The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-11
Sylvia of the Minute

with him, causing him SleepleSS nlGnLS,
hungry yearnings to see her again and
hold her, fresh and fragrant young
beauty that she was, in his arms
again, as he had ecstatically. done at
the barn dancei
But the trouble had been that he
did not know where she lived nor even
her name. So sure had he been that
he would hear from her in day or
two that he had not taken the trouble
to ascertain these unimportant facts
about her.
It had been only when, quite beaten.
he had been about to give in and try
to discover her that he had received
from her funny, crude little note
What sport he had at his club show
ing it around for the enjoyment of his
fellow club members!
"Since you are the only Gentleman
Friend got that's purfect Gentle
man in whom feel know well
enought to ask for such favur, dear,
l am asking you, now, to keep COM
pany with me and be my Steady Date"
That was a month ago and he had
been seeing her several times week.
furtively. ever since; his ridiculous
infatuation." as he scOrnfully called
it to himself, growing more irresist-
ible with each meeting.
AS he reached the top Of the hill
he was greatly relieved (and thrilled)
to see her sitting there under the tree
which was their appointed meeting
place.
At sight of him she threw away the
apple she had been eating with greedy
abandon, drew the back of her hand
across her mouth and hastily rose.
His peculiar sort of egotism derived
an almost sensual pleasure from this
girls worshipful bearing toward him,
from her timid admiration Of every
thing about him, which she so help.
lessIy betrayed-of his mOdish clothes.
his finely shaped white hands, his cul-
tivated speech, even his family SUPER
ciiious and autocratic attitude toward
herself.
She came toward him, just now,
shyly, rubbing her s0iled right hand
on her hip before offering 1t to him.
But he waved it off, and resisting.
with strong self-restraint, the ten
derness as we'll as the desire to which
she powerfully moved him. he looked
down upon her severely as she stood
before him.
"Go and sit down again."
She obeyed him like child. her
soft brown eyes fixed upon his face
with a doglike anxious uncertainty
that acted on his passion for domi-
nance like titillating stimulant.
She wore a cheap, dressy frock Of
blue wolfe trimmed with tawdry white
/ lace,s BUNCH of artificial flowers on
one shoulder, streamers Of tiimsy blue
ribbon at the waist.
He frowned at the slovenly way she
sat and she quickly Strengthened up,
pulled her skirt over her knees and
tried to look prim.
Spreading his handkerchief on a
fiat rock few feet in front of her.
he sat down, clasped his shapely
hands about his knees and silently,
disapprovingly. inspected her. She
became uneasy. making timid, tenta-
tive movement to come closer to him,
evidently as eager as he was Though
less contr0lled) to begin their pet
ting party" as she most vulgariy
called it. But again he waved her on
"Not yet" he said curtly. He al.
ways held her off in suspense like
this for a little while, partly to I'M
press her with proper sense Of her
inferiority, partly to prolong the stim-
ulating contemplation Of her charms
and of her subservience, so that when
he did presently permit her to come
to him, the nearness of her beauty
would be all the more thrilling.
She relaxed against the tree, her
pretty head dropping, an adorably
childish pout on her red lips. "Pm
sure 1 don't know what done!" she
said in an injured tone, on the verge
of tears.
did. Say did"
"What I've did," she meekly re.
peated.
"Oh~ he sighed, you hopeless
child! Didn't they teach you any Eng
fish grammar at the district school
down there?"-with an inclination of
his head toward the valley.
swell, you see, till I was twelf
years old already, Pop he wouldn't do
it to leave me go to school no more.
So amt just so good educated that
way. like you. Mr.. Creighton. You're
got an awful nice education-aIn't you
have? And" she added, drawing a
deep breath. "you become your clo'es
so! Ach!" She was given to Jumping
unrelated facts in this way.