Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1914 — DOLORES’ PIMENTO COAT [ARTICLE]

DOLORES’ PIMENTO COAT

By LOUISE MERRIFIELD.

“I will not be paired off with any girl who wean a pimento coat,” said Chad firmly, even aggrievedly. “I’m willing to go the limit on this thing. 11l put up cash for the ‘eats,’ and I’ll pull an oar, and do all the camp tricks I know, but if you think I’m going to have that pimento coat handed to me to carry around on my arm all the afternoon, you’ve got another guess coming, Shorty. There be limits even to our fraternal bonds, boy.” “She’s a peach of a girl, honest, Ohaddie. You only saw her for a minute down at the boat landing—*’

"It was enough. She shone effulgent on that boat landing. All I could see was a splotch of rare pimento yellow, the glorious deep red yellow of Castilian banners. And you want me to attach myself to that comet Nay, child, nay. Ask of old Uncle Peter what you will, but' do pimento coats, lad.” "Well, shake her, if you like. I’ll take her, coat and all, and be glad to, I ten you that. Only it didn’t seem a square deal to her. She’s a fine girl, and deserves our best specimen of manly beauty,” He dodged the clothes-brush swiftly and peered around the hall door for a last fling. “I'll tell her you objected to the coat, Chaddle.” Chad growled an inarticulate answer. Yet somehow even after his roommate had gone, he could not apply himself to books. Out of doors the first day of June fairly whooped at him to come and join the fun of living. Great fleecy clouds sailed lazily up from the southwest beyond the edge of woodland that rimmed the campus. Beyond the woodland were the tall sand dunes that sloped to the blue waters of old Michigan. Along the shore three miles up, was to be the picnic, and they were to row there in boats.

All unconscious of the comment she had stirred up, Dolores hesitated between wearing her coat or a white sweater. “You’ll need the coat coming back when ft gets cool toward evening,” Vida advised, and when it came to general pointers on the etiquette of wearing apparel and behavior, the girls kowtowed to Vida in her “soph” year. Dolores nodded her head. She flashed one of her quick, amused smiles at Vida. It was all part of her college education, she felt, and Vida was a delightful guide and mentor.

The next day when Chad met the girl in the pimento cloak, his worst enemy could not have wished for a more complete subjugation. But it was Shorty, cheery, popular little Shorty, who walked her away from him. x All the afternoon she kept away from him. Then suddenly Fate veered his way. Ont of the southeast there came np a pelting thunderstorm. They had walked far along the bluffs, and Shorty had led the retreat towards a distant house, when Chad found himself next the pimento coat Drenched it was now, but he welcomed it and its wearer, and he turned toward what looked like a shelter in the trees. “Why, it is a pilot house,” cried Dolores, "That is queer.” "Not at all,” plunged Chad boMly. “They’re cast up by wrecks all along the Michigan coast line. Then the people turn them into summer houses —and —and chicken coops, you know —anything. I think it’s cosy myself.” "We should go on with the rest.” "They’ll never miss us, and I*ve«ot to speak to you. Why did you make believe you did not know me?” "Do I know you, Mr. Grayson?” Dolores* dark eyes looked at him so seriously and anxiously that Chad lost his head.

"Do you—oh, Lord! Didn’t I make love to you for five days coming from Cherbourg a year ago? Aren’t you Miss Merrill r "One of them. There are three at us, and we all look very, very much alike to strangers.’* "I’m not a stranger. I’ve been writing you letters ever since, and pouring out my heart to you, and you’ve answered them, haven’t you!” "Maybe my sister Reina, or my sister Signa " \ “It was you. Don’t you suppose a man has any intuitive sense? Didn't I know the instant I looked at yon. Pd know you anywhere, and love you under any circumstances.- Yon, wouldn't have answered my letters If you s hadn’t cared. Dolores, wofild your* “I have —remembered you,’’ said Dolores, guardedly- “We must go at once to the others, I think. The clouds

are breaking.** "You bet they’re breaking,” sirclaimed Chad with force and fervor. “And after commencement I’m going 'to throw up my camping trip, and go down to San Antonio.”