Smyrna times., 1925-11-25
A Filtration of
Convenience
By J. A. WALDRON
(copyright)

~ formalities that obtain In society
when society is on its good behavior,
and many a romance develops aboard
ship even more speedily than 1t could
at the seashOre, although no field OF
the am0rOusly sentimental can ap-
proach the seashore for ephemerality
and irresponsibility Of attachment.
Men and women at sea make quick
acquaintance even outside of that SYM
pathy in misery that Neptune often
inflicts. And the very freedom from
the conventional code that the ever
changing deep suggests gives impulse
to the romantically inclined.
Harold Bangle, on the good ship |
Utopia, was day out from CherbOurg |
before he caught sight Of a pretty |
woman who pleased his fancy. He |
mad been trying to spend his Income |
during a six months tour of Europe,
incidentally making love in various
lands. His infatuatiOns in New York
had been many, and once IN while
he had been fortunate enough to in
spire what seemed to be responsive
feeling. But young women are not
so ingenious as they used to be, and
although the aphOrism that money
makes the mare go is an important
item in their more or less ornamental
education, some of them still are hard
to please.
Nobody that knew Harold ever won
dered why he didn't marry. Inevitably
when he had reached the stage Of
cOurtship that gives a girl hope and
inspires reflection as to the latest
modes In trousseaux, Harold would
find some other young woman more
attractive and begin all over again.
He was so volatile that he never yet
had been melancholy because some
girl threw him over.
During his travels Harold had made
love tentatively as best he could, not
being an accomplished linguist, to
divers mademOiselles, frauleins and
signorinas, but never with any promise
of success, and at times with expert
ences which called upon valor and
found valOr absent. In Paris he had
been challenged to a duel and fed the
city In such haste that he forgot some
of his luggage. In Berlin he had felt
the prick Of a petty officers sword as
those in regular warfare feel it when
in full retreat. In Naples he had
escaped the stilettO Of a young MEM
Der Of the Camorra whose slgnOrina
he had approached, nothing saving
him but something in reserve held
over from the days when he was a
crack short-distance man at Harvard.
These experiences led him at last to
more fully appreciate the beauties Of
his native land and the damsels there
Of.
Repeated defeats Of amorous i'm
pulse had made Harold more suscep-
tible than ever. So when on the deck
of the Utopia this one day out from
Cherbourg he saw a beautiful girl
who looked at him with an archness
that seemed to invite overture, he
actually blushed with enthusiasm. The
sea was high and the wind blew a
gale. Just as the girl was about to
arrange a chair for an airing, one OF
her rugs took flight. Harold rescued
1t from drowning, and the rest, at least
on his side was courtship.
From the moment Of this uncon
ventional introduction Harold was the
very shadow of the pretty girl. The
next day they arranged their chair!
together on deck. and happy conver
satiOn flowed.
you don't mind, venture. to givt
me your manner" he asked, handing
her his card.
"NOt in the least" she replied
''Claremont"
"A beautiful name-ah-if you will
permit the opinion" said he.
"Do you really think so?'
And do you mind telling me you
baptismal name"
mot at all. Virginia"
Really a lovely combination" sal
Harold, and he emphasized his ad
jective. They talked and laughed til
the call for luncheon, and again unit
dinner.
The next day Harold arranged he
rugs, got her footstool, ran for tes
brought her CONNECTIONS, and In fac
anticipated her every wish. Sh
smiled upon him and entered charm
ingly into every subject he intrt
duced. If he had not been more II
fatuated than he had ever been /
his life, he would have broached tn
! subject of love. But such words faile
| him.
| Day after day their intimacy grew
| until Harold was In a hopeless stat
| All his assurance in amatory affair
| had left him. he thought and though
again as to how he might declare b
passion.
] 1t was not until the ship approacks
/ the etfigy Of Liberty that Harold
desperation made up his mind to sa
something. He was standing in froI
Of Virginia, with his mouth open, ain