Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-09-05
A BURNED LETTER.

1ucTo ~ Aicas bubh ucep VI osuco
and few fluttering, blackened leaves
And this Is oil that remains of once
crested sheet OF gray letter paper, ex-
haling perfume Of white violetA
| wonder TO what extent 1t really
represented the sentiments and
thoughts Of the charming society girl
from whom 1t came. A fascinating
young woman whose eyes are as blue
as are the violets whose breath seems
always to cling to everything she
wears
What a pity women are not as hon
est as are flowers A man could then
reach to some satisfactory conclu-
sion about them and with them. A
flower may be beautiful but odorless,
like the camelia, In which 1t makes no
pretense at pleasing more than youreye.
Or, 1t Is less perfect In shape and color,
but with so sweet Q breath that one
never grows tired Of having 1t around.
There Is no sham In fower--but with
women I'm inclined TO believe It's all
sham. Humbuggery and sham The
prettiness and outside charm are ap-
parent enough. But when II comes to
the genuineness Of the perfume oisweet
thoughts and tender graces, and TO the
splendid charity Of sentiment, which,
II women only knew 1t, enwraps them
around with an attractiveness far more
potent than the most subtle and PEN
etrating perfumes, man Is all at Sea-
lie cant for the life Of him tell the
honest, can't say whether they are
divinely constituted, or II II Is merely
the imitation article. lie Is charmed
one day by unexpected revelations Of
deep feeling and an appreciation Of
the lofty and the beautiful In
life, or at least by what looks like
1t, and he is repealed the next by
clear and distinct exhibition Of .
careless heartlessness which would
forever and a day disgust him in
man, but which only serves to upset
him mentally by creating thousand
and one doubts as to which Of the two
phases Of character Is the preponder-
ating one In the complex feminine ma
ture he happens to have under consid-
GRAFTON. II she Is fair OF form and
face-as Alice undoubtedly is--he gen.
orally gives her the benefit OF the
doubt and resolutely closes the eyes
and ears Of his better Judgment against
those ugly, villainously small traits
which are as great u Disagreement TO
her mental and moral graces rs would
be deep crack across some exquisite
Sevres porcelain vase, fatal blemish
by which all the beauty and value arc
ruined and destroyed
That's where the constant and ever
lasting mistake OF mans life Is COM
mitted. lie can never Judge Of q wom-
IN by the same standard, the same
clear-sighted mental gauge, which he
applies 50 easily to his fellow man. For
every one knows that to properly con-
duct any kind Of business correct In
sight into character Is essential. That
we manage to acquire easily enough In
school, college and practical every
day life, and for the reason that we
deal with each other. But defy q
man to be certain sure Of anything on
earth or In Heaven when his calcula
tlons must rest on some feminine basis
where instability Is inevitable.
But perhaps other men are clevercl
than ] am. Cameron seems to get or
swmmingly with all his lady friends
and to understand them, too which Is
altogether another matter even Alice
Dacres--thats more than | can do
hence this small pile Of burned letter
paper.
And now that I've destroyed the lit
tie girls pleasant words and sweet
scented lnissive, I'm fool enough to re
greet it, and to half-bclicve she was gen
uine in her wish that call some even
ing OF course, when she says mus
bring her "Irilby," it is only fcmi
nine way of helping me to an cxclls'
for visit Then again, when u MAJ
wants to have II friend around for {
smoke and chat, he says Drop in, oil
fellow, this evening at eight. Glad Il
see you ind there's IN end TO- liz
wants you, and you go or you don't, o.
suits your convenience and fancy
Little Alice being essentially nnt
charmingly feminine, writes II swee'
rigamarole, very suggestive or mean
ing absolutely nothing. And yet She
must know how gladly would call or
her this evening and tomorrow even
ing and every evening Of every year Il
could. But she tells me to bring hel
"Trilby," and winds up with a slil
yours sincerely" and the information
that she is $50 glad she leaves shortly
for Europe
Does she or does she not want ln'
TO call? II she does care TO see pool
devil whom she knows down In tn,
bottom OF her heart Is infatuated will
her, who is ass enough TO dream Of hei
sweet blue eyes, and TO stuff violcts II
his coat pocket because they remint
him Of her, why does she write she II
$50 glad she will leave shortly TO
Europe?' II she does not care raj
(Which Is clearly the case whether
fellow eats his heart out In vain long
ings to be with her md TO hear hcl
careless, sweet laughter, and to watcl
all her dainty prettlness and probable
frivolities, then why does she cruel.
throw the temptation In his way II
call, Just to force him to undergo TIN
heartbreak Of telling her good-by an'
bon voyage?
Cameron goes abroad this summer
Isuppose he will take the steamship
she goes on, and they will firt out
rageously on the way across, The.
are sure to meet In Paris and anon
the Alps, and Isuppose will come HON
in the fall, engaged to each other.