The Colorado statesman., 1924-02-02
1t Was a
New Game
for Them
By MARTHA WILLIAMS
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Nineteen average young folk were
playing a game. One sat In a chair
looking like either an early Christmas
martyr or congress candidate hear
ing news he has won. This according
to the current letter Players had each
TO love their love with a letter, no re-
peats allowed, and keep at 1t to the
end of the alphabet. Not so bad at
hrst-easy to love your love because
1t Is amiable, affectionate, affable, as
piring and so on likewise to love be-
cause of beauty, bounty, blood, breed
Ing, brightness, but as the lovers
lengthen there is often agony, as when
pretty girl has to be loved because
of her big foot, her bouncing, her but
termilk. her battercakes, her best
young man. A budding Adonis may be
in even worse case-loved because of
his breeches, his badness, his black
eye last Christmas, his bluster, his bad
taste, his black looks. bad manners,
craftsmanship or memory. Fun for the
listeners. except when they turn ora
tors, so perhaps after all the game is
really worth the candle.
Beth did not find II so. She was
coquettish, seventeen, pretty as pink,
likewise as sweet, lively yet of a deli
cate modesty and fathoms deep in love
with the new schoolmaster. who had
terrifying degree from his college. BY
good luck she had got down as far as
7 without any wholly awful expert
ence. She had been close up head at
first-the rule of changing places had
put her almost at the end. Thus the
gentleman had been loved for his
teeth, his truth, his tears, his trousers,
his tiptoeing, his tennis, his teasing,
his tongue, his tenderness that was
winged with a thrice-Ianguishing look,
his troubles, his tripping. his two-sing
another glance here-his touch-he
was family musical-his tractableness.
teacherableness, tone, toughness-here
whoops of aughter-cudgel her brain
as she might only one T word re-
mained unused-desperately she
shrilled: 81 love my love with a 7
because-because he has a bad tenn
per-"
Such shout over that 1t broke
up the game, which had grown a bit
tedious to those active spirits The
circle broke into pairs and trios which
swiftly became clots, whence sounded
loud chatter and louder laughter.
THAT fool camel I wouldn't play 1t
again for-forty- cents,' Alb Sex
ton announced magisterally. Top
Wilson tweaked Abs ear, saying: mo
wonder, oil timer, you're a champion
Ounce now l call 1t a hummer. Won
der what PreXy Ryerson thinks about
it? Bet my hat he never was at
play-party before"
BET two hats he's been at wusser
and wickeder ones" Alb retorted. But
he's got every gal here tonight faded
clean as a whistle. Funny how
strange feller, no matter what, can
take his pick as long as he stays
strange; then get mittens enough to
last him two winters. When he's got
so well known he's just ordinary mid
dim"
"H'ml You ordinary middlin'?"
Top asked musingly. "Son Abner don't
be peeved nor jealous-might spile
your beauty if there'd happen quick
freeze. Be n man, even if he has cut
you out. Eth, Beth?" turning sharp
on a blushing. almost fearful Beth
shrinking behind fat Mrs. Dean, her
married sister. Before she could an
swer Ryerson was in front of her say
ing with a feint of anger: $50 you
love my bad temper. Oh, Miss Beth!
And l thinking you were my best
friend here, no less my first
"-I-that was-just-the play"
Beth stammered, wishing she could
evaporate Ryerson smiled the least
bit, but shook his head at her. then
drew her hand upon his arm, saying,
Come along l know how to punish
girls that sass the poor teacher. Make
them stand by, hungry and watch all
the good things get swallowed-that
is unless they say please their very
prettiest Then maybe, they can have
half portions of anything they want"
stick ter the half portions, perfes-
| ser. Sech a little-bitty creeter amt
got room fer whole ones" a round,
very red elder rumbled, pinching Beth's
| cheek. She slapped his wrists with a
pretty pretense of fury; he was her
I bachelor uncle and chief of that clan
/ that had spoiled her ever since she was
born. Miraculously, the earnest eff
forts had been fruitless. Beth was as
full of sunshine as the summer and as
comforting as her own smile. Some
touch of heaven and infancy fingered
| in her blue eyes. Stars in sea water.
| Ryerson called them in his heart Ac-
tually he was but eight years her Sc
nior, spiritually they were decades
apart. Yet she had taken absolute
| possession of him at the very first
glance, therefore he had held himself
hard in her presence. She would be
his pupil for year yet; he must not
let her dream he thought of her any
| ntherMise Above all he must keep