Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 303, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1918 — CUPID Vs. CENSOR [ARTICLE]

CUPID Vs. CENSOR

By MISS MINNA RICHMOND.

Emily Stanton had hurried abruptly away from the Knitting Circle. ’Twas to her dearest, pal, Helen Croal, that she hastened for sympathy. “Truly, Helen, I’ll -not stand being prompted by a lot of romantic Janes. I’ve finished with the club.” “Oh, Em, how can you?" pacified the less radical Helen. “Don’t cut loose from a jolly bunch of girls without a fully sensible excuse.” “Excuse? But I have every reason to 'do so. No self-respecting human oaji stand for this continual rehearsal of Phil Alien’s virtues and suggestions as to the part I' should play in the farewell affair they plan to inflict upon him. I’ve a notion to duck down to the cottage till the festivities are at an end.” • “You’ll do no such thing,” scared Helen. “The girls are right and you are right in your own way, Em; They all think worlds of* yourself and Phil, and, knowing how worth while Phil Is, they think It’s a decided pity that you don’t reciprocate his attentions.” “Well, as a match-making agency 'they are a hopeless failure. When is this scheduled soiree, due to be worked “Next week, I fancy, for Phil is soon to be ordered South. You’ll surely attend, won’t you, Em?” “I’d like to be ‘non-plus’ at the party, but ’twould be terribly conspicuous, I suppose.” .

The much heralded event was an unqualified success. The old buneh all met to give the khaki-dad youth a rousing send-off.; Emily, too, attended, but. seemed to be less her own cheerfully Impersonal self. Determined to disappoint the matchmakers, Emily had studiously avoided the guest of honor, except to allow him two dances at the conclusion of which the,soldier asked for and received hdr promise to write the home news frequently. x “Tell you what, Em,” said Phil, “a letter from home changes the outlook on everything. In the the promise of the only little girjTtd await your return makes the fight one well worth fighting. Changed your any in that regard?” “Phil, Ails is all war-hysteria on your part. Everyone seems to think it’s a necessary part of the war program. I can’t be convinced that this signing up while the spirit of patrlotisin moves yeu is for the best interests of the parties concerned Your war experience will make a bigger, more' wonderful man of you. You’ll come back with changed.ldeals. For me, there’ll never be any other, I admit; but I insist that you wait to see if I, as your, ideal today, will be that of yduf ideal tomorrow.” “A lot of bunk, Em. You’re a dyed-in-the-wool idealist. Be practical, do, when_you knbw that the* happiness of both of us is at stake/’ Argument proved futile. Phil had to resign himself witji the promise of having a regular correspondent. Uncle Sam’s carriers did their share. Always good pals, with much in common, their letters were of bulky proportions. The feeling of eager expectancy of mall deliveries was a mutual one. Emily’s missives were cheery and Impersonally breezy. Phil’s tended to wax warmer, and contained numerous allusions to the Invincible bachelor maid. Mention was made of acquaintances made in the social life of the camp; maids from neighboring towns, etc. Always was their cordial spirit emphasized and the point made that they did not radiate any of the frigid atmospherical chills of a certain northern miss. All of which Emily read with an air of amused tolerance. The dhy came, however, when tills, which-Emily had termed silly sentimentality, was a negative quantity. The letters were interesting and breezy, but as impersonal as her own. Emily was a surprise to herself. Who’d ever expect that she would miss the old letters so? A youthfully conceited remark of a younger brother as to “men being a scarce dainty these days” reminded her that Phil probably had met many admirers. Even the remark that her letters “truly put the” sure in pleasure,” and similar comments, failed to convince Emily of Phil’s interest. Every letter seemed strangely more frigid than the last,/ill Emily decided that they were the products of a camp refrigerator. Strange, she thought, that as Phil grew indifferent she became proportionately interested. She was heartless and. unpatriotic In the extreme, she reasoned. Never, however, would she pretind to complain, for she had been wholly to blame herself. But every cloud has a silver lining, and when this particularly dark cloud of Emily’s turned inside out it shook from its folds an unassuming little letter with a consoling secret worded thusly; • “Little girlie, over whom my heart’s in such a whirl, greetings! The kind fates have seen fit to supplant the efficient camp censor, known as Charlie Stark, with a goQd-natured western Senedict Charlie as a pal at college and camp is unequaled. I plan to be Some in a week. Be prepared to hear about the struggles of a man torn between a desire to be an ardent lover and the ambition to not appear as too lovesick a swain In the eyesof his pal. It’s a tuff grind. Anyway, I’m a bet’jer verbal than written artist. As ever, PHIL.* mi, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) -