Show AND rn IrI CALLED LITTLE BUTTERCUP I He was the biggest fellow in the whole village He stood about six foot two in his stocking feet and was as broad in proportion as he was long and was al almost almost almost al- al most as strong as the giant that Jack killed killed He threw himself body and soul into athletics and just as vigorously he dived into law People called him slow and so he was for he never took tooka a step literally nor figuratively unless I he thought it absolutely necessary but when once convinced of the necessity of moving he could accomplish more than three men put together He never paid much attention to the ladies He always said that girls weren't in his line But when he went to church that Sunday morning and saw her sitting there he could not help looking looking looking look look- ing at her She was so little and so dainty like a buttercup in her yellow dress The elder Miss Watkins saw his gaze and scowled at the visitor from the city One other person noticed it too and she was no other than the buttercup buttercup buttercup butter butter- cup herself She put her little patent- patent leather boot out from underneath her dress that he might note its smallness and he looked at it for a long long longtime longtime longtime time and then unconsciously glanced down at his own great squares that nearly filled the pew He remembered some comparison about shoes and cars box and thought the figure was not so fetched far-fetched after all When she went out he followed her with his eyes and then with his feet until until until un un- til she turned into the gate of her aunts aunt's cottage Then he stood still looked up and down the street and grinding his teeth muttered Well Bob Burton youve you've been called a fool a good many times but you never convinced me that you were one until this minute Miss Buttercup watched him from behind behind behind be be- hind the blind and said to herself Well I guess I will have a good deal d al alof of fun after all The next morning in spite of the conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- he had come to Burton could not refrain from going to his little office by the road that passed her aunts aunt's house Just after he had turned the corner Buttercup Buttercup Buttercup But But- came running out of the door with witha a pan of wheat She called the chickens around her and then began to feed them with the tiniest hand he had ever seen She seemed perfectly ignorant ot of his presence yet Buton felt sure she knew very well that he was there This riled him a little but it didn't prevent his thinking of her all day The next Saturday the whole village went on a picnic and Burton had a formal introduction to the girl from the city She treated him in a way that did not please him very well but but- that di did l not prevent his heart from giving a little jump when she put her tiny hand in his that he might help her into the boat When they were walking under the trees he saw her drop her handkerchief Herback Herback Her Herback back was turned to him she was talking with one of the girls He picked it up upa up- up a dainty bit of cambric and lace wit with white rose perfume on it he called He was Miss Eleanor going going going go go- i ing to say You have dropped your your handkerchief but as she turned he slipped it into his pocket an and said See what a pretty flower this is And Miss EI Eleanor anor was not at all surprised because because because be be- cause she had planned it all A few days afterwards Burton received an invitation to spend the evening with witha a neighbor He entered the hall with his best best- friend and fellow worker in the cause of law Its It's a queer case George he was saying This Mr White White- then he stopped stood still and gazed at the hat hat tack lack with his face as red as ashi's his hi's handkerchief Good heavens Bob what's the matter matter matter mat mat- ter cried his friend II Nothing answered Burton recovering recovering recovering recover recover- ing himself I was just thinking about something t On the rack hung Miss Buttercups Buttercup's hat Her manner towards him that night was the same as it had been at the pic pic- nic She treated him as one would a plaything He didn't like it but he couldn't help liking her Poor Rob he t. t never had anything to do with a coquette before He resolved to let her alone but buthe buthe buthe he found himself walking home with her after the guests had said good He decided to pay no attention to her so he did not pick up the flower she dropped at the gate But after he had gone home he walked all the way back to get it and andt t- t laid it away with the bit of cambric and lace The next day something happened that proved to be a turning point Through the field at the back of the cottage cottage cottage cot cot- tage where Buttercup stayed there ran a little clear stream Burton usually crossed through this field now that he had taken to going to his office by the longest road On this morning as he neared it he saw Miss Eleanor by the brook brookI I d digging up wild daisies She did not turn as he came carne up to the theother theother theother other side of the stream He stepped on a dry lim limb b on purpose and although it snapped with ith a loud noise she took no notice of it She moved among the flowers singing softly and making as pretty a picture of herself as she could Burton coughed still she did not turn His face grew red with anger He clenched his fists and teeth and walked hurriedly away He did not go very far however He hid behind a fence and stood watching the city girl By and she stopped working with the daisies and sat down on the edge of the brook She drew off two little slippers slippers Just just the size of the patent leather boots he had looked at so 1 long in church Then she drew off two stockings and put both feet in the water Now is my chance said Robert Burton Burton Burton Bur Bur- ton from behind the fence He crossed the stream walked up its bank till he neared her Then he slackened his speed and walking leisurely carelessly aimlessly aimlessly aimlessly aim aim- lessly by her crossed the field towards his home where sat the city belle paddling in the brook Pretty soon Miss Eleanor began to flirt furiously with Tom Moore and accordingly accordingly accordingly ac ac- cordingly Rob began to pay attention to the younger Miss Watkins much to the pleasure of her older sister However he was attentive only when Miss Buttercup Buttercup Buttercup Butter Butter- cup was near Thus it went on for two two weeks then Miss Elenaor said one o e day archly and with affected penitence Mr Burton isn't it it-isn't it isn't it time we ceased our masquerading Masquerading repeated Burton in his slow way Why Miss Eleanor I Idid Idid Idid did not understand that we were mas- mas mas mas- I thought that little game of chess ended long ago and that I was beaten This part that you are referring to I took to be earnest At any rate r Miss Watkins and I are to be married next month O 0 indeed said Miss Buttercup calmly but with face redder than it had ever been before I I am so glad I was afraid it was different I wish you much joy And she picked up her dainty yellow yellow yellow yel yel- low skirt threw her yellow hat over her arm and walked lightly away Burton watched her go and thought how different different dif dif- different ferent she was from what she seemed to tobe tobe tobe be that day in church The next week Miss Eleanor went back to her home in the city but the next month there was no wedding in the vil vil- lage Nor was there the next nor the next for that matter The younger Miss Watkins stayed at home with her elder sister unaware of any engagement eng Burton Burton Burton Bur Bur- ton was a lawyer in every sense of the word He still says sometimes rather bitterly that girls arent aren't in his line And if Miss Buttercups Buttercup's aunt were to die I dont don't believe her yellow-haired yellow niece would come to the village even to togo togo togo go to her funeral Blanche Thomas |