Show u U li FANCIES FANCIES i i By MILDRED WHITE u p i 1922 1923 Western Newspaper Union David Wharton Whalton turned lazily about it was Teddy who stood fn inn the doorway doorway door door- way An unaccustomed frown clouded Teddy's brow He stalked Into the pleasant bach bachelor elor apartment and sank unconscious of il his S choice Into the most comfortS comfort com comfortable fort able chair Ted was far removed in his anxious despair from such trivial matters of ot comfort Calmly the older man regarded re ra- gl him then smiling took the cigar from between his lips to ask a question wl ats at's the trouble 1 What Te Ted bitterly retorted is la usually the trouble wh where re a fool man manIs manIs manis Is concerned 1 Usually his friend replied a wom woman wom an when nn-when when it is a fool tool man that is concerned con Ted slouched miserably In the cushions ions Oh you may smile Women never ne did lid bother you how haw you get away with it I dont don't know Certainly not because they treat you Indifferently But my case Is serious The young oung man glanced up quickly Ever tell fell you that I was en engaged ged Dave e The older man shook his head Well I was Am still sUll I X suppose though Im I'm not sure Bonnie Is la the dearest girl that ever breathed Loved me too until that newcomer hypnotized her into think thinking ing lug that she cares for him Cares I Ted leaned tensely for for- ward Why she was preparing her hope holie chest before he came along I bought It for her Christmas and together we were putting the things In slIver In silver spoons choice pictures We wanted i j J I to have everything exquisite Now she has no more interest in that hope chest than I have in oriental ery Who Who quietly asked David Wharton Wharton Wharton Whar- Whar ton is the man 1 Ted scowled more fiercely That is what I cannot find out Bonnie met him at one of her aunts aunt's artistic teas tens And he made his hit then and there Why his friend Inquired do lido you not ask the adorable Bonnie the name of your hated bated rival T II We have had so many quarrels about him Ted replied that she flatly flatly flat fiat ly refuses to give me information I Iam Iam Iam am not acquainted with this aunt of hers she hers she seldom comes to the city elty and stops at an apartment hotel so I cannot find out from the aunt the name nume of this friend of hers Why Wily dont don't you David suggested give gl the fair one a little of her own indifferent treatment It might work a charm But the troubled young man sadly shook his head I ul told you he returned Ive urve tried everything m And anyway one cannot assume your admirable Indifference toward one of the sex in whom one Is vastly interested David considered the point of his cigar elgar Perhaps he answered musingly my apparent indifference may be merely merel a matter of disappointment Perhaps all my life Ufe Ive I've been hoping to meet the one sweet girl that would realize my ideal Ted arose with the selfishness of grief he was not interested inter inter- interested ested in Davids David's past Ideals Ill be going he said abruptly Sulkily he made his way to Bonnies Bonnie's home She was as ho had anticipated curled up on the divan a book of poetry In her handI handI hand I promised Aunt Clotilde to give a reading leading at her studio evening his indifferent Indifferent In In- different sweetheart told him I have to study hard for it Run along Ted answered I wont won't run along angrily and Bonnie onnie 1 ir you care the we least for tor my feelings you will ask your aunt to invite me tomorrow night All right Bhe ehe agreed I HI will ask her this once Now are you satisfied satin satis fie fled fied 11 Ungraciously she continued her study In even greater gloom Ted departed There had been a recent time when this new hero of Bonnie's Bonnies was out of town Then she had almost returned to him O Of her own awn sweet will she had resumed Interest in the hope chest listened tenderly to his his planning for the little home to be But with the heros hero's coming back to town the hope h pe chest had been closed closed- once more Teddy had never attended a studio evening evening- He Be was not sure to what particular particular par var art Bonnies Bonnie's transi transient nt aunt pre pre- tended But her guests bored him and Teddy bored the guests He lie had caught his first acquaintance of ot the evening smiling covertly over one of his matter fact remarks to an owlish looking young man All at once he ho felt unspeakably crude and realized in a n measure Bonnies Bonnie's new opinion of ot him Then he spied DaVid Wharton Davids David's entrance was as usual a sign for tor pleasant commotion I am um hurrying home David ex ex- My little sister came on to tonight tonight to to- night from the West I am devoting my time to her And Ted I think that sweetheart of yours Is waiting malting for you In there Be tender to her forget this fancied preference of ot hers and all allwill allwill will be well David looked back with a twisted sort Eort of smile We all have our fancies he said f M a. 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