The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-04-11
"Billie" Was Just
a Nickname
BY LILY WANDEL

Jdck SedDuIy looheu VI blille DoTu
in Knockers cleaning her golf clubs en-
ergetically, with stern disapproyal. He
vigorously disliked the athletic type Of
girl and Billie was all Of that, surely.
Sometimes he thought she must be
made Of steel, the way she slung her
tennis racquet and cracked her golf
balls across the course. He honestly
could not remember ever having heard
her say she was tired or chilly or
afraid; you could not protect or take
care Of a girl like Billie. she stood too
firmly on her own feet. She was not
the girl he dreamed about, a lovely
feminine type of sweet delicate beauty
and certainly not named Billie! He
rather fancied the name Of Alice, it
was SO distinctly feminine and made
him think little OF that old song,
"Alice, Ben Bolt"
OF course, Billie was q good little
thing In her way, mighty convenient
to ask to dance in the eleventh hour
when somebody else turned him down,
or to call up on a misty day for
round of golf when no other girl would
dream Of going out. But the girl he
would marry, this Alice, would not be
sitting on tree stump where snakes
were liable to be, In Knockers with
her arms burnt nut brown! He
fancied Alice would be in some fluffy
dress safely on the clubhouse porch,
knitting or something.
"Say, Billiel" He savagely swished
of some leaves with his brassie. 'Tm
In Lowell"
If he had looked up he might have
seen deep red dye Billie's cheeks and
throat jubilant shine come into her
velvet blue eyes. with whom, Jack"
she asked carelessly, but the brown
fingers scubbing the putter were not
quite steady.
with wonderful girl, Billie, a
girl of my dreams. / can see her now,
blue eyes Che really did not know
Billie's were blue, for they were such
q dark blue, but Billie sitting there on
the tree stump held her breath what
she had hoped and longed for was COM
Ing true y that are gentle and soft"
continued Jack looking dreamily across
the fair; ''hair that is fluffy and
glinty and q skin-the kind that you
love to touch!"
Billie dropped the putter. clasped
her brown hands tight together This
was the way he described her, the pic
ure he carried In his heart, and all
hese days she had worried and
doubted that he cared for her Oh,
he happiness Of this hour
"And," continued Jack totally I'M {
conscious Of the dagger he was about
0 fling, "she doesn't play golf, nor
ennis, nor rldel And she's afraid of
makes and once in while she gets
iredl She likes fancywork and to
ave men wait on her-in other words, l
real woman p
Billie picked up the putter and be- I
an to rub and scrape. and then with l
II the braveness Of hero started to d
thistle a popular air. whats her 3
anne, Jack?" she asked In teasing
dice, her heart like lead.
II think it's Alice" he answered u
Dftly. Funny thing Is I've never met l
err nor seen her-but l want to--if l C
My could!" q
"Don't despair Sooner or later you I
Ill; there are plenty Of these Alices, p
OH know. Jack, believe II we want
thing bad enough we get 1t. You've n
list got to believe you'll get 1t. Under b
and?" h
Jack looked up with faint smile. o.
Some new fad. Ell? Well. how do
III so about 1t? I'm game"
"Just affirm Alice. Every time you
ink of this Alice pictured In your 81
ind say very positively, Alice is. l, II
lex Seabury, affirm Alice, the woman
love. Day by day, hour by hour. she m
coming nearer to me-" CT
A few days later he met Billie com
& from the tennis courts. The girl III
I'd been playing a strenuous game.
billie, 1t has not worked yet. I've lo
zen affirming Alice like mad" He pa
oked down into Billles flushed face.
Aren't you overriding 1t on this hot pr
VI" He noticed the deep rings under gl
g girls eyes, but Billie with a shrug
I'd laugh ran on. an
1t was a week later when Jack no. TO-
ed new girl at the club. A girl Ga
tn pale gold hair, white, trans no
rent skin and baby-blue eyes. She
rs knitting yellow sweater that
Y like patch of sunlight on her
aite frock of soft silk Jack lost rel
time In obtaining an Introduction pc
Miss Willard. Almost Immediately Ing
asked her wether she played golf de
She shook her pretty head. I'm
raid I'm not very athletic. I've we
yer been very strong" no
Jack felt like giving vent to a great
nut OF Joy. 'But you ride? Or do
I've your own carr" he waited anx-
lsly for negative answer da
She held up the half-fnished tin
eater. II knit great deal and. oh. yo'
uld you mind getting my scarf? It's to
the clubhouse The breeze makes ma
chilly and 1t gives one headache da,
easily" inc
lack strobe off with a smile of vic on
y He Ind found her his girl Of