The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-07-27

Win mlStlet0e.
For a moment he stood admiring
her, then: "You shouldn't have
worn it," he said.
s'The mistletoe? Why not?"
'You will tempt all men to kiss
YOU"
"Men must resist temptation.
His tone was light, but her heart
missed a beat. There was some
thing about this boy so utterly en-
gaging. He had set her on a pede-
stal, and he worshiped her. When
she said that she was not worth
worshiping, he told her, "You don't
know"
She was unusually silent during
dinner. With Evans on one side of
her and Baldy on the other she had
little need to exert herself. Baldy
was always adequate to any CONVEX
sational tax, and Evans, in spite of
his monks habit, was not austere.
He was, rather, like some attrac-
tive young friar drawn back for the
moment to the world.
He showed himself a genial teller
of tales-and capped each of Fred
erick's with one of his own. His
mother was proud of him. She felt
that life was taking on new aspects
this friendship with the Townes-
her sons increasing strength and
social ease-the lace gown which
she wore and which had been bought
with a Dickens pamphlet. What
more could she ask? She was Sc
rene and satisfied.
Adelaide, on the other side of
Frederick Towne, was not serene
and satisfied. She was looking par
ticularly lovely with a star of dia-
monds in her hair and sheer draper
les of rose and faintest green. II am
anything you wish to call me-" she
had said to Frederick when she
came in-"an Evening Star or In
the Cleaning or 'Afterglow.' Per-
haps "A Rose of Yesterday" she
had put it rather pensively.
He had been gallant but unin-
spired. "You are too young to talk
of yesterdays" he had said, but
his glance had held not the slight
est hint of gallantry. She felt that
she had, perhaps, been unwise to
remind him of her age.
She was still more disturbed,
when, towards the end of dinner,
he rose and proposed toast '"To
little Jane Barnes, A Merry Christ
mas"
They all stood up. There was a
seconds silence. Evans drank as
If he partook of sacrament.
Then Edith said, cit seems al
most heartless to be happy, doesn't
it, when things are SO hard for her?"
Adelaide interposed irrelevantly,
''I should hate to spend Christmas
in Chicago"
There was no response, so she
turned to Frederick. Couldn't Miss
Barnes leave her sister for a few
days?"
NO." he told her, "she couldn't"
She persisted, ST am sure you
didn't want her to miss the ball."
II did my best to get her here.
Talked to her at lopg distance, but
she couldn't see it"
...You are so good-hearted, Ricky."
Frederick could be cruel at mo-
ments, and her persistence was irri-
tating "Oh, look here, Adelaide, it
wasn't entirely on her account. /
want her here myself"
She sat motionless, her eyes on
her plate. When she spoke again it
was of other things. did you hear
that Delafeld is coming back?"
who told your"
"Eloise Harper. Benny's sister
saw Del at Miami She is sure he
is expecting to marry the other
girl"
bad taste, ! call it."
Everybody is crazy to know who
she is"
'Have they any idea?"
mo. Benny's sister said he talked
quite frankly about getting married.
But he wouldn't say a word about
the woman"
Il hardly think he will find Edith
heart-broken." Towne glanced
across the table. Edith was not
wearing the willow. No shadow
marred her lovely counteuance. Her
eyes were clear and shining pools
of sweet content.
Her uncle was proud of that high
held head He and Edith might not
always hit it off. But, by Jove, he
was proud of her.
''No, she's not heart-broken," Ad-
elaide'S cool tone disturbed his re-
fiections, "she is getting her heart
mended."
'sWhat do you mean?"
''.They are an attractive pair, lit
tie Jane and her brother. And the
boy has lost his head"
lover Edith? Oh, well, she plays
around with him; there's nothing Sc
rious in it,"
Don't be too sure. She's inter-
ested"
what makes you insist on that?"
irritably.
Il know the signs, dear man." the
cat seemed to purr, but she had
claws.
And it was Adelaide who was
right. Edith had come to the knowl-
edge that night of what Badly meant
to her.
AS she had entered the ballroom
men had crowded around her.
"Why," they demanded, "do you
wear mistletoe, if you don't want
to pay the forfeit?"
Backed up against one of the mar
BILE pillars, she held them off. II
do want to pay it, but not to any of
YOU"