The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-03-23
" WI L k 4 I J | S
BY FRANCES N. SMALL


must tell Jack that he could not come
to see her any more. This was not a
conclusion hastily reached. She had
thought it over seriously and deliber-
ately for more than two weeks. Jack
was dear boy, but he was too ''slow."
For almost two years now he had been
calling on Wednesday night, as reg
ularly as the week itself, but never
once by word or look had he intimated
that she meant any more to him than
the monograph in the corner or the
nice, puffy cushions on the couch.
The idea was growing on her that
she was missing the things that other
girls had. Take Peggy, for instance.
Her young man had bought a car espe-
cially to take her riding and bought
her candy and took her to theaters.
Peggy had confessed that Jim always
wanted a goodnight kiss-and some
times got it!
Only once had Jack ever tried to
hold Betty's hand, and then she had
forestalled him, just to tease, but he,
being very shy, had not made another
attempt.
1.-THE silly" she thought. ':He ought
to know that girl wants to be pur-
sued. He's been taking me too much
for granted. won't have it any Ion
ger" She told Peggy as much.
"Good GIRL" said Peggy. you're
too live a girl to waste your time on
that dead-head."
"He's not a 'dead-head'; he's just a
nice, quiet boy-but I've got to teach
him a lesson" declared Betty.
That night she made herself partic-
ularly pretty. Why is it when a wom-
an intends to hurt a man she makes
herself beautiful for the occasion
Promptly at a quarter to eight the
door-bell rang, and Jack came up the
stairs with the happy look In his eyes
of the man who is content within HIM
self and with the world In general.
Betty resented it.
HE ought she felt, ito have a
more eager look-as though he really
were trying to win my favor"
'Hello," said Jack, there's a new
record for the photograph. It's John
Mccormack and think you'll like it. "
"Never mind the record now, Jack.
1 want to tell you something" And
then, fearing that her courage would
| not stay screwed to the sticking
point" and not daring to meet Jacks
eyes, she stumbled on.
1Sxyo %0 Rho Inc IN
| Jack, that-that we-you and 1-can'1
get along together any more. YOU
| you're not my type of person. +
| want someone with mere life, who
who-oh, there's no use going on,
| Jack. You see how impossible it is
You have been coming here for two
! years, and we don't mean any more
to each other now than we ever did
| Can't you see how I feel about it?'
And poor Betty trailed off into silence
still not daring to look at Jack
When she did look up, he was bacl
at the door, and had started to speak
His face was suddenly tired, and hat
new lines she had not seen before
His eyes looked hopeless and some
how they went to her heart.
Jack spoke: I'm sorry, Betty.
didn't know. If that's the way yo1
feel about it, I guess there's no NOR
to be said. I suppose I haven't beer
fair to you. just didn't think. Coo
night; Betty"
The door opened and closed. Coul
it be possible he had gone like tina
without ever a word? Taking the dis
missal with so much calmness?
ooh! Oh! OH" stormed Betty
doesn't he know, doesn't he kno,
that girl wants to be asked an
coaxed again and again before sh
gives in?" But underneath the impt
; tent rage there was feeling of grea
, loss. Never mind; she would get owe
it.
, She picked up the new record an
put it on the machine. John McCo1
mack's "Who Knows?" She sat dow
and listened to it. The melody wa
sweet.
Jack likes Mccormack sl1
l.. thought. The words of the song WEI
: haunting.
"Thou art the soul Of a summers day,
Thou art the breath of a rose.
\ But the summer is fled, and the rose
dead.
!, Where are they gone? Who know
Who knoWs?"
A lump was in Betty's throat. Tr'
~, her summer was fled, and she hs
k killed the rose with her own hand.
Thou art the hope of my after yeal