The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-11-23
A DUOLOGUE.


This is not q problem story"
Neither does il discuss the advantages |
or disadvantages Of having new wo-
men" in our midst
It is . true tale.
And il concerns . good man and q |
bad woman
They would never have met II the
London county council had come into
existence few years earlier than 1t did.
because he saw her at the Empire The
exact date was Aug. 2o, and it was a
very hot night.
The curtain had fallen on the last
scene Of the ballet The man rose from
his seat and walked across the prom
enade toward the bar.
He passed several women, but he did
not pass her. He had no intention Of
stopping, still less Of speaking
Yet, when he saw her. he stopped.
and when she stopped he spoke
do not remember what he said
They sat down together at . little
table. A waiter brought them q cup Of
black coffee and . whisky and soda
BE drank the coffee.
They talked, but again I cannot re-
member what they said
A man on the stage sang . comic
song. A woman on the promenade faint
ed and was carried away.
Then she said. We'll, are You COM
ing?"
No." he replied. II don't know
why stopped or why l spoke to you
am not 'one of the crowd here. l an.
not a performer in the Comedy Of
Life. am only an onlooker.
She stared at him. Then why
Il have told You l do not know.
Perhaps l thought you looked out Of
place-here.
II have been here every evening for
10 months fought not to look out Of
place. "
why did you Gomez"
do you expect me to answer that
question in this building. surrounded
by these people:"
II am sorry. OF course not. 1t would
resemble a performance by The indie
pendent Theater society. suppose?'
II had better 60, then. if you dc
not
mo; stay and talk. Are you happy
Hardly"
Are You miserable?'
81 am not sure"
did you ever love auything"'
yes"
"What?"
''Life-the trees and fields; the wild
moorlands; the sea; the birds thai
sing in the hedgerows; the cattle il
the fields; the horses and dogs at the
farms Yes, loved life. loved to fee
the wind blowing in my face; loved
to smell the scent Of the heather; loved
to hear the song Of the mountain
streams Ia. ha! I'm almost poetic
I'm
go on.
THAT is all Did you ever love any
thing?''
Yes"
"Who?"
mo one-I mean only . dog"
"Ohp'
but he is dead"
'Of course"
"Why of course?"
Because you loved him."
The man lit n cigarette "Do you Be
lieve in heaven!''
mo; if l did. l should have beer
dead long ago. / am afraid to die be
cause don't know what comes afte
death. SO long for-for peace-fo
something else-sometbing beautiful
something to love. Do not laugh"
"You are not bad woman"
"Yes. I am"
Then you ought not to have beer
one'
True. That is the cruel part Of 1t. ,
They watched the men and womel
promenading before them. Then tn,
woman said, 1T is a strange world"
The man did not answer. He wa
thinking. She continued: You are
strange person. Where do you live
What do you do? How do you anus
yourself?''
"Oh. live alone. quite alone. nov
my dog is dead. Iwatch people. listel
to what they say. and-I think"
what do you think?'
II think that when he-whoever he
is-created men and women he ought +
have made them altogether gods or al
together animals No one in the worI,
Is happy, because no one is ever certain
whether he-or she-should live for tn
real or for the ideal And therefor
men decided to seek for both, to b
sometimes good and sometimes bad, 4
play at being gods once q week an,
beasts twice q week-in fact, to live 10
the real ca days out Of the T. An,
some Of rs, you know. cannot, as the say
Ing goes. do thing BY halves w
must be wholly one thing or the Othss
There 10 only the good or bad Thss