The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-28
EDenirg Story
The. Mixed-up Pilgrims.
BY H. IRVING KING.

To tell the truth, Arabella Wilcox
waS~a very pretty girl, and a very nice
girl in every way. but she was not
what is called intellectual She was
bright enough. as far as that went,
but her brightness lay in other direc-
tions than book learning She
could make huckleberry pies the best
you ever ate, and her apple dumplings
were a dream. The art OF cooking
and the science of housewifery fasci-
mated her; but for all other arts and
sciences she had little aptitude ana less
liking. Her father having made much
money and there being many servants
in the house, the exercise of her do
mestic talents was greatly restricted.
Mrs. Wilcox, being bent on society.
had dragged Bella in with her. and
Bella had been a social success from
the hour of her debut.
Unselfishness is at the base of good
manners, and Arabella was quite un--
selfish Added to this natural advan-
tage was the training she had received
at q fashionable finishing school in
social conventions, a knowledge of
which remained with her after grad
uation, while she could not have told,
two weeks aftel she left school,
whether Sir Walter Scott wrote MAR
mion" or THE IdylIs' of the King
So ArabeIla got along very well un-
til she met Rex Hamilton. Hamilton
was the catch of the season. But,
alas! he was literary had written a
DOOh anu Cdik e literature, ana ali the
girls had te. rible time studying up
in order to be able to talk with him
on anything like passable terms. Ara
bella had met Hamilton several times
and, had s. not been so afraid of his
literary attainmentS-and his habit of
showing them-would have greatly
enjoyed his society.
As it was, she was constantly on
guard to foil his attempt to talk books
with her and only saved herself on
Versauons which were otherwise ex-
ceedfngly agreeable to her. Mr.. Ham
ilton, she thought. was delightful, but
between him and her she realized was
a great gulf fixed-her absolute ig-
norance of literature. She was sure
talked with him for any length of
time; she WIS sure to expose her ig
norance-and then what would he
think of her?
school?, she asked herself remorse-
fully. So it was with very mixed
Keeling that she heard her mother say
one day, Bella, dear. Mr.. Hamilton
IS gong to drop in. to tea this after
noon. Be sure and show him that
your father and 1 did not waste our
money on your education. 1t cost
enough, goodness knowsi Hamilton
is great catch and very literary.
He's written book they say. Your
father and L never had the early adj
vantages you have had. But we want
TO show Mr. Hamilton that, tho we
may not be literary ourselves, perhaps,
we have a daughter who is''
But, mother cried Bella agast,
II am awfully rusty on literature
l never was any good at it, anyway.
You know I wasn't. oh, dear, L am
sure to make some horrid bIunder if I
am forced to talk about books with
Mr.. Hamilton. Don't ask me to. L
can't. L can't.
"Can't?' Grief Mrs, Wilcox. And
you graduate of the Melton Now
ashamed of you. You must. Hamil-
ton is always wanting to talk about
you every time meet him. What do
you mean. ungrateful child? Do you
chance as Hamilton before you?
There, go along with you and be sure
You do as 1 tell you
Her mothers harangue only added
to the trepidation with which Bella
met Mr.. Rex Hamilton at the tea table
that afternoon. And her trepidation
grew into absolute horror when, in
spite of her attempts to keep the
conversation in channels leading as
far as possible away from the rocks
and resolutely sent the current run
ming back to the subject Bella was
trying to avoid. And, not content
with that, the fond mother openly
OodStSd W I1dAllltOi VI itI oduSuAeI
great proficiency in matters literary
until Bella, seeing escape impossible,
boldly plunged in and struck out reck-
lessly in the perilous waves of book
iSh converse ton She did fairly well
for awhile, but becoming more and
more bewilderea by the torrent of
bellies lettres with which Hamilton
overwhelmed her, she ventured too
far and was lost
Some woman sitting near by was
rpcountiuC tale of a little Journey
she and some of her friends had re- /
Gently made. Hamilton turned to |
Bella with a smile and said: |
"Quite like the Canterbury Pilgrims
were they not?"
eyes, indeed replied Bella, and |
should have let 1t go at that, but she /
must needs add, Il have not read |