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Show Proclaimed "Dead Game" -------I --------. Ey MARTHA M. WILLIAMS (Copyright.) TTI7IIHN' Lawrence Ctislis, Esq., VV artist fur the love of it, millionaire million-aire l:y accident of birth, fell in love with Jasmine, born Lewis, he fell almost al-most us deeply in love with her country coun-try it was, afler a sort, his own. So he bought back all the Lewis lands even adding to them, refurnished the Manor without in the least impairing its antique charm, set himself and his money to work for the betterment of all the countryside,, and agreed with Jasmine that they could do no less than give -Maria Sitgreave a life lease upon Kose Tree, the cottage that had sheltered them throughout their hard days. They settled upon her a sulli-cient sulli-cient annuity, provided a car she could run herself, and set her up in a business busi-ness she had . long yearned for passionately pas-sionately nothing less than the breeding breed-ing and training of pedigreed game chickens. All this she accepted graciously. I'.ut deep down she felt hurt. The Manor was so, so old, so populous always with worth-while folk, there should be room in it for her to say nothing of the background it would afford the chickens. Hadn't Maria all but raised Jasmine, to say nothing of nursing her poor, dear mother through 'so many sorry years? Resides hadn't the match been really of Maria's making? mak-ing? Jasmine understood, but was too kindly-wise to show it. Maria, born dominant, simply couldn't leave alone other people's concerns. Jasmine herself her-self was peace-loving, yet some instinct in-stinct had made her stand up against the other from her earliest years. Sometimes she speculated roguishly over what Maria's potential husband and family had escaped. Fate had evened things beautifully now in sane, serene age, Maria would rule her small domain autocratically and herself in turn be ruled by the lord.) of the coop. Roguish Tommy Moore sang : "Old maids at forty-liw grow giddy." Maria, a forty-five-yearling past, was not immune. im-mune. In her second season of af-lluence af-lluence she became in her best frocks a thing of rainbows. To the christening christen-ing party of Master Lewis Lawrence Custis, she came in a frilly confection of pale orange chiffon, trimmed with deeper yellow and gold-embroidered, thus almost taking away the breath of her hosts. She took the eye of a chance guest blown from the highway high-way in a lovely snowstorm and made welcome in honor of the occasion. Major Ma-jor Henry C. V. S. Osward, Late His .Majesty's Fusileers, Ins card said, lie added oratorically that he was a plain, blunt man didn't wear his medals not even his V. C. He was here in America for experience, plus cash, now traveling for a big London bond bouse, which had sent him to look over sundry properties in which, according to his report, it might or might not become interested. His limp dated from Sfiion Kop. There Lawrence bad to bow himself away, to welcome jnvited guests. Rut Maria remained statue-like, staring at this chance-come hero, who after a long searching glance, addressed her: "Madam the roof is 'an introduction, quite, of course but tell me am I luckily in speech with the gra I mean the godmother of this happy occasion?" occa-sion?" That began it. The temporary end came next afternoon when, the snow ceasing, the major went on ins way, and Maria went home to dream of him. He had asked if he might call on his return trip. Meantime, said he, Mr. Custis might like to examine his references ref-erences at the bank. True to promise, he called for an hour according to schedule. Ke made it three days, putting put-ting up at the Manor, of course, for propriety's sake, but spending bis waking wak-ing hours a? Rose Tree. Maria hung upon his lips, as riotously riot-ously happy as was ever sweet sixteen. six-teen. Therefore, Mr. Custis did call up the bank which gave the major a clean bill of health oliicially. He, too, bud been investigating the status financial and otherwise of Miss Sitgreave Sit-greave particularly keen to learn whether the annuity was irrevocable. Over that the wicked Custises giggled together, Jasmine gasping finally : "Oh, it's simply priceless. Hut how, how in the world does Maria stand him?" "Remember, she is well-seasoned," quoth Lawrence, chuckling. "Remember "Remem-ber also the admiration she bestows upon her feathered fighters, each and several.' Aiways they are proclaimed : 'Dead Came!' Naturally she has j caught their fine fiery courage. My wonder is how comes he to fancy her? Wom-.'n even better fixed are not so rare an enterprising fellow 'can find plenty if he looks right. Honestly I'd hate to think of seeing her across a breakfast table three hundred and sixty-five times a year." "You don't understand?" Jasmine laughed. "The yellow dress did it. She told me yesterday they'd never touch the annuity the major was wholly satisfied with it but she was sure we'd gladly buy back the lease of Rose Tree they were going home to live there they could get a lot more for the money." (Juiijg to throw in the game cocks?'' Lawrence asked chuckling hard. Jasmine loolad at him reproachfully, reproachful-ly, saying: "I see. alter all. you don't know Maria. She has sold the lot of them at fancy prices. Therefore we can say. she goes o her new life well heeled." "And I re, eat." from the wicked Larry, "game! Dead fame!" |