New Britain herald., 1924-09-10

TT WAS summertime when Mavis fell in love with Patrick Hubert and secretly gloried in his prowess in all the manlier pastimes of the season.
 And if England, like other lands, had been country of perennial summer she might have gone on glorifying in her supermsn and in the envy of her friends.
 But summer, with its open air joys, went the way of all summers, and on the bcdrag. ged gipsy skirt of autumn came the dancing season. And then it was that Mavis was conscious of the first pang of disappointment concerning her beau-ideal.
 Pat couldn't dance!
 That was the trouble.
 He could do just everything else, and he was just everything else that a desirable man should be - indeed, in one another, after the way of lovers. they had found embodied all the attributes found in all lovers of the world in all the ages-but that made no difference.
 He could not dance, and, this being SO, he just fell from grace. And he fell with a bump which hurt his pride and left him with a feeling that he was not all sufi- cient.
 Her reference to the first big dance of the season came. of all unfortunates times, upon the evening of her birthday, the very evening which, by that tacit understanding which eAisL, between lovers, had been earmarked as fitting and appropriate opportunity for proposal.
 And, instead of seeing the seal set upon his happiness. Pat felt the rude breath of chill wind which brought down his castle of dreams like house of cards.
 Tin awfully sorry, dear," he said "I ought lo have told you before, but 1t never entered my mind. But I always was an awful CInffer at dancing. I've tried time after time, but I'm just hopeless An elephant could waltz better than do I'm more sorry than I can say.'
 MAYS was looking down into the fire. A'A Her lovely lower lip was held pensvely by her white teeth. Her disappointment was obvious.
 T just love dancing" she said, What a pity you haven't gone in for it"
 I'm desperately sorry" returned Pat lamely. You see, knowing I was a poor dancer l just kept away from it. Once OF twice of course l have not been able to escape. but it has been just agony-real, physical agony-for my partner, an agony of mind to myself, As far as I can recollect no woman has danced with me the second time.
 +bo ,o1n AIavis put in.
 II suppose it is pleasure to those who are good dancers. But I always feel so heavy and awkward. I ought to have been a wilds man of the woods. can only do crude out of door things. I'm hopeless at parlor tricks"
 "You call dancing parlor trick?" she asked him with a touch of coldness.
 Something in her tone warned him to tread warily. When, for the third time he said he was sorry, he began to feel that he was cutting very poor figure. He blamed himself for not having foreseen that Mavis would expect him to dance. He ought to have had some lessons.
 Mavs was silent for while, but presently she went on.
 "Well, don't intend to give up dancing. Pat. If you can't dance you must not mind if l go to dances with Ronald Barfoot We danced together all last season.
 Then Pat saw red. His worship of Mavis was great hearted and intense. She had become part of his very being, and she held his happiness in the palm of her dainty hand.
 The revelation that the aid of another man was necessary to make Mavis com pletely happy stabbed him to the depths of his heart like a blade of cold steel It is useless for reason to argue that it is absurd and childlike to be jealous. The greater the love, the greater the jealousy. Generous and large hearted, Pat strove to conquer the demon that mocked him, but he could not. It was more than mental anguish it was physical pain, a nausea which gripped and hurt him. And all the while he was telling himself that if the woman he loved desired pleasures that be could not give her, he must find it in his heart not to bar the way to her happiness, but smilingly intrust her to the care of another.
 In his agony he sank into a chair. his temples throbbing, his lips so parched that when he tried to tell her that he must bow to the inevitable, he could not frame th, words.
 You're very quiet" said Mavis, "What is wrong?" Pat moistened his lips and spok, with an effort, but his voice betrayed hil emotion.
 Nothing, really" he said, 'Nothini when think of 1t sanely, but-well, it jus hurt me a little to feel that 1 am not al sufficient for your happiness"
 Mavis leaned back and clasped her knee with interlocked fingers.
 II believe" she said, you're jealous''
 Secretly she knew that he was. Secretl she rejoiced because of it. A woman ma, tell a man that he is absurd to be jealous but she will be very sorry and just little bi doubtful about the sincerity of his affection if the demon does not poke his head out ono in a while For the demon is Cupid's half brother, and his job is to keep Cupid O the Jump.
 Pat parried the thrust.
 "Well-lct us say stupid.
 Her handke chief red danger signs