The Omaha morning bee., 1923-12-30

mony.'
Patty Dade maintained her perch
on the high arm of her fathers chair.
II refuse to accept your diagnosis, !"
she rejoined promptly. "and 1 won't
take your medicine. I've lost conf
dence in you. Judge Dade. You're
fired! Besides"
Don't say you can't do anything"
her father interrupted. you proved
you could work hard enough-and ef-
ficiently enough during the war;
"Oh, I can work hard" Patty Dade
admitted, only, father I've no espe-
cial talent. And somehow to work
for mere works sake-to take job
from some poor girl who needs 1t just
to prove l don't have to be idle
well, 1t doesn't appeal to me-that's
ALL
'Thep let's proceed to the second
remedy" Judge Dade suggested.
why don't you pick out some likely
young chap and marry him?"
81 think Patty's going to be an old
maid" struck in Laurian Dade pes
simistically.
Laurian was writing a letter at the
desk near the window. Ordinarily her
pretty 17-year-old face bore a grin.
Now her expression was that of con-
spicuous superiority.
when a girl shows no ambition but
to beat men at games and sports, and
to be considered the bravest person
in the whole place-well. 1 think that
kind of a girl soon loses all her at
traction for men,"
"That will do for you, MISS" her
sister cut in. ''Flapper," she added.
scathingly. You see. Julian, being
your daughter has spoiled me for
marriage. I solemnly promise you,
though, when I find a man as hand
some and able and entertaining as
you are, I'll-but I can't find him.
You're entirely responsible for my
spinster state. julian"
Judge Dade returned to the charge.
You're so choosey, Patty. They've
been so many good lads calling
here"
''As for example," his daughter de-
manded.
swered instantly.
Patty elevated her nose. "Too
highbrowi''
adams apples too big" Laurian
commented.
"Charles lie Favor"
Patty elevated her brows. "Too
lowbrowl''
His hands are almost clammy!"
Laurian murmured.
Dab Gilman, then"
Patty scowled.
He glides,' Laurian was begin
ming, land his shoulders"
Your opinion Is not asked. miss
her sister silenced her. Family too
run to seed" she answered her father.
How about Max Cady?"
Patty shifted. TOO youngi Good
ness, Julian, don't expect me to rob
the cradle. I'm not so old as that!
''Twenty-four's pretty old though,
Laurian interpolated neatly.
'very well. thenr' Judge Dade pro
ceeded "MacDuffey!'
"a very nice husband for one no
longer young." Laurian approved.
Patty snorted. "Too old. I'm not
robbing the grave either. Julian, I'm
certainly not so young as that!"
Judge Dade did not desist from his
interrogation. How about that Gree
nough lad who's staying with Mrs
Laurence?"
Patty groaned. Father! Too dissi-
patedl''
"I think he's something magnifi-
cent" Laurian broke in. "Al the
girls are so crazy over him they can't
see straight
Patty contemplated her sister sar-
donically, Inwardly she was amused,
but she would not let Laurian guess
1t. Judge Dad studied his younger
daughter too. And he reflected with
the eternal astonishment OF fathers
that, Just as Patty had emerged from
a thin-faced, unfeatured and uncon-
toured bundle of angles to an extreme
attractivness, Laurian was developing
from dumpy waistless little girl to
exquisite beauty. "Shall we let her
rave?" Patty demanded OF her father.
sWhen YOU pick Babe Greenough you
overturn at a bound every eugenic
axiom you ever whanged into me.
Haven't / always been given to un-
derstand that I was to marry
simple, outstanding, rustic gawk.
101 per cent American. who didn't
know a toddle from a standing jump,
who never smoked anything stornger
than sweet fern. never drank any
thing stronger than buttermilk. never
drove anything stronger than a ffiv-
ver?'
"I suppose all the rest Of them go
into one Of these pigeon-holes," Judge
Dade continued. 'Harry Gather. Noel
Darlington, Chuck Chalmers. :"
"Roger Satterlee. Tim Dorrance,
Perk Pray, ct cetera, ad infinitum, ad
nauseam," Patty rounded out his SEN
tence for him. They're all alike. /
can't seem to see any difference. Now
Morton Morrison"
Hes married." her father inter
rupted with a severe infection.
"Very much So" his daughter
agreed, "and to such boob! He Is
interesting. though"
"How can a married man be inter
esting?" Laurian demanded indig-
nantly.
Father" Patty answered her sis
ter obllquely, Il want to ask you one
question. And don't spare me. Is II
possible that at seventeen | was az
silly as Laurian?"
'It always makes me Wild" Laur'
ian went smoothly on, "for mar
RED man to ask me to dance. It's
lust a dance wasted. It"
"But I'm very impartial, father"
IL rtf,er