Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-12

You know best; but / should Judge
that your full mind would explain your
reticence."
II do not merit your compliment. 1
talk much-sometimes.
Would you be SO kind as to let this be
one of the times? ,"
What shall talk about?"
yourself -
II am ignorant of the subject. And
egotism isn't pleasant"
sit depends upon the epotist. Nothing
is so agreeable as to hear what nersons of
mind and heart really think and feel If
fine woman would unbosom herself her
speech would be fascination. Why is II.
wonder, that women are so prone to saw
everything but what they feel p
because they feel what they dare not
say"
"Why and what do they fear y
"Their instinct tells them that men will
misunderstood them. They are aware,
too, that men would disapprove Of their
feelings, if their feelings were expressed,
Consequently they hide their real nature.
substitute conventionality for it, and ap-
pear to be the conventional creatures that
they are not"
Is this real or conventional" !"
Real, 1t is real because l feel that
you will not understand me.
"We men often say that women can
never tell the truth. We are mistaken,
aren't we?"
Yes, and no. Women tell the truth
when they feel that they can afford to.
They are truthful when sympathy calls for
truth. The reason SO many men fail to get
the truth from women is that they are not
worthy to hear it,
But would all women, Miss Royden,
be truthful under the most favoring con-
ditions?
Not more SO than men. When speak
OF women. mean women of the better, at
least OF the higher sort.
Women are not all alike then, as Mr..
Yardley intimates."
Many are alike, Mr.. Goodwin; there
Is marked similarity in the mass every
where. But as you ascend, unlikeness be-
gins. One OF mans greatest mistakes
comes from his measuring all women by
| the same standard. Some are influenced
by selfish considerations alone; ethers by
duty"
"You appear to be concerned about
duty, Miss Royden.'
81 am, very much, though / may not
practice it. Duty is the highest thing in
life. Nothing can compensate us' for fail.
ure to do our duty. Discharge of duty is
the one satisfaction that lasts"
care you from New England %
My grandparents were. Is the idea of
duty confined to New England ?"
"Not at all. But New England people
are rather inclined, l think, to overdo
duty"
"Can one overdo it p
every easily. Conscientious persons,
women especially, are always in danger
from that quarter. They forget that there
is duty they owe to themselves"
"An enticing phrase for selfishness, is it
not, Mr.. Goodwin? 2"
'Not at all. Sense of duty may readily
be discovered. Conscientiousness tends to
the morbid. Women of the better sort, as
you justly call them, are continually
wreeking their happiness from miscon-
ception of duty, and wrecking it, too, for
persons unworthy of any sacrifice.
Who is to be the judge of that %
Certainly not the maker of the sacrifice.
American women are particularly addicted
to immolating themselves on the altar of
duty. In the name of duty, they wreck
their lives for fathers, brothers, husbands,
sisters, friends, who are mean and selfish
enough to allow it, and who, often, are
not benefited either by the wreck. Most
of our women need to be encouraged to
pursue wholesome course of selfishness.
This should be part of their early educa-
ton. It irritates me to think of such
misguided women"
'But are they misguided. Mr.. Goodwin ?
Whether they are or not, they must be the
greatest sufferers. 1t seems to me they
ought to be pitied.
Here the impressive mulatto announced
the Count de Barigues, and that person, in
faultless evening costume, stepped under
the embroidered porttere into the drawing
room. He was almost oppressivelY polite
in his greeting to Goodwin, who could not
help thinking that his visit at SO late an
hour-it was after ten o'clock-indicated
the intimate terms on which he stood with
the household.
The Count was what is ger orally consid-
cred handsome. He was fully six feet,
broad-shouldered and we'll -proportioned.
His hair and whiskers-these were worn
full-parted at the chin; heavy
mustache nearly concealing mouth
that might have been hard and
coarse. His nose was heavy aid
curved his eyes black, rather restless in
expression, and his brow somewhat reced-
ing The American was struck by the
change in Margaret's face as the Count
entered. 1t had been animated little
color had suffused its pallor but now all
the light had gone. A shadow OF disap-
pointment, perhaps of pain, passed over it !;
and she appeared to Oscar to force smile,
as she said, "Good evening""
81 am rejoiced Ia certain emphasis on
the first syllable denoted the tongue as
foreign) to meet you again, Mr.. Good
win, especially under this delightful
roof. l hope that 1 do not too
much interrupt what l am assured
must have been a charming evening. 1t is
sincere pleasure to have so fascinating a
companion as Miss Royden all to ones self.
All, Mr.. Goodwin, your American ladies
are the loveliest In the world. The Paris
ian ladies, whom every one must admire,
are not equal to those of New York, whom
every one must adore. 1t is privilege TO
have been born in America, go that one
can claim them as country
Miss Royden, after remarking, with
suggestion of irony, that the Counts COM
pliments were the generous tribute of
European to country he had honored
with his presence, made some common
place remarks about the weather, the opera
and the social season.
The Count had been to the Academy of
Music, and had heard part of "Lohen-
grin" which he could not like, and had
come away before it had ended. 81 can.
not enjoy Wagner" he said. His is the
music of the future, they tell me, and l,
alas, belong to the present. In the other
world, perhaps, l shall take pleasure in his
works. prefer the Italian composers,
who make your heart beat and your blood
leap. That is the music for the opera
Goodwin asked Miss Royden If she
would kindly play something on the piano;
but she declined, for the reason that, fond
as she was of music, she did not think it
proper to intiict her music on her friends.
II should be very glad to hear you,
Miss Royden," added Oscar "but would
not have you play on any account, if you
are disinclined."
You are very polite to say SO. But l
know that persons are often bored by
piano. playing of an ordinary sort. In New