Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-08-29

ENN 1 IL was mefr,
CExSW H;Va crowd; everybod,
EH.HN.SSu:Ej knew everybod,
Fee Atssz-:.Ud else, and there wa
Sl;Exar:S ~ much laughter ant
ESS talk, but suddenl,
"''''" q silence fell
Then it became patent to all that tn
couple seated on the steps leading t,
the lawn were engaged III q quiet bu
bitter alteration.
The girls listless air was in striking
contrast to the mans eagerness
"Your idea is an absurd one," he ex
claimed.
"Oh, fiei" she said, Ito speak 81
rudely to woman"
ut is not rudeness, but truth"
"Then they are apparently synony
NOUS"
II can't help it; it exasperates me
to hear an intelligent girl like you
'Now where" she broke in, 'dii
you pick that up? I am not the leas
bit intelligent If I were I would
know better than to argue with you
it is SO perfectly hopeless" -sighing-
'and you do get 80 excited"
"And who Notwithstanding tc
such impossible theories |"
"You don't have tol I never aske
you to talk to me. l came out here
to be by myself, and you deliberately
followed me. Why didn't you stay
with the others? They are all pleas
anter than l am"
"Humility," he said, isis a cloak
that fits badly on your shoulders.
my sleeves are too large, perhaps
but really you misund erstand-I have
an excellent opinion of myself. car
be quite agreeable, when choose, but
am not in the mood to. night."
"rhen according to your theory you
ought to be most attractive"
"What is your theory, Kate?" called
her cousin.
"One you have heard me express
thousands of times before"
"Shall I tell him, Miss Doane?''
"Certainly."
"She says that man doetn't like to
feel too confident of woman's affec
ton; that it is the element of uncer.
tainty in love affairs that makes them
interesting; that he enjoys being ruz.
zled and played with. and that q
clever woman has only to appear in.
different to first pique and then at.
tract him."
"Heresy?" exclaimed a party OF
manly voices.
'Mr. Stewart has omitted an i'm.
portant clause" said Miss Doane. ~
added that to do this the woman must
necessarily be good to look at and not
lacking in this worlds goods"
"Oh, Kate, Kate" sighed her
cousin, would you insinuate that the
masculine fancy is influenced by
worldly advantaeesp"
She shrugged her shoulders: 81
have stated my case; you can make it
what you choose" The hostess, who
had been listening idly, now put in a
word.
"The trouble with you all is that
you analyze too much," she said.
"Why not take things as they come,
without worrying over their possible
causes? It is so much simpler and
healthier"
Miss Doane turned around: "Isn't
Madge charming?" she said amiably.
''To hear her you would suppose that
she had never seen the inside of a
drawing room. She ALWAYS gets like
that when she comes to the country /;
something in the air, probably"
"And you" said Stewart, when the
laughter following her speech had died
away; "has it no effect on your"
"The oountry2 Oh, yes, it makes
me-if that is possible-more indolent
than usual" and she leaned her head
against the pillar and looked not OF
him, but past him to the stretch of
rosy sky.
"What an actress you are |" he said;
"you are not the-least bit Indifferent,
really, but it has amused you to pose
as such 80 long that now it has almost
become second nature"
'To pose as anything involves GER
tain amount of personal exertion.
"Well, doubtless, you find it worth
while. if your audience is apprecia.
tive; and it usually is, fancy"
"Have you noticed those two
clouds2" she said. 'It is curious to
watch how they keep floating first
toward and then away from each
other, like people who are playing at
CROSS purposes.
"You were evidently not listening
to word was saying.
"Oh. yes, I was. You were scold.
ing me. but you generally are, you
know, and You said something about
my posing. You have told me that
often before, and so"
"And so-apparently there was no
need of listening to me. ! had no idea
! was such bore"
She looked at him, saying: "Now,
you see, you are sngry againi Don't
you think" leaning toward him conf =.
dentially. "you ought to do some.
thing for your temper? 1t may get
You into trouble some day. Not every.
body Is as amiable as I I"
''Still wranaling ?" asked Carl Aims.
lie. lounging down the steps. "My
dear young friends, it grieves me to
the heart to see such . display OF IN.
christian feeling. Let dogs delight to
bark and bite
"Blame Mr.. Stewart, and cot me, "
said the young girl; lyon know, Carl,
that I haven't the energy to quarrel
with any one, especially in this
weather."
''Of course not. Miss Doane only
says the things that make other PEG.
pie want to row."
"a ohaming character you have
given me; after that I think will
abandon the field to you. Come,
CARL" with . quick change OF man.
ner. ''let's 60 down to the lake for
. row."