Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1922-07-13
How Vera Aided
Cupid
By MALCOLM BROWN

Two persons In Fairview were writ.
Ink letters at the same hour; q grace
ful. lovely young woman OF twenty.
nve. Marcia Westhrook; a grave-faced,
handsome man of thirty, ROlfe Dur
ward. Neither knew Of the employ
ment Of the other, yet each was writ
Ing Of the other.
Thus ended the letter Of Durward
to his close friend In distant city:
LAS to your question of getting mar
ried and settled down. that Is far dis
tAnt. do not think I am generally a
fayOrite with the fair sex. There Is a
young lady here. a Miss WestbroOk. l
have not had her out Of my mind
since first saw her. but she IL rich,
l am poor, and l am as a glOw-wOrm
coveting the star"
The letter of Miss WestbroOk was,
coincidentally, also to a close friend
and 1t ended: $50, dear, do not think
have taken leave Of my senses but
tell me Just what you think of a face
that presents TO me a nobIeness and
attraction l cannot resist. His name
IS Rolfe Durward. He has q respectA-
BILE position, and. like myself, l think,
he has met with those buffets Of fate
that make the heart mature and likely
to respond only to the real merits OF
life"
| The grave strain In the mIssIve had
basis. Marcia Westbrook had lost
father and mother In single year
She had been left in charge Of three
young children, her sisters. She had
given her life to them and had seen
little Of social pleasure.
II am going downtown, children
and will be gone about an hour" said
Marcia. forgetting the letter to her
girl friend which she had slipped into
the pocket Of her dress she had Just
discarded.
Little Vera clapped her hands in
rare delight as her sister left the
house.
snow. then. we've got whole hour
to play company" she announced ID
her companion. 'COme upstairs and
wen dress up like real full-grown Ia
dies"
Inside of FIVE minutes a queer pro
cesslon came through the front dool
and crossed the garden. Vera lee
them past the garden, across a lane
and crept under the bars Of fenct
guarding a grazing field.
Nov, this Is fash-n'ble summer
resort, on'erstan'r' said Vera. at
be princess, sitting under that tre'
yOnder."
Meantime Rolfe Durward, with {
halliday vacation before him, pocket
ed his letter and proceeded to take 1
stroll. OF course the Westbrook homt
was a magnet, the way his thought!
ran.
A whimsical smile crossed his fac
as he passed by the. field and caugh
sight of the mimic court scene IL
progress beyond the rail fence.
Arrayed in red plush cape AM
seated in great grandeur under thu
tree, Vera was receiving, her cOmpan!
In true digni1ed style.
She had found the letter In Mar
cia's dress pocket.
"This is an invite from my friend
the queen" she was saying, and end
ed the pretentiOus declaration In {
scream Of mortal terror.
Vera sprang to her feet. Sh'
grabbed her little companions, ON
with each hand.
"Oh. hurry hurry!" she cried. TT
the mad COW loose"
In flash ROlfe Durward took Il
b the scene turned suddenly from traV
esty to tragedy.
There was no question Of the peri
OF the children; he saw that at |
glance. He reached their side ant
tore the red cape from the shoulder
of the terrorized Vera.
; "Run-Quick Fast" he ordered
"get past the fence"
, Then ne turned, waving the rel
} token Of defiance to the advancing AMI
NAL. As he had hoped and expected
, II diverted its course and came lung
ing towards him.
Just lenping the fence Rolfe wa
grazed by the bulky head of the in
furiated animal. One sharp horn tor
! a ridge clear up one forearm and h
i, landed with wrench on the groun.
, beyond the fence.
, Rotfe saw some neighbors take tn
children home and two men captur
. the mad animal.
The signet ring had slipped froE
/, vera's finger and he secured this. Al
open letter and photograph la
where she had abandoned it.
With a. start of incredullty Rolf
. recognized the portrait as his own. ]
! must have. been secured from the vi
lage photographer. And then hi
, glance fell upon the open letter t
view his own name, few words onl
I with IT but enough to Instantly al
his soul with the most extravagant Jos
He was overwhelmed with, expires
sions Of gratitude as he reached tn
house where Marcia was coddling tn
frightened little ones. M
Il also found these he said, hand
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