Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1923-04-12
MIxED-UP PILGRIMS
BY H. IRVING KING

10 ten lIle truth. AEIDtAth hllGoA
was very pretty girl. and a very nice
girl In every way. but she was not
what is called intellectual" Ara
bella got along very well until she met
Rex Hamilton. Hamilton was the
catch of the season. But, alasl he
was literary" had written book
and talked literature. and all the girls
had terrible time studying up Ia
order 10 be able 10 talk with him on
anything like passable terms
AS II was, she was constantly on
guard 10 foil his attempt TO talk
books with her and only saved her
self on several occasions by cutting
short conversations which were other
wise exceedingly agreeable 10 her.
Mr. Hamilton, she thought. was de-
lightful, but between him and her she
realized was great gulf fxed-hcr
absolute Ignorance of literature. She
was sure to make some awful break
II she talked with him for any length
Of time
"Why did / cut literature so at
sehoolT she asked herself remorse-
fully. SO II was with very mixed
feeling that she heard her mother say
one day, Bella, dear, Mr.. Hamilton
Is going to drop in TO tea this after
noon. BE sure and show him that
your father and / did not waste our
money on your education. II cost
enough. goodness knows Hamilton
is great catch and very literary.
He's written n book, they say. Your
father and / never had the early adj
vantages you have had. But we want
10 show Mr.. Hamilton that, though we
may not be literary ourselves, per-
haps, we have daughter who Is"
"Bnt, mother" cried Bella aghast,
II nm awfuIly rusty on literature.
never was any good Mt II, anyway,
You know l wasn't. oh, dear | am
sure To make some horrld blunder if
i am forced to talk about books with
Mr.. Hamilton. Don't ask me TO.
can't, l can't"
Can't" cried Mrs. Wilcox. "And
you q graduate of rhe Melton Now
bray School for Young Ladies'? | am
ashamed OF you. You must. Hamil-
ton is always wanting TO talk about
you every time l meet him. What do
you mean, ungrateful child? DO you
want TO die nn old maid, with such
chance as Hamilton before you?
There, go along with You and be sure
you do as ] tell YOU"
Her mothers harangue only added
TO he trepidation with which Bella
met Mr.. Rex Hamilton at the tea
table that afternoon. And her trepl-
dalton grew into absolute horror when,
in spite of Bella's attempts TO keep
the conversation in channels leading
as far as possible away from the rocks
of literature. Mrs. Wilcox obstlnately
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
boosted to Hamilton of her daughters
great proficiency in matters literary
until Bella. seeing escape impossible,
boldly plunged In and struck out reck-
lessly In the perllous waves of book
ish conversation.
Some woman sitting nearby was re-
counting tale of a little journey she
and some of her friends had recent
ly made, Hamilton turned to Bella
with smile and said:
quite like the Canterbury Pilgrims
were they notT'
Eyes. indeed" replied Bella. and
should have let II go ut that, but she
must needs add, 81 have not read
Chaucer's Pilgrims Progress for
years"
The sudden pause and quick look OF
Hamilton told her at once that she
had made a ''break" and. in her con-
fusion she blurted out: ooh, / mean
his Childe Harold's pilgrimage, Of
course"
Hamilton, well bred as he was,
could not repress smile. Bella.
blushing TO the roots of her hair. rose
hastily and said: You really must
excuse me, Mr.. Hamilton: | must go
and speak with Mrs. Witherspoon---"
and walked over to one of the women
guests. For a whole week Bella re-
fused TO so anywhere that she was
likely to meet Hamilton and declined
to see him when he called-as he did
several times. Finally she received
the following note from him:
'My Dear Miss Wilcox: Why
should some mixed up, no-account
pilgrims stand between me and
young lady sincerely admire? If you
are not thoroughly conyersant with
literature IL is because you have
never had competent instructor.
VIII you let me be that instructors"
The next time Hamilton called Bella
received him. And do you think they
entered there and then upon a course
of literary study? They did not
they found other things to talk about.
And before they were married, which
was the following June, Bella gave
Hamilton clearly TO understand that
having mixed those pilgrims up. they
could stay mixed for all of her. Mr..
Hamilton has stopped writing books
which don't sell and IS adding to btS