The Evening critic., 1885-05-02

"How does II sound, Susan2 Is 10 inter
esting ? and do you think it is natural?"
asked these questions anxiously, as /
laid down my manuscript and Susan hest.
lated rs she answered "Well, If you want
10 know my candid opinion, Miss Margie,
it's just this. You see, you're not in love
and you never have been In love, SO how
can you write about what you don't under
stand2 To my mind, that's not possible,
and that's why your love stories don't sue
ceed."
Susan's words carried an unpleasant con-
viction with them. l was not quite %,
and had already won fair reputation as
writer Of short stories, except on one
theme. had never, try as 1 might, writ
ten successful love story.
The one had just read to Susan was my
latest effort, and, as usual, l felt that it was
failure But l only replied, somewhat
petulantly:
"Woll, Susan, cannot fall in love as
nero matter Of business, you know; so l
don't see what is to be done"
"Dear, dear it's too bad" sighed Susan;
but / would not continue the conversation.
/ thrust the unlucky MS into my desk,
and decided TO spend the rest of the morn
ing III lub WOUub ny way vi ICSLOIlOR my
downcast spirits.
Susan was an important person TO me, as
she was at once my maid, companion, con-
fidant and friend. She was also an excel
lent critic, and / had often found her
judgment invaluable. That morning, how
ever, / felt vexed with her and with all
the world, so when 1 returned from my
ramble l was not at all pleased to find that
a new boarder had arrived, and was seated
an ha nj ac &c ha 10
greet me. This was Lyman Ashford, q
young lawyer, and a great favorite with
my sister and her husband, at whose house
he was a constant visitor.
Although we had been much together
| during the past year, and although knew
| him to be as clever as he was handsome,
| he had never interested me in the least.
| Now, when be came to meet me with such
| smiling confidence, as IL he had claim on
my time not to BIO gainsaid, / felt that my
manner was far from gracious l men
| toned very briefly the reasons which had
| drawn me to place where 1 could be uu-
| disturbed, upon which Mr. Ashford said
| quickly:
"You have stated my case too, Miss Car
| Teton. i am busily engaged on compila-
| ton, which, though IL needs no originality,
calls for much hard work. So came here
| to finish it," Then he bowed and left me,
much to my relief, and / saw no more of
| him for some days.
Meanwhile / was working hard at my
| new story, but making very little progress.
wrote and rewrote, tore up my sheets
and began again, but felt at heart that
| was not succeeding, and began to be melan
choly and morose One evening Susan was
| evidently in very excited mood. Instead
of listening to my plants with her usual
patience, she exclaimed eagerly: "Oh, Miss
| Margie, I've got an idea. If you had real
lover to study-one who was dreadfully in
love, you know-wouldn't that help you
Couldn't you put down what he said and
tbought?"
"Why, yes, of course I could, but where
could such lover be found? Aud do you
suppose, you foolish thing, that he would
lay bare his heart for my Inspection"
asked, laughing in spite of myself.
Susan looked mysterious. "But, Miss
Margie, I've seen the lover already, and
I've heard him, too; so there's one diff.
Guilty out of the way Oh, he talks just
like book, can tell you. If you could
only hear him."
why, Susan, this is astonishing !" I
cried; ''and pray, who is this wonderful
lover2"
"It's Mr.. Ashford He and have had a
great many talks, and he's in love with a
young lady who doesn't care for him,
though he loves her to distraction, he
says" -.
"Well, he must be strange man to talk
go freely of his love affairs to you"
"And why not to me, Miss Margie?" said
Susan looking hurt. "I'm sure wouldn't
betray the poor young mans secret for the
world, aud lie said it did him good to talk
TO me-"
81 don't doubt that, my dear Susan You
are one of the best Of comforters"-I an
wered soothingly; "but then you know
men are not generally SO communicative
about such affairs"
"Well, Mr.. Ashford is, anyway, and I'm
glad of 1T, because now l can tell you all
about his feelings" persisted Susan.
But / don't think j ought to listen
| Susan indeed, I'm sure ought not, since
! it is not meant for me to hear" said and
from this resolution all Susan's persuasions
| failed TO move me.
umphantly WELL then, Miss Margie, it's
all settled, and ! hope you won't think
I've been too meddlesome but 1 wanted
to help you along I've spoken to Mr.
| Ashford about your story, and he says
that if you'll allow him to give you 6
sitting Chats what he called it, every
day, he will be most happy to pose as 4
hopeless lover Those are his very words
Miss, and / do think it's very kind o.
him."
ooh, Susan ~ I exclaimed, in alarm
what have you been saying to Mr.. Ash
ford? 1 am afraid you've been terribly
indiscreet !"
mot a bit Miss Margie, not bit I've
only interested him in your story. Nov
you just give him half an hour or so every
morning, and see what a help it will he"
1t is needless to repeat all the converse
ton between Susan and myselfon this sub
jeet. Let it suffice that was won over a
last, and daily interview was agreed upon
wherein Mr.. Ashford was to enact the par
of a despairing lover and was at liberty Il
sketch from life.
Our first Sitting" as we agreed to cal
our meetings, would have been embar
RAISING as well as awkward, but mus
own that Mr.. Ashford behaved splendidly
He thanked me for my kindness in allow
ing him to be of some service to me, ant
then, after a while, he began to speak il
the most charming way about the younl
lady with whom he was in love- and whom
for convenience sake, he called Daisy, al
though he said that was not her true name
began TO change my opinion of Mr.
Ashford from that day. He was certainly
very interesting man, and l wondered
why that stupid Daisy could not see ii.
Soon / found that these "sittings" grew
more and more interesting as the days wen
on until could hardly think of anything
else, much to my own surprise. And wha
a difference between the language of genu
inc feeling and the poor counterfeits owe
which had labored SO long aud so valnly
By this time, too, we had somewhat
| changed the manner of our interviews. A