Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-01-05
"BON GARCON."

Italy where Already still fingers. once
] was in the habit of spending every
spring there but shall never go again.
Yet it is to me the most beautiful place
In the world.
One lands at the Marina and climbs
the hill winding up, up, up the long,
white, high road which is like o she'll
along the edge of the clif.
High above ONES head hangs the
mountain leaning forward, stark ana
grim: below the wall of the road the
ground falls sheer away to the sea. One
sees nothing but the great, shining pam
and the threatening mountain
Round and round curves the road be-
tween those two silent watching enc
mics till suddenly, without warning, one
reaches the plateau and comes out III q
land of desire.
1T is only to climb wall and then TO
walk onward without let or Intolerance
through the wheat-felds under the olives,
where the young green wheat blades are
like swords for keenneSS, and thelf coior
strikes on the soul like song too SWEEP
for words. and yet brave wlthai. ana
below the wheat on the lower terraces
are the bean-ields, sweet ana neavy,
where man may lie full iengtn on
and feel nothing but the warm odors, the
little winds over the blossoms. be con-
scious of nothing but the glory OF the
wheat. the Pickering shades Q! lhs,
Cnarled olives in the afternoon ugnt, ana
# he lies still enough the sound OF the
nightingale learning its song ana yee
he may be sick at heart! -, A.
AS I lay there the hveiong april Jay
neither reading nor thinking, nor graue-
fnI to God for his wind and his Dean
fields, but with my fingers In my ears 70
shut out the sound of the nlgntlngale
who sang loud, so loud ..ao
For, instead of the young spring ude,
I saw nothing but woman, stanaine
as first / saw her, dressed IN whlte lroLi
head to foot with bare arms anu snoui-
ders. a wreath of brown ivy round ner
Golden head. and great garland OF 1t
on her gown.
There She stood and looked me IN the
ewes, with straight, grave glance
Not the look she gave men MS rule !;
l found that out soon enough, 1or IL ever
there was a woman coIuette, seduisanOe
Tiny English is not good at best, 10 leaves
me always when / speak OF herr, III was
she-Suson.
used to watch her often as she
talked to men with that quick grace she
had, and being used to analyZing races
it is nv profession for that matter, L
who am a doctor-I saw that she, wnoIn
most women hated for her lovers, whom
most men adored and thought soit
warm plaything, une vfale femme, was
in reality as cold as stone image.
1t was very pretty play which Went
on around her, with often a change In
the jeune premier, but she dlu not act
in it herself
She piped carelessly and all her court
danced, but she grew neither warm nor
weary.
/ am not very sure how / came to be
so friendly with her; | think she began
it. / am ours and would not have pre-
sumed.
But we fell into way of walking
over the hills together and sitting on
the cliffs in the mondays, looking out
over q sea like the glory of God for
light and color; talking of many things
sometimes, sometimes quite silent, lying
in the sun; / with my hat over my eyes,
drinking in the scents of the spring air,
Just seeing the splendor of bush of
yellow broom standing out against a
violent sea; she with her head flung
back ON the short dry grasses, often
enough cigarette in her mouth.
AS the days went by we grew quietly
nearer one another, insensibly, till one
morning / asked her something.
The fact was all the place was ring
ing with her doings. The men with
whom she had amused herself for a time,
not all being gentlemen, handled her
name in the cafes without too much
courtesy. And one woman had always
hated her for her beauty, her toilets,
her artistic reputation. Young as she
was she had had mention at the Salon.
So asked her if it really amused her
sufficiently to be worth the price.
She shook her head.
When she was not painting she grew
IA v CHI do
thing; and then it was not all her fault,
she said.
1t is to great extent" I told her.
You lead men ON horribly mot niece
nest pas la peine-but most mem. AS
soon as they make love to you they dis
gust you, repel you: you fling them over
none too gently, and, wen-enfin, they
talk"
She nodded / fancy she knew quite
well what sort of reputation she had
But presently she said with amusement
So you do not care about me-you!"
like you so much that i do not
like them to speak of you as they do.
cried, turning sharply on her why
can net you translate it literally and be
q good boy always? Drop your CO.
quetry, take life frankly; you would
40 better"
She did not answer.
The sun was hot; she began to look
tired. and said she had work to do. she
must 30 home. l thought she did not
like what had said. But walked to
her villa with her. and as / stood in the
loggia and bade her good-by, she put
her hand into mine.
And something prompting me. 1 said
very low:
Be q good boyl"
She looked me in the face.
will" she said, as though she were
making vow.
And she did. know, for / never again
saw in her that light manner which
had always disliISed: l never heard her
talking TO men rs had heard her often
Ienough.
And we were rather more together
than ever She would not let me treat
her as a woman. Indeed. she was the
only woman / ever knew who was, au
fond, bon garcon-who knew the mean
ing of camaraderie