The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-03-02
MIXED-UP PILGRIllS
BY H. IRVING KING

20, 1923. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
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" Ara
bella got along very well until she met
Rex Hamilton. Hamilton was the
catch of the season. But, alas he
was literary" had written a book
and talked literature, and all the girls
had terrible time studying up In
order to be able to talk with him on
anything like passable terms.
AS 1t was, she was constantly on
guard to 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 to her.
Mr.. Hamilton, she thought, was de-
lightful but between him and her she
realized was a great gulf fixed-her
absolute ignorance Of literature. She
was sure to make some awful break
if she talked with him for any length
of time.
"Why did I cut literature so at
school?" she asked herself remorse-
fully. So it 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 l did not waste our
money on your education. 1t cost
enough, goodness knows! Hamilton
is great catch and very literary.
He's written book, they say. Your
father and / never had the early adj
vantages you have had. But we want
to show Mr. Hamilton that, though we
may not be literary ourselves, per-
haps, we have daughter who is"
But, mother" cried Bella aghast,
II am awfully rusty on literature.
never was any good at it, anyway,
You know 1 wasn't. Oh, dear, 1 am
/ am forced to talk about books with
Mr.. Hamilton. Don't ask me to.
can't, 1 can't"
Can't" cried Mrs. Wilcox. "And
you a graduate of the Melton Now
bray School for Young Ladies'? l am
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
want 10 die an old maid, with such a
chance as Hamilton before youi
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 trepi-
dalton grew into absolute horror when
in spite of Bella's attempts to keep
the conversation in channels leading
Of literature, Mrs. Wilcox obstinately
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 perilous waves Of book
ish conversation.
Some woman sitting nearby was re
counting a tale of 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 not?'
Eyes, indeed" replied Bella, and
should have let 1t go at that, but she
must needs add, II have not read
Chaucer's Pilgrims Progress fol
years."
The sudden pause and quick look OF
Hamilton told her at once that she
had made "break" and, in her con
fusion she blurted out: "Oh, 1 NEAR
his Childe Harold's pilgrimage, OF
course"
Hamilton, we'll bred as he was
could not represS a smile. Bella
blushing to the roots of her hair, rose
hastily and said: you really mus,
excuse me, Mr.. Hamilton; / must &C
and speak with Mrs. Witherspoon-'
and walked over to one of the women
guests. For a whole week Bella re
fused to go anywhere that she was
likely to meet Hamilton and declined
to see him when he called-as he die
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 6
young lady I sincerely admire? If you
are not thoroughly conversant with
literature it is because you have
never had a competent instructor
VIII you let me be that INSTRUCTOR
The next time Hamilton called Bells
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 book.
which don't sell and Is adding to his
fortune by speculations In oil. He
will eat no apple dumplings but those