But why did God make Polly so
ugly and, you SO lovely?"
1t was Polly's turn to laugh.
"Lor', ma'am, what do you say to
that7"
Perhaps because God made Polly
so good. and me 80 wicked" said
Beauty, who seemed to find a great
Joke in Nick's most serious ques-
tioning.
That's no reason at ALL" said
Nick. 1T would have been more
sensible If God had made both or
you lovely and both OF you good.'
Polly laughed go much that she
dropped all Beauty's hair-pins,
which Nick picked up one by one,
wishing to goodness that grown.up
people did not laugh ut the wrong
places. But Beauty did not laugh
this time. She put her head down
a little and said:
4 wish God could have managed
that, little Nick. 1t would have
been so much better for me. Il
would save me such lot Of worry,s /