The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-29

eOOd VI it""hCtO uOCo IL icoos w n
should man be tied to one woman whe'
he has love enough for twenty
The pretty slender girl whom he chos
as partner in his impulsive you'll
may become a fat, coarse, red
facee female horror BY the time he ha
attained to the full vigor of manhood
and yet, as long as she lives, the law in
sists that the full tide of his passion shall
flow always in one direction-always Il
the same dull, level, improbable shore
The law is absurd, but It exists; and thu
natural consequence is that we break it
Society pretends to be Mortified when WI
doves, know; but it is all pretence
And the thing is no worse in Naples thai
it is in London, the capital of the mora
British race, only here we are perfectly
frank and make no effort to hide oul
little sins, while there they cover then
up carefully and make believe to be vir
tuous. 1t is the veriest humbug-tht
parable of Pharisee and Publican ovei
again"
mot quite" observed, "for the Pub
lican was repeEtant, and Naples Is not.
"Why should she be?' demanded Fer
rari, gaily; ''what in the name OF heaven
is the good of being penitent about any,
thingP Will it mend matters? Who is
to be pacified or pleased by our contri.
ton? GodP My dear Conte, there are
very few of US nowadays who believe in
a Deity. Creation Is mere caprice of
the natural elements. The best thing
we can do is to enjoy ourselves while we
live; we have a very short time of it,
and when We die there Is an end of all
things so far as we are concerned"
THAT is your creed?" l asked.
THAT is my creed, certainly. 1t was
in his heart of hearts Eat,
drink and be merry, for Tomorrow
We die, liz the creed q Naples, and
of nearly all Italy. or course the vulgar
still cling to exploded theories of super
stitious belief, but the educated classes
are far beyond the old-world notions"
81 believe you," answered composed
~. l had no wish to argue with him; l
only sought to read his shallow soul
and through, that l might be
convinced of his utter worthlessness.
According to modern civilization there
is really no special need to
be virtuous unless it suits us.
The only thing necessary for pleasant
living is to avoid public scandal
"Just so!' agreed Ferrari; land that
can always be easily managed. Take
a woman's eputation-nothing is SC
easily lost, we all know, before she is
married; but marry her well, and
she is free. She can have dozen low
ers il she likes, and if she is good man
ager her husband need never be the
wiser. He has his amours Of course
why should she not have hers also? Only
some women are clumsy, they are over
sensitive and betray themselves toe
easily; then the injured husband (care-
fully eoncealing his own little
peccadilloes) finds everything out
and there is a devil of a row-a mora
row, which is the worst kind Of row. But
a really clever woman can always steer
clear of SANDER if she likes
Contemplate ruffianl l thought, glanc
ing at his handsome face and figure with
scarcely yelled contempt. With all his
advantages of education and his well
bred air he was yet ruffian to the core
as low in nature, if not lower, than the
half savage tramp for whom no social
law has ever existed or will exist. But
l merely observed:
ut is easy to see that you have thor.
ough knowledge Of the world and its
ways l admire your perception. From
your remarks Judge that you have no
sympathy with marital wrongsP"
Not the least" he replied drily, "they
are too common, and too ludicrous.
The 'wronged husband as he con-
siders himself in such cases, always cuts
such an absurd figure"
"Always?" l inquired, with apparent
curiosity.
well, generally speaking, he does.
How can he remedy the matter? He can
only challenge his wife's lover, A duel
is fought, in which neither of the oppon-
ents are killed; they wound each other
embrace, weep, have coffee
together, and for the future consent to
share the lady's affections amicably."
'Veramentel" l exclaimed, with a
forced laugh, inwardly cursing his de-
testable flippancy; "that is the fashion
able mode of taking vengeance?"
Absolutely the one respectable way
Of doing it," he replied; sit is only the
canaille who draw hearts blood in earn
est"
Only the canailleI looked at him fix
edly. His smiling eyes met mine with
frank and fearless candour. Evidently
he was not ashamed of his opinions, he
rather gloried In them. As he stood
here with the warm sunlight playing
lpon his features he seemed the very
.ype Of youthful and splendid manhood:
IN Apollo in eXterior-in mind SilenuS
NV soul sickened at the sight of him. ]
'elt that the sooner this strong treacher-
)us life was crushed the better; there
would be one traitor less in the world at
my rate. The thought of my dread but
ust purpose passed over me like the
'reath of bitter wind,-a tremof shook
ny nerves. My face must have betrayed
ONE sign of my inward emotion, for
Herrari exclaimed
You are fatigued, Conte? You are
II? Pray take my armw
He extended it as he spoke l put it
;ently but firmly aside.
1T is nothing" ! said coldly; "a mere
which often overcomes me, the
emains of a recent Illness" Here !
danced at nv watch; the afternoon was
tanning rapidly.
'If you will excuse me-" continued,
I will now take leave of you. Re-
arding the pictures you have permitted
ne to select, my servant shall call for
hem this evening 10 save you the trouble
f sending them"
ut is no trouble" began Ferrari
Pardon me-" l interrupted him:
you must allow me to arrange the
natter in my own way. l am some
that self-willed, as you know"
He bowed and smiled-the smile of a
ourtier and sycophant-a smile hated.
lie eagerly proposed to accompany me
ack to my hotel, but ! declined this
fer somewhat peremptorily, though at
he same time thanking him FOR his
ourtesy. The truth was, had had al |
lost too much of his society; the strain |
n my nerves began to tell; crsved to |
n ral. L.