Passaic City record., 1893-01-21

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Ut :: e: e. i;:,' s: 6. :: e. S::.:; !:
which she stabs them far down into her
brain. This makes me shudder; but 50
IL she constructed that it does not seem
to hurt, and in that human pincushion
the daggers remain until it is time for
her to put on her jacket again.
She comes here occasionally always
looking as If she had been born afresh
that morning) to sit In the big chair
and discuss what sort of girl she ls,
with other matters of moment. When
she suddenly fings herself forward =
clasping her hands on her knee-and
says, "OhI"I know that she has re-
.membered something which must out
ct once or endang9r her health; any
whether it be 81 don't believe in any
body or anything-therem or "Why do
we die so soona" or 81 buy chocolate
drops BY the half pound" I am expect.
ed to regard it, for the time being, as
one of the biggest things Of the day. /
allow her, but no other, to mend my
fire; and some of her most profound
thoughts have come to her with a jerk
while holding the poker. However, she
is not always serious, for, though her
face is often SO wistful that to be within
. yard of it is too close for safety, she
sometimes jests gleefully, clapping her
hands; but never laugh, rather continue
smoking hard; and this she Every
properly puts down to my lack of hu-
NOR. The reason we get on together so
well is because I treat her exactly as if
she were man, as per agreement.
Ours is platonic friendship, or, at
least, was, for she went off half an hour
ago with ner head in the air.
After only one glance in the mirror,
she had spread herself out in the big
chair, which seems to one to put its arms
round her. Then this jumped out:
Sand had thought you so trust
worthyl" tshe always begins in the
middle.)
"What have donea" I asked, though
] knew.
yesterday" she said; "when you
put me into that cab. Oh, you didn't
do it, but you tried to-
ssDo what2"
! She screwed her mouth, whereupon I
smoked hard, lest should attempt to
do it again. But she would have an
answer.
ssMen are all alike" she said indig-
nantly.
stAnd you actually think" broke
out bitterly, "that if I did mediate such
an act flor one brief moment) was
yielding TO the wretched impulses to
which other men give way! Miss Gun
nings, do you know me no better than
that2''
ST don't see what you mean," she
replied. (Her directness is sometimes a
little annoying.)
wagged my head mournfully and
there ensued pause, for I did not quite
know what / meant myself.
"What do you meant" she asked more
gently, my face showing her that I was
deeply hurt-not angry, but hurt.
laid my pipe on the mantelpiece
and, speaking very sadly, proved to her
that had nothing in common with other
young men, though I forget now how I
proved it. If seemed to act as they
did my motives were quite different and,
therefore, I should be judged from
another standpoint. Also looked upon
her as child, while I felt very old
there are six years between us).
ssAnd now," said I, with emotion, "as
you still think that tried toto do it
from the wretched ordinary motive
(namely, because wanted to), suppose
you and must part. l have explained
the affair to you because it IS painful to
me to be misunderstood. Goodby; /
shall always think of you with extreme
regard"
Despite an apparent effort to control
it, my voice broke. Then she gave way.
She put her hand into mine, and, with
tears in her eyes, asked me to forgive
her, which l did.
This little incident it was that showed
her how different am from other men,
and led to the drawing up Of our pla-
tonic agreement, which we signed, so to
speak, that afternoon over the poker.
promised to be to Ler such a friend as
am to Mr.. Thomson; even undertook.
if necessary, to scold her though she
cried (as shs limited she should probably
do), and she was to see that it was for
her good, just as Thomson sees it when
I scold him.
81 shall have to call you Mary"
~ don't see that. "
Eyes, it is customary among real
fiisnds. They expect it OF each other. "
I was not looking her in the face, SO
cannot tell how she took this at first.
However, after she nad eaten q chocolate
drop in silence, she said: