Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1894-10-17
A MASCULINE WOMAN

A MASCULINE WOMAN.
l hate that woman" said Captain
Millet "Boasting of her prowess
with whip and oar, and fond Of dogs
and horses She told us at lunch to-
day that she could swim like II fish.
You heard her."
"The idea of hating a woman, n
good-looking girl like that too ! it's
unnatural, Cap" said his friend,
"Don't you remember how, once or
twice during the war we huzzNed at
the mere sight of woman's face?"
81 remember, said Captain Millct,
and he had some cause to remember,
MS the empty right sleeve pinned to his
breast seemed toattest. 81 don't think
| ever even disliked woman before ;
but this is not woman it is q sort
of boy in her dress"
"Rather charming boy" said
Paul. "But for another pretty girl,
who is even more charming, I'm not
sure that | should have made my
escape with n whole heart from this
merry, good-natured brunette. "
"The plainest woman here has more
charms for me-" said Captain Millet
When Mrs. Silverapeer, Captain
Millett's married sister, had invited a
little party to spend some weeks ut
her home, she had, as she supposed,
carefully avoided inviting people who
would fall out with each other. A
pleasant young married couple, who
were always to be seen in the distance
arm and arm, four pretty young ladies
and four gentlemanly men made, as
she hoped, delightful assemblage,
with hospitable host and hostess,
ready to make their guests happy III
any possible way that might be su8-
gested. And when in writing to "Cap,
as ali his relatives were fond of calling
her brother, she told him that Miss
Matte Bell would be sure to come
She had felt that Cap would fall il
love with Matte as soon as their eye.
met; for eyes of velvet brown lik,
Mattie's and eyes of blue like Caps
often do great execution on each other
But Cap had arrived languid, and {
little out of sorts; and seeing upon tn,
porch plump young damsel, boast
fully declaring that she had ridder
some incredible number of miles thu
day and was "famished," he had re-
garded her with certain astonisheC
elevation of brow, which has made the
quick -witted creature secretly but bit
terly wrathful.
"What disgusting puppy" sh
had said of him, in private conyers,
with Il friend. And you know how h
spoke Of her.
1t was secretly known by every on
that this state of affairs existed 1t wa
little joke among the others; onl,
the hostess chafed at it. The guest
had paired themselves off SO delight
fully, and the repugance which Mntti
and the Captain felt for each othc
Jther made ridiculous contrast t.
the generel goodwill.
"Besidcs," said Mrs. Silverspeer
'It must he so dull for Matte, to b
either third party or beauless; and
Tor the matter of that, it's dull TO
Gap, too"
cts his fault, you know, my dear,
said Mr.. Silverspecr. "Mattie is
nice girl !"
And this even Caps sister felt OF
liged to admit.
Every other man liked Matte, bu
she was not one to take advantage G
this fact, Budding courtships wer
blossoming there at Silverspeer, an
she had no wish to blight them.
There was Paul Holden half in loy
with her. A glance, touch, n loo
would have made it wholly 50; bl
she was merely n merry friend to hin
] Little Bella Grcy's heart would hay
broken, as she knew, if anything Ina
come between Paul and herself An
Miss Rodman would marry Mr.. n
chols, as she would not; then WI
hold Irritation with the man? An
Prue Hill wore an engagement rir
on her finger, that Richard Dillc
had given her. SO, if Richard Ollie
was traitor enough to wish to whisp,
to her on the balcony, she was not Il
traitoress to abet him.
The only single man was the Ca
tain and they hated each other.
"What apretty girl she isl" sa
Richard Dillon's little betrothe
"And how odd that she doesn't attra
the gentlemen"
But Matte, though noble in 10
affairs, was no angel. She liked
provoke the captain, by assumil
twice the fondness for musculi
sports than she really had; and he, c
asperated by her chatter and her pc