The Tomahawk., 1925-06-04
CUPID
WAS
JOCKEY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY ANNA M. SCHOLL.
20 by Short Story Pub. Co. }

by the ears, but no one
dreamed Of post-mortem chuckle
from the old gentleman. 1t came In
the form Of bequest in his will-one
thousand dollars to the prettiest wo-
man in the place, the judges to be
chosen from the elderly married men
Of the community.
The hubbub was instantaneous, and
Of q nature to warm the heart Of
cynic. Mothers spoke jealousy Of the
charms of their daughters. The min
listers prepared sermons against the
sin Of vanity thus flagrantly encour-
aged by the late Mr.. Sears. The best
people" signalized their intention of
standing alOof from the contest. But
at last a reaction set in, started by
someone's saving sense Of humOr, and
1t was almost unanimously decided
that the terms of the will must be COM
piled with. An appointed committee
fixed upon day in June for the as
sembling Of the contestants. They
and to abide by the vote of the judges
without murmurings or disputings."
The contest was to be held out-of-
doors, in the sunny garden Of one Of
the grandees of the town, that the
searching light Of day might add to
the impartlality Of the decision. The
affair was thus turned into a lawn
party, and, the first families agreeing
to be present, the rest Of the town
followed suit.
A week before the day appointed,
Richard Gordon, q young lawyer, went
to call upon Mary Bennett, whose ia
Their before his invalidlsm had been a
professor In the college town from
which Gordon's family also came.
Something Of academic reserve and
grayness pervaded the atmosphere of
the little white-and-green house in the
quiet side street. Richard, waiting
for Mary in the dim parlor with its
steel engravings of famous pictures,
felt that the girls life was somehow
like them, beautiful in line and form,
but lacking the color that sefshness,
rather than self-denial, seems to i'm
part to human existence. She had
always sacrificed herself to the de-
mands and needs Of others, until she
was like a white flower brought out Of
the sunshine to cheer a sick-room.
He was absorbed In thoughts Of
her when she entered, welcome
glowing in her eyes. Though she was
tall and straight and wholesome to
look upon, no one had ever called her
pretty. Her features were too irregu-
lar, and she was too pale. Her chief
asset was her abundant dark hair.
Richard had never thought Of her
being In the contest, so he did not
even apologize when, after few mo-
ments' conversation, he showed her a
list he had made Of the women who,
In his opinion, had the best chance Of
winning-a list from which her name
was omitted.
81 thought 1t might amuse you to 60
over them with me and to sum up
their points"
II see that you have headed 1t with
Bertha Klendennlng. That Is easy
to understand"
"But my grounds are different from
most peoples" he said with the ear
nestness that he always brought to
any subject which interested him.
Her blue eyes and yellow hair and
stOry-bOOk complexion count very lit
tie. It's her lovely figure and her
charm Of manner-her more subtle ad-
vantages, so to speak-that make her
what she Is, graceful and womanly."
He seemed to be absorbed in an
inner vision Of her. Mary sat very
still, her hands clasped together, her
eyes but half-lifted. He could not
know, Of course, that he was hurting
her. She did not wish to acknowledge
1t even to herself, but she would have
been glad If the obvious charms had
had the chief significance for him.
Inexperienced as she was, she knew
that the spirit can establish far
greater rivalry than physical beauty.
II quite agree with you. Who Is
next on the list?"
katherine More-it's the curve of
her upper lip" he added confidentially.
"And next?"
Dora"
BECAUSE"
He laughed.
1T has something to do with the tip
Of her nose"
81 quite understand. Dora's nose
will keep her young when she's fifty"
"And then come the ladies who have
only to put on pink ribbon to be
called pretty. You see my scorn of
them places them last"
"Poor things! Well. think it will
be Bertha. You must tell me all
about 1t afterwards I"
But my dear, you're surely going!"
he said, earnestly. knitting his boyish
brows.
II can't unless father Is better"
"Oh, you must-it will amuse you
sol I'll call for you to make sure"
swell! don't forbid your calling !"
she answered with a smile.
When he was gone she went to her