Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1910 — Virginia’s Method [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Virginia’s Method

▼ary soon after Virginia came to the boarding house she confided to her •Idoriy cousin, with whom she roomed, hsr opinion of the one yonng man at the table. "Ho may, perhaps, ham been enlarahlo in his natural stats,” she said, "Wt now, after the continual petting *»celves from all you women, he Is to* conceited for words. It makes me P «• erery person at the table fusing the biggest oranges upon him, Bftting the top of the cream In his •A inquiring anxiously each morning Bow he slept, warning him to be careIU about colds and listening as If an •raele were speaking when he conBssnds to give Us opinion on any

■abject. What be need* Is a severe ■nabbing.” “Do you feel yourself called to do fke snubbing?” inquired Miss Clara, ■nulling at her little cousin. “I certainly should like to show Mr. Arnold that there’s one person in this bouse who doesn’t consider him a god. In my estimation he’s more of an vnlleked cub than anything else.” “Why, Virginia, he’s as old as you ■re." "He may be, but a woman always is «*der and more sensible for her years than a man.” Miss Clara watched Virginia’s haughty indifference to the young man at dinner that night with a good deal •f amusement. However, she was somewhat surprised a few evenings later to find Virginia at the parlor pisae playing a twilight accompaniment for young Arnold’s rather uncertain tenor voice. **Bome of the people In this house have made him think he can sing," explained Virginia when In the primacy of their own rooms Miss Clara osmmented upon this seeming frlendHno— of Virginia’s toward the object ■( her scorn. “I was just showing him that he'd have to study a lot and get his voice under better control before he could expect to be a Caruso. 1 think I took a little of the conceit wut of him.” On the next Sunday afternoon Miss Clara, coming home from her mission school, met at the door two very rosy faced young people. “Why, Virginia, where have you heear’ she asked. Tor a long walk." the girl answered, without a shade of embarrassment. After they had parted from young Arnold on the stair Virginia said: “Too see, that silly boy had an idea •tat he was the only good walker in dh house. I think I’ve demonstrated to him this afternoon that there's at least one other person who can make • record at a hike, aa ha calls It I ••D you. Cousin Clara, I took the starch out of him. I set him a pace he eould hardly keep up with.” “1 fancy you are pretty good at Bet •tng a pace," remarked Mite Clara. When one evening that week Virginia said tentatively that the parlor was dreadfully public and noisy for a ■arises game at cards Miss Clara readily consented to invite young Arnold Into their little sitting room for crlb“Tou know. Cousin Clara,” Bald Virginia, "that foolish man prides him-

self on hid ertbbage gqmo. It happens that orlbbage is the one game I’m especially good at. I think It will be wholesome for him to be beaten a few times by a woman.” Perhaps It was. At any rate, young Arnold took his defeat gracefully and Miss Clara, quietly watching the card players, began to feel a sympathy for him. She saw that he was decidedly more Interested In his pretty opponent than he was In the cards, and it suddenly occurred to her that a much more important game than crlbbage was being played. “Virginia,” she said, almost sternly, after their guest had goqe, “don't you think you have trained Mr. Arnold sufficiently? I’m afraid the poor fellow Is getting to like you too well." Virginia’s big blue eyes looked Innocently Into those of Cousin Clara. “Do you object?” she asked. “It Isn’t fair to lead a young man on In that way when you feel toward him as you do toward Mr. Arnold." “I have a very—a very: kindly feeling toward Mr. Arnold,” answered the girl, demurely. “Why, Virginia,” exclaimed Miss Clara, as she gazed with astonishment Into the girl’s blushing face. ‘Why, Virginia! I thought you couldn’t bear him?" “How funny you are, dear Cousin Clara,” returned the girl.— "It’s no wonder you never married —you’re so —so literal!”—-Chicago News.

PLAYING A TWILIGHT ACOOMPANIMENT.