The record-union., 1896-04-05

something appalling. What know OF
love!
He-But you first spoke of love your
self. You said that under certain condi-
tions 'love might be shorn of its power =
Therefore it has power, and perhaps as
subtle and .mysterious as electricity,
for instance.
She-Well, perhaps. But, my dear sir,
was never in love myself How can
tell you what I know of 1t?
He-What, never!e Not in all the forty
years of your life? But men have
surely been in love with YOU
She-O, possibly. Mind you, 1 haven't
been sworn. They said they were; in
deed, I have reason to think they We're
He-Please give the reason, them
She-Well, they were awkward in my
presence
He-One.
She-Seemed anxious to serve me.
He-Two.
She-Were Jealous Of other men.
He-Th1ee.
She-Rather ignored other women.
He-Four.
She-Praised me much and strove to
be with me often, and
He-Five. What string of symp-
toms. But how did they impress you?
And why did you fail to return their
love?
She-O, most seemed sincere enough,
but failed to arouse any other senti-
ment than friendship.
He-But did 1t never occur to you
that the trouble might be with your
self?
She-Never If I consciously or un-
consciously awakened love in some
mans heart, ought he not to have
awakened it in mine?
He-Undoubtedly, but why did they
fail to do so? Are you so different
from other women?
She-I do not think I am. My expe-
rience has been that which is common
to most women. 1 married at %.
He-What? You married! I am
afraid I do not understand. I am quite
sure you said you never loved, and
now
She-You seem surprised.
He-I am.
She-And yet so much desired
to love someone, but how could I when
couldn't? Some were such nice men;
so kind, SO obliging, SO devoted, and yet
they failed to touch my heart.
He-There is no evidence you
have one.
She-O, but you do not know me.
He-But I can Judge from your tes-
timony-although there is so much
mystery about those things which lead
to love or are supposed to. But the
fa1rxy ~
If all men were Adonises, it would be
all the same. Can you explain it? You
seem to have a wonderful faculty for
getting at the truth of things.
She-No, neither could Aristotle nor
Solomon. But 1 never could understand
why men, sensible in other matters,
should become fools when once deeply
i'll love. Do not misunderstood me.
do not say all men. 1 do not think it
particularly against them, but impul-
sive men are very likely to lose their
heads the moment they lose their hearts,
and especially If the passion be sud-
den. The foolish, foolish fellows! To
them the world is painted in vivid col
ors. All nature is beautiful The song
of robin is most exquisite music. The
landscape which Stretches before them
is dotted with d thousand beauties
which did not exist before; they feel
kindly toward all the world; they will
forgive their most inveterate enemy.
They place her they love high above all
others in every quality of mind and
heart, and probably ruin forever any
glimmers Of hope which might have
lighted their pathway to success, be-
cause they shock her with their impetu-
osity and unbalanced devotion.
H@What lecture. Evidently you
have given the subject close attention
or, better still, you may have controlled
the destiny of such lover once yourself.
She-Possibly did. l have him yet,
a lover still.
He-What a puzzle you are
She-More than most women?
He-Far more-which is putting it
very strongly indeed. But what of a
woman's love?
She-There! I hoped you would not
touch upon that. Like everything con-
nected with woman, it is difficult to un-
derstand and more difficult to explain
He-From your knowledge of the sub
ject just discussed, am quite sure you
are familiar with this one.
She-Very well; it would be hardly
just to stop here. To begin with, women
control their feelings and actions bet
ter than men. Women in love are pa
tient; men impatient. A woman will
feast upon her love in secret; a man
rush to his own destruction. A woman
will deny she loves, and then shed Bit
ter tears because of that denial; but
love is a much more sacred thing to a
woman than to man; therefore she
is more constant. Reason does not mix
very we'll with love on either side, but
less with woman's love. Once her affec-
tions are fully won, and she is ready to
take the most fearful risks. The pros
pect Of poverty, even the horrors of a
drunkardS home, are sometimes not
sufficient to deter her from linking her
fate withthe man she loves; and yet, as
a rule, women calculate the chances
quite as carefully as men. But let us
rest; there are other days before us in
this wretched village. Another day I
shall be glad to continue the converse
ton on other subjects, to Danish in some
degree the weariness which will be sure
to aSSail us.
He-But tell me-have you been re-
citing fact or fiction?
She-Why, as to that, very many
truths are told in fiction.
Man-Eating Woodcock.
An English sportsman, having hired
a shooting in Ireland, arriving in the
district, asked the keeper: where's
the best place for snipe?"
ssMrrnhv'c hog Sirr was the ranlx,