| Show HAPPINESS FIRST j by ISABEL HARTWELL tom W alyne why dont you get married and shoulder your share of re yv mrs estes estea put tills this question to her sons chum who was also her attorney first thing you know khow be an old bachelor instead of just a bachelor and it if any girl takes you it will be fo tor r your in oney money vow tota youre too coo fine a man to dwindle auf into 0 a smirking old bachelor whom all the girls smile upon in the open and frown upon in private 11 1 I make my bumble humble obeisance for the compliment my lady and may I 1 ask whether you hae a particular girl picked out for me no shaking her head for the girls nowadays are as bent upon putting off marriage as the men are I 1 know any number of nice girls 10 lo would make good wives for men like you vou it both of you would could only throw nolde those foolish notions about not t giving up your so called freedom bring em on in numbers as mattly as you like laughed turn torm theres I 1 safety in numbers you know put but dont sef me adrift with some pardieu particular lard one oae im going to have seven girls at my iny country house for a girls party tomorrow afternoon and evening I 1 dare you to drop in unexpectedly for I 1 dinner i the next evening as tom wayne steered his gray roadster into the roadway that wound under the big trees up to the country home of mrs estes and heard the sound of giddy laughter coming from the big front veranda he said to himself that he was it a tool fool to have allowed himself to be drawn into a company of seven frivolous girls tom went up the veranda steps smiling and bowing to each girl in turn discovering that two of the girls were strangers to him brought a little reserve into his manner especial ily dy as one of the girls a high headed blo blonde jide with creamy white skin a and d hazel eyes ayes gree greeted ted him with their introduction tro itro with a dignity that had ju in lit a hint of hauteur tom rightly supposed that her lack of cordiality was partly due t to 0 dis lp 1 pleasure leasure at having a man ahr thrust himself into what was to her au an Adam less eden MI miss s enderby is from boston tom and rm fm sure shell be glad to know youre ji a harvard man the astute 1 hostess then went into the house to air f arrange range some things about the dinner aedma and madge dg e enderby and tom began to speak of boston now madge called put out dolly ilsters you needa t think youre joure going to monopolize our oui only in man ani weve held a council of war and decided aided d to call him bothe t 0 the front to lead an exploring party into the ravine where the wild columbine grows dolly laughed and ran ahead tu be first in line as they reached a pat path leading down from the orchard into the ravine madge was the last in line and instead of following the bothem turned into a path leading to the left where she could see a tiny stream of clear water pouring from a spring the voices of the others sounded farther and farther way vay and suddenly there came a quick thunderclap that brought surprised screams from the girls and started them back up the steep path madge planning to run ahead of the others made a quick start but stepped on a lo 10 loose ose stone wre wrenching her ankle so that the next step caused severe pain piqued at the failure of her plan bu but t determined not to be dependent upon thearone the their irone one in male ale escort she sat down behind a tree as the others drew near one after another of the girls C called her but she did not reply you girls run tor for the house bouse said tom and iril scout around down this path in a nother another moment tom had f found ad madge discovered her injury and in spite of her vigorous and even angry f protests picked her up ln in ills his arms arin sand and started up the path in long quick strides As they reached the orchard scattering hailstones began to pelt them like pebbles from a slingshot s ling shot under a big apple tree tom let madge slip to her feet and removing his co coat at made for their heads while she he stood on the side to protect her from the wind driven hall and rain the shower passed as suddenly as it came and as madge looked up into broms eyes even th the 6 darkening twilight could not hide the sur surrender surrena rend er in flier own eyes im so BO sorry to bare been both ade and troublesome sue elie eald elm alm 1 for it was all the result of cay 07 determination not to let you be aalee to rae qiea sorry only tor for your sprained tinkle ankle said tom shall oshall we hurry burry on and cw call a doctor A doctor way not be necessary said madgee abut we mut must hurry to put poor mrs estes estea butof out of mi suspense let me walk though no it might seriously aggravate the injury toms tone was positive and 31 madges adges protests were as weak now as they had bad been strong a little while before although a young woman of with a fine physique laue Is not n light burden even for nn an athletic man of thirty four tom was not glad when they ria reached clied the veranda the theory of safety in n numbers seem to interest him blin nowadays for he be says that instead of safety first he pre feris happiness first copyright 1913 1910 by the mcclure newspaper syndicate |
