The morning call., 1893-05-24


Scene-The smoking-r Dom of a London club.
(Enter Arthur Kendall hrisKiy. He finds George
Raydon alone, smoking, with a DIandy-and-
soda beside him).
Arthur-Hulo! Brandy-and-soda be-
fore lunch? What's up?
George (shortly)-Nothing. I'm not
lunching to-day; I'm bit off MY feed.
Arthur-Late hours last night didn't
suit you, eh?
George-No, perhaps not. It's nothing.
| feel a bit chippy. that's all.
Arthur-Hum! l feel splendid. Jolly
dance, wasn't 1t?
George-Wa3 itP l Thought it was slow.
Arthur-Did you? l thought it was the
best dance of the season. Nice women,
nice dresses. good floor, good music.
George-Humph! You seem in con-
foundedly COED spirits.
Arthur-Sorry l can't reeiprocate, dear
boy. What's the matt er with you?
Grorge-Nothing.
Arthur - Oh, nonsense! Come, we
haven't been pals all these years for that
What is it? Backed the wrong horse?
George-No.
Arthur-Fallen a victim to thelittle god
with the bow and arrows?
GeGrge-Don't talk rol-literary rot.
Arhur-EXpressive but not convincing
Come, you might br candid with friepd.
George Il don't know who are my
friends.
Arthur-Ha. ha, ha! You're splendid
this morning. l don't believe the man
lives with mure friends - too many to
count, ell? That's what you mean.
George-BUsh!
Arthur-You're IN such a monosyllabe
condition to-day, old man. it's really rot
much good talking, so I'm of. l rather
wanted to tell YOU piece Of news.
George-Go ahead.
Arthur-NO. You're not in a sympa-
thetie mood. You've damped me down.
came in feeling like a bottle of just un-
corked champagne.
Genrge-An6 you found me like one with
the fizz out.
Arthur-Exactly; And 1 want to know
what's taken il off?
George (meaningly)-l swallowed lump
of ice last night ana it hasn't agreed
with me.
Arthur-Do you rean anything by thatP
/ George believe my words do some
times convey meaning Of some sort.
ArthuT-Hang it all, you needn't be so
snappy. | offer you sympathetic ear ard
you take nv nose off.
George-Yes, Pm bear, and you're the
last fellow in the world l ought 10 vent
my spleen on. for Pve come round entirely
TO your way of thinking on what we wers
talking of last week.
Georse-D0n't you remember how hot
we got in discussing women, and how YOU
went for the whole sex, called them
c0quetIeS. bundles of deceit and treachery:
how ysu Insisted The whole aim OF woman
was 10 gain tile admiration of the largest
possible number of men, and to play one
off against the other. And how you let
off steam over their little tricks for leading
a han on. and over every woman's clever
ness when she discovers that a man is
a I.
mis- frenzy she drops little bits of ice down
his ba k-hguratlvelv, OF course-thai
make the poor wretch shiver till thei
cnmes the atter-glow, and he becomes
warmer than ever and
Arthur say, hold on bit. Did l say
! all thai?
! Geurge-Yes, and a good bit more be-
! sides.
| Arthur-But, if [ remember rightly, you
| took the other side. You made out that
woman is what man has made her; that
what the world calls her deceit aud treach-
cry are her only weapons of defensn; that
! it was impossible for u woman TO know or
! acknowledge that man is fond OF her
! until he tells her so. And don't you re-
/ member how you went for the men who
! delight in making conQueSls to satisfy
! their own conceit, and how you insisted
that in the war of tile sexes woman always
! must come off second best and that chiv-
.
be made for the difficulties of her position
and the need she was in OF weapons of de-
| fense?
George (testily)-Yes. yes, but | have
changed my views | agree entirely with
ynur sentiments. You have won me over
1 What more can you want?
Arthur (after slight pau sew ella
the fact is-I-Pye changed my views /
I'ye come around TO vours-your origina
ones, l mean.
George (sarcas;ieally)-It's the first in
stance IN my experience of q mans views
being changed by the eloquenee of his own
sex.
Arthur (awkwardly)-Weil, the fact is
my conversion has not beeu effected en-
| Iirely by the elOQuence of my own sex
that isl mean. by you.
George-Ha! l thought as much Con-
| fdenee deserves confidence. GandOr cum-
peis me to confess that my conversion Is
| the result -well--experience
| Arthur-Indeed? You interest me. Go
| on.
George-When defended the sex against
you. as did last week, | was foo! ennmgh
to Imagine, as other fools have done be-
| lore me, that in one woman / had discoy-
cred hitherto unknown virtues and charms
! OF the sex, ard through my supposed
kno wledge of her ! championed the cause
| OF womankind generally. If ever woman
appeared TO be interested in nau that
woman appeared interested in me. She
has listened always 10 my words with rapt
attention, and in the most marked manner
sought information from ne about my
most intimate frlends-iu fact, interested
| herself deeply in every body connected
! with me. With what sparkling eyes
would she gaZe up at me as l held forth
about nv pals-aDOut you, for instance,
whom | described as the best fellow 60
| ing. Our tastes were alike even in that,
for she agreed that you were delightful
companion. Last night / proposed to her.
ArthnT-At the dance.
Genrge-At the dance. In the c0nserva-
tory.
Arthur-And she refused you?
Grorge-She not only refused me, but
| when reproached her, as | felt had a
rlgnt to do, she had the audacity to express
her regret if l had been misled by her
manner and said that she had always felt
an interest in me because of my friendship
| with another man! who. she implied, as
only woman can imply things, possessed
| her heart.
Arthur-Hum! Do you care to tell m e
who the lady is?
George-Well, hardly, you know. But.
after all, you know the woman we'll
| enough, and [ once thought you were
| s;niften little; so, to warn pal oil this
his harmless tiirt. this queen of coquet.e.
! L II tel you the name OF the woman who
has converted me TO your views. 1t was
| Fiorrie Fansnawe.
Arthur (starts)-George. old fellow, Tn
sorry about this. for that is the name OF
| the woman who has conyertel! me TO your
views. Last week | began TO think her a