The Van Buren press., 1895-07-27

mot poruculorly 20 nave ma
mary hard KNOCKS and numerous dis
appointments"
"Then how do you manage TO do it?'
81 will tell you I owe II all to 9
woman. When am depressed and
weary. or thoroughly disheartened over
the way things are going with me,
think Of her. . woman who II 70 pure
and good, 30 tender, 30 every thing that
the heart desires that the tired mind
rsvives ct the very thought Of her!"
She leaned forward with look Of
real interest "A woman"-wondering-
lyon owe all your happiness TO q
woman?"
"Yes, and all my success, too. She has
becn my guiding star, the animating
influence of my life"
II should like to know her, !" she said,
'Afor it seems 20 strange to me, You
know do not like women!"
"You do not like women? That is
hard for me to believe, for you are Ger
tainly kind to them"
''Oh, yes, am always kind to them.
MY code demands that should be, but
feel little interest In them; they give
me NO pleasure"
He was silent moment, and then
said: And do msn bore You, too?"
Men? Sometimes they do. 1t de-
pends upon their type"
What type do you prefeff Ishould
really like 70 know"
She laughed. mot the kind you
would fancy, fear; to meet with my
approval man must be quick to grasp
q situation. ready to make the most Of
an opportunity, and not too much
trammeled by the conventionalitieA"
''Clever-in other wordA"
''Clever" - thoue ehtfully. well, !
don't know that quite meant that; I
believe the word daring conveys my
meaning better"
He looked at her In surprise.
II am so tired Of commonplace peo-
ple,n she said, ''the correct convcn-
tional ones you meet every day. I
think l have touch of the Bohemian
about me. l cannot make my parents
responsible for 1t, because they are
eminently correct, as you know, but
one of these days l shall investigate
the career Of some OF my ancestors; !
am sure they knew how to get the best
out of life, and find it hard that they
beqneathed me their restlessness with
out the power of crafty ing it."
She had become quite interested in
her subject. and failed to notice the
change in her listeners expression.
ut is q pity we have only one life to
live, is it not? l could easily enjoy
two. The dull, everyday one we live
to please the world, and another,
broader existence where conscience is
not ruling factor, and where we can
revelin those pleasures conventionaIity
denies us now. You see Qaughing)
have the spirit OF the age, the invest.
eating intellec. that will not be put of
with platitudes.
He looked at her thoughtfully. How
pretty she was, and how pure looking
The freight fickered on her mobil,
face, her eyes shone, and the lips tina
were voicing such dangerous senti
ments were like those Of child. Wa,
she in earnestp Did she really mear
what she said, or was she trying Il
draw him out and discover what hi
own opinions were? He would give he
the benefit of the doubt.
you don't mean all that" he said
"You have gotten of those views be
fore, and people who cared nothing a
all for you doubtless applsuded them
until you have almost persuaded your
self they are yours. You don't know
how odd II sounds to hear YOU
mothers daughter fretting against tn,
everyday life God help the pool
woman who has tried that other ex
istence you speak Of. It is becaus,
you are SO innocent-so ignorant o
what it is = that you allow YOU
thoughts for moment TO dwell upol
it." ......
'Ignorantl' she said, with . laugh
'The woman of to-day IL never that
He started as though some one ha,
struck him, and the slow blood rose Il
his cheek.
'What have you been doing will
yourself?" she said. "One might be
lieve that you had been asleep in SOM
enchanted garden while the work
moved on without you"
well, am asleep no longer" h
answered. "You have awakened me
But not as the heroine Of fiction usual
| " does"
He sprang to his feet. Mt is not to
late now. You say you like the darinl
man who will grasp an opportunity
and make the most Of situation, so a
II would fain merit your approval
shall claim it thus"
With swift violence he put back he
hands and stopped toward her. Sh,
did not move, and the color nevc
deepened in her cheeks. Instead, sh
broke into an amused laugh. It strucl
her as SO absurd that Meade, whom
she had always thought Of as . boy
should be SO ready to take up her chal
lenge. 1t argued that he had i'm
proved; that he had seen something o.
the world. She forgave his impert
inence in admiration for his wit.
The effect of her laugh upon hin
was odd in the extreme, for he fel
back from her with an ashen face.
"You can laugh" he said. ''You N
not angry with me?'
Angry" she repeated. And VIII,
should ! be? No, / am only intensely
amused. had no idea my words wer,
falling upon such fertile soil, or tina
you would prove SO apt pupil"
This is not the first time, then, tina
you have played the role Of teacherY
She shrugged her shoulders - tn,
movement indicating neither admis
sim nor 1opia1