Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-06-15
billie" Was Just
a Nickname
BY LILY WANDEL

Jack Seabury looked at Billie Dorm
in Knockers cleaning her golf clubs en-
ergetically, with stern disapproval. 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, lovely
feminine type OF sweet delicate beauty
and certainly not named Billet 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 a good little
thing In her way, mighty convenient
to ask to a dance In the eleventh hour
when somebody else turned him down,
or to call up on misty day for a
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 a tree stump where snakes
were liable to be, in knickers with
her arms burnt nut brownl He
fancied Alice would be In some fluffy
dress safely on the clubhouse porch,
knitting or something
"Say, BillieW He savagely swlshed
off some leaves with his brassle, "I'm
In lover
If he had looked up he might have
seen a deep red dye Billies cheeks and
throat, a jubllant shine come into her
velvet blue eyes. with whom, JackT
she asked carelessly, but the brown
fingers scubbing the putter were not
quite steady.
with a wonderful girl, Billie,
girl Of my dreams. can see her now,
blue eyes Che really did not know
Blllie's were blue, for they were such
a dark blue, but Billie sitting there on
the tree stump held her breath; what
she had hoped and longed for was com
ing trueO that are gentle and soft"
continued Jack looking dreamily across
the fair; chair that Is fluffy and
glinty and a 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
ture he carried In his heart, and all
these days she had worried and
doubted that he cared for herl Oh,
the happiness Of this hour!
And" continued Jack totally I'M
conscious of the dagger he was about
to fling, ''she doesn't play golf, nor
tennis, nor ride And she's afraid of
snakes and once in while she gets
tired She likes fancywork and to
have men wait on her-in other words,
q real wOman"
Billie picked up the putter and be-
gan to rub and scrape, and then with
all the braveness Of hero started to
whistle a popular air. whats her
name, Jack2" she asked In teasing
voice, her heart like lead.
II think it's Alice" he answered
softly. Funny thing is I've never met
her nor seen her--but want tO-if
only could"
Don't despair. Sooner or later you
will; there are plenty Of these Allces,
you know. Jack, believe If we want
a thing bad enough we get it. You've
Just got to believe you'll get 1t. Under
stands"
Jack looked up with faint smile
"SOme new fad, eh? Well, how do
you go about 1t? I'm game"
Just affirm Alice. Every time you
think of this Alice pictured IN your
mind say very positively, Alice Is. |,
Jack Seabury. affirm Alice, the woman
I love. Day by day. hour by hour, she
is coming nearer to me-"
A few days later he met Billie com
Ing from the tennis courts. The girl |
had been playing strenuous game.
"BIllie, It has not worked yet. I've
been affirming Alice like mad" He |
looked down into Billies flushed face. |
Aren't you overriding It on this hot |
day." He noticed the deep rings under |
the girls eyes, but Billie with shrug |
and laugh ran on.
II was week later when Jack no.
ticed a new girl at the club. A girl |
with pale gold hair, white, trans
parent skin and baby-blue eyes. She
was knitting yellow sweater that |
lay like patch Of sunlight on her
white frock of soft silk. Jack lost
no time In obtaining an Introduction
to Miss willard. Almost Immediately
he asked her wether she played golf.
She shook her pretty head. "Pm
afraid I'm not very athletic I've
never been very strong"
Jack felt like giving vent to great
shout Of JOY. "But you rider Or
drive your own carr he waited anx-
iOusly for negative answer.
She held up the half-Gnlshed
sweater. II knit great deal and, oh,
would you mind getting my scarf? IT'S
In the clubhouse. The breeze makes
me chilly and II gives one headache
so easily"
Jack strobe off with a smile Of vic.
tory. He had found her, his girl Of
When he returned
with the scarf he suggested walk,
but Miss willard said she was tired
Wouldn't he sit down? And Jack
settled down happily. lie watched her
thin white fingers ply the needles
buslly. She was like a delicate flower
a tender lily, to be cared for, protected
all her life.
asked quite suddenly.