Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1906 — AT FIRST. SICHT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AT FIRST. SICHT

By EDITH M. DOANE

To begin with, she was easily the prettiest girl at Lake Wabconset inn. Then, again, she was Mrs. Baker’s niece, and Jimmy Marshall had known Mrs. Baker since he was a little boy, for she and his mother were old friends. So it became the natural thing for him to row with her and dance with her and take her on long drives lu his touring car; not that he particularly admired her, he assured himself, but he liked to row and dance and motor, and she was company. Besides, she was a nice enough little thing, and It was less trouble to ask her than to hunt up another girl; then, too, it probably pleased Mrs. Baker to have him pay her niece some little attention. So, considering that all girls bored him and he had no Inclination to pay serious attentions to any of them, it is not to be wondered at that he was first amused, then -annoyed, when Mrs. Baker, who was a simple, lovable soul, cornered him on the wide porch one morning and asked him If he were in love with Priscilla. “Certainly not,” he answered decidedly. “She’s a mighty nice girl, and of course I like her Immensely, but as far as being In love with her Is concerned I most certainly am not” He glanced at Mrs. Baker's plump, troubled features. “Whatever put such an idea In your head?” he demanded. “Surely there has been nothing in my actions”— “No, I suppose not—that is, as young people act nowadays. And of course ! don’t mean to meddle—but I couldn’t help thinking”— “Don’t think any more,” he said gayly, “for such an Idea has never entered my head—nor Priscilla’s either.” “No, I suppose not,” returned Mrs. Baker doubtfully. There wns a perplexed frown on her usually placid face. He glanced at her sharply. Wae it possible that Priscilla attached more Importance to their friendship than he did ? That wns the worst of girls—they were always expecting a fellow to fall in love with them. Still, Priscilla hadn’t seemed that kind. Perhaps she had grown to care for him before she realized It She couldn’t help It of course, poor little girl! She must never know that he suspected her feelings. It would be hard enough for her when she found how Indifferent he was without that. And with a troubled face and hands thrust deep In the pockets of his flannels Jimmy Marshall betook himself to the lake. Mrs. Baker also was troubled. In the workings of her simple mind two and two made four. Jimmy had devoted himself unceasingly to Priscilla. Why should he have done so unless be were in love with her? Besides, young men were always In love with Priscilla. He was proud and would naturally deny It—dear boy! She would speak to Priscilla. Jlmmy_w«s the son of her old

friend, and Priscilla should "riot dirt with him so outrageously. Bo It was that Priscilla, stopping to speak to her en route to the lake, found Her distinctly aggrieved. “Priscilla,” she began, with as near an approach to dignified severity as her 200 pounds would allow, “I desire you to stop flirting with Jimmy Marshall." “Nonsense!” returned Priscilla. “You needn’t speak to me like that, Priscilla. He is entirely too nice a fellow for you to treat as you do unless—of course If you like him it’s different" Mrs. Baker ended mysteriously. “I suppose I like him well enough,” returned Priscilla carelessly. “I never thought much about It Why, what’s the matter?” “He was Just telling me—l don’t know that I should repeat It to you," said Mrs. Baker conscientiously. “Tell me. What did he say?” Priscilla was becoming Interested. “Well, I don’t know that he said It In so many words; but, Priscilla, he is in love with you.” “In love with me!” gasped Priscilla, divided between gratification and dismay.

“Yes, a»a it's too bad,” continued Mrs. Baker, with rising Indignation. “Really, Priscilla, It’s a shame. It will break his heart, and his mother will blame me, and It’s dreadful.” “I don’t see what I have done,” returned Priscilla crossly. It was a pity that a girl couldn’t be decently polite to a man without his going and falling In love with her, spoiling everything! Of course everybody would blame her, she reflected in annoyance as she continued her interrupted way to the lake. Jimmy Marshall saw her com Big and went up the path to meet her. With troubled mind he bad thought the matter over and decided It must be broken off at once; not so suddenly as to arouse her suspicions, of cpurse, but gently. He would make a casual remark or so about business, then In a

coupleofUays pretend" k sodden “business call and leave. Of course she would feel terrible, but It would be easier for her In the end- Dear little girl! He was surprised at the wave of tenderness that swept over him, “Shall we try tennis or the canoe this morning?” In spite of himself bis voice sounded forced and unnatural. “Whichever you prefer. Suppose we say tennis,” returned Priscilla, trying to meet his eyes carelessly. Then to her dismay she blushed scarlet while he grew unaccountably red. How plainly he showed It How blind she had been, thought Priscilla contritely. How heartless in him to want to leave her, thought Jimmy, not daring to look at the lovely flushed face. Jimmy looked very grave during the next few days. It was no little thing to have blighted a young girl’s affections, even unconsciously, and when she was such a dainty little thing as Priscilla—so sweet, so sensible, so far above the average In every way—it became a pretty grave proposition. Indeed, he sometimes wondered If he were not In honor bound to marry her anyway. In the meantime Priscilla, under Mrs. Baker’s accusing eye, wilted perceptibly. Probably everybody thought she was glad she had wrought so much mischief. Well, she wasn’t. She never dreamed he would take it so to heaft. And he was such a big, lovable fellow. Mrs. Baker was right. He was too good to be treated so shabbily. Jimmy had marshaled his casual remarks about business through two days of painstaking effort and arranged his departure for the third. In order to avoid hurting Priscilla's feelings he asked her to go for a farewell ride on the lake. He would be very friendly, he resolved, and gentle, but he must contrive to let her see that this was the end. It was while he was wondering just how he should manage It that the accident happened. They had almost reached the wooded shore opposite when there was a quiver of the boat—a startled cry from Priscilla—an overturned canoe drifting idly on the face of the lake. “Don’t be frightened! We’re near shore!” cried Jimmy, shaking the water from his eyes and striking out In her direction. Somehow they reached the opposite bank, he holding her close, while she clung to him half wildly for protection. “I—l was so frightened!” she said in a wabbly, half hysterical voice, shivering in his arms. Suddenly at touch of her a strange, sweet madness seized him, and he covered her face with kisses, holding her tight, while she, bewildered by a new, shy happiness, lay passive in his arms. It was some months later that a matron said In Mrs. Baker’s hearing, “Jimmy Marshall and his wife seem desperately in love with each other.” “Yes,” responded that lady placidly, “it was a case of love at first sight. I know of what I speak, because I was with them when they met. Indeed, I may say that I saw it from the first,’ she added, with bland conviction.

“SHALL WE TRY TENNIS OR THE CANOE THIS MORNING ?"