Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-07-14

Olt ~ us lIluSt iiIIi III lDNt.
l confess that the idea staggered me
at first, and it was with some difficulty
that recovered breath enough to ask
(which of u.s.
Well" said Katherine. thoughtful
ly. II think you had better. The con-
sequences are less apt to be dangerous
for man.
Here. | don't know about that.
Suppose ] were really to fall in love
and get married."
lust SO. What of it? You must
get married some time"
But marriage is Il thing fellow
don't want to jump into out of hand,
in the manner that you suggest"
You goose. You need not fall head
over heels in love: a mild case OF inn
aginary love will answer the purpose"
Suppose it should cause our friend
ship to break up?"
ooh. consistency, thou art jewel.
Then how about our theory of platOnc
Affection said katherine, with a
twinkle in her blue eyes.
TRUE enough" | replied. "Fll try
it, Ill fall i'm love with Miss HARDWOOD
Immediately"
"Oh. no. not with her. surely. She is
so insipid and foolish"
Now. | did not think Miss HARDWOOD
insipid OF foolish at all. and Rather
ines criticism nettled me, somewhat
SO | answered rather stittiy that sup
posed Il FELLOW might choose for him
self whom lie was TO fall in love with.
Certainly" said Kathcine. you are
free to fall in love with wooden In
dian il you wish.'
Whereupon We walked in silence for
some time. while the plot Of our story
made very little progress
Insipid and foolish. indeed! | tried
to recall any instance Of these qualities
i'm Miss HARDWOOD, but could not.
only remembered that she had very
large eyes and Il very pretty mouth.
with the whitest of teeth. She WAS Il
rather petite and clinging sort of girl.
At least, that was my mannish defin-
ition of woman who drew forth the
chivalric instincts of a man. | thought
of the long drives we had had together
during The summer. ard how much
had enjoyed talking to her. Although
she seldom said much. she seemed TO
grasp my ideas. looking up TO the while
with her big eyes in Il cOnfiding ana
trustful manner. ''Oh. no" | thought
''she is anything hut insipid." Where
upon. Katherine. who mast have
rDsCcd my thoughts. said:
When you have finished thilklng
about Elsie. perhaps you will co'ihe-
sCend 10 return to our story
"Of course, my dear Katherine, you
must really pardon the abSent,inind-
cduess Of one who is so deeply in
love"
We both laughed at this. aTd the
laugh made things II little better be-
tween us. We agreed that our plot
must form itself naturally. and the
chief incident must be the falling in
love of the hero with another girl. As
for the sacrifice we had determined
must play an important part In the
story. we could not very well deter
mine what il should be.
Miss Merry suggested that the hero
should give up his sweetheart, so as to
prolong his friendship with his pla-
tonic friend. l reminded her that she
had just expressed the sentiment that
love or marriage would not interfere
with such friendship.
But then, his wife would probably
he jealous" said katherine. "The
be IN ignorant empty-headed little
fool"
This reply of Katherine's angered
me. scarcely knew why. | felt in
her description of our hero's imagin-
airy lover she had certain person in
her mind, and that person Miss Har-
wood. 1t was the first time | had ever
known Katherine to be spteful. or
anything resembling it. and it annoyed
me particularly. as | knew that Miss
HARDWOOD was not ut all foolish, al
though she was not what YOU would
call an intellectual girl.
We walked along in silence for some
time. and finally / gave utterance to
the opinion that | did not think Il man
would give up his lover under the cir
cumStances.
IF there exists friendship such as
we have in mind. it must survive all
barriers. 1t must be far above any
such petty considerations rs jealousy"
Il am sure no one said anything
about jealousy said Katherine. PET
tshly. I'm afraid that yon fiatter
yourself"
"Oh. no. l don't mean anything like
that | answered. hastily: hut here
we are at your door. and we have
made but little progress. When shall
we have our next Scancet'
"Can you come tomorrow evening""
Eyes; and we will begin the story
then"
But the next evening came, and
the story was not begun. / called.
and found Hubert Williams. Il man L
never cared very much for, talking
away gayly to Katherine.
Williams was determined to stay
as long as l, and as our story WAS, of
course, not mentioned. l had to leave
without making another engagement.
| went away i'm rather an angry
mood. Disguised with Hubert Will
Jams. who had always seemed TO me
TOO familiar with Katherine annoyed
because fancied that Katherine her
self had treated mo somewhat coldly
Hubert Williams had called on
Katherine pretty frequently of late.
Suppose she were to marry him. Why
not: | dislike him personally. but L
found. OH sober reflection. that | knew
absolutely nothing against the man.
Other people liked him. men rs well
as women. He was of good family
well off. and. l remembered with dis
tinct dissatisfaction, he was remark
ably good looking.
There was no reason I'm the world
why Katherine should not marry him.
if she chose, even though | did not