The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-12

Eyes, she Is. AS Il literary gent you
ought to suit her. By the way, what do
YOU call yourself now, 'Grshame' or Ever
shed?
~ call myself Grahame' Of course l
answered. "And for heavens sake DON
drag NV book in. Nothing is more en-
barrassing when one is introduced. In
nine cases out of ten the people haven't
read it. and one feels the completest fool
alive"
We were repassing the band stand, and
Miss Holt was sitting down, the bath
chair at standstill by the rails She
smiled at my friend afresh. He paused,
shook hands. In another moment I was
being presented and saying, How do you
do?'' So began my friendship with Miss
Holt.
For five minutes have been looking at
a word / have written, considering wheth-
er ought to erase it. friendship"
Was it friendship, or was I really In love
with herr Or was it only a fiirtationP l
cannot decide. Let friendship stand.
She had voice that gave distinction to
commonplace. But she uttered common
places very seldom, and her voice was de-
lightful always. I know, as one does
know these things sometimes, that she
was glad to have me introduced to her, and
had never enjoyed an hour more than
did the one in which we spent chatting
there listening to the band.
When at length we separated and my
friend and l crossed the parade together
Atherly said to me, "You are taken, old
MANI
"I?'
"Oh, yes--you! 1t was obvious. And
Miss Holt did not seem to find your adj
miration distasteful."
what nonsense' But was enchanted
cts a fact I've seen her with lots of
men, and / know her. She talked to you
enthusiastically--for Miss Holt. :"
'tShe is reserved as ruler"
'sThe least bit in the world perhaps.
She gives one the idea Of being bored in
conversation with most mel"
tWhat are her tastes-her predilec-
| tions?"
cob she will tell you all that soon
| enough herself, / expect. Indeed cam
| define! She reads great deal, adores art
in every shape and form and is very mu-
steal. If you understand people like Tur-
ner and Wagner, you will be in great SYM
pathy with her. AS for myself, don't,
and don't pretend to. She doesn't think
| anything Of my intellect, but she likes me
| and treats me as a good natured Philistine.
She is very frank, Patricia Holt, and she
likes candor in others. / tell her plainly
| that for me to care for piece of music
| there must be a tune in it, and before |
| can appreciate picture must be able to
| understand what it means. She laughs
and accepts my ignorance as part Of me-.
| If affected knowledge that didn't pos
sess and posed to her she would bowl me
out in five minutes and despise me. =
did like Wagner, and believed knew
something about art The more I heard
| of Miss Holt the more believed we should
get on together 1 had wanted to know
| her, and now I was certain that should
| find her intensely silnpatical I asked
! Charlie to lunch and paid for bottle OF
! champagne in the exuberance of my graf
| itude toward him. After that went home
| and wrote short story-a story based on
the foregoing facts, but which ended bet
ter than this one does. In my reveries--
remember how young I was!--I already
| exalted Miss Holt into Beatrice, 8
| Laura. an ine,liration. Easthourne was