Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-01-22
TWO OF THEM.

counts for nothing with either of Us
and her frock is yellow and brown, wit
pins here and there. Some Of these pin
are nearly foot long, and when the
are not in use she keeps them in her hat
through which she stabs them far dow
into her brain. This makes me shudder
but, SO is she constructed that it doe
not seem to hurt, and in that humal
pincushion the daggers remain until j
is time for her to put on her JACKIE
again. Her size is 614 she can also ge
into 6's
She comes here occasionally galway
looking as if she had been born afresl
that morning) to sit in the big chair an(
discuss what sort of girl she is, will
ether matters of moment. When sh,
suddenly filings herself forward-clasp
ing her hands on her knee-and says
"Oh!" know that she has remembered
something which must out at once o1
endanger her health, and whether it bt
81 don't believe in anybody or anything
-there!'' Or ''Why do we die SO soon? p
or 81 buy chocolate drops by the hall
pound, " am expected to regard it, fol
the time being, as one Of the biggest
things of the day. I allow her, but nc
other, to mend my fire, and some of hel
most profound thoughts have come te
her with jerk while holding the poker.
However, she is not always serious,
for, though her face is often SO wistful
that to be within yard of it is too close
for safety, she sometimes jests gleefully,
clapping her hands. But never laugh,
rather continue smoking hard, and this
she (very properly puts down to my
lack of humor. The reason we get on sc
well is because treat her exactly as il
she were man, as per agreement. Ours
is a platonic friendship, or, at least,
was. for she went off half an hour ago
with her head in the air.
THE BARGAIN.
After only one glance in the mirror,
she had spread herself out in the big
chair, which seems to me to put it's arms
round her. Then this jumped out:
And thought you so trustworthy l''
(She always begins in the middle.
"What have done?' asked, though
knew.
Yesterday" she said, awhen you
put me into that cab. Oh, you didn t do
it, but you tried to-"
edo what?''
She screwed her mouth, whereupon
smoked hard, lest I should attempt to
do it again. But she would have an an
swer.
'Men are all alike" she said indig-
nantly.
"And you actually think" 1 broke
out bitterly, ''that if I did mediate
such an act (for one brief moment) I
was yielding to the wretched impulses
to which other men give way! Miss
Cummings, do you know me no better
than that?''
II don't see what you mean,'' she re-
piled. (Her directness is sometimes a
little annoying.)
l wagged my head mournfully, and
there ensued a pause, for did not quite
know what meant myself.
"What do you meant" she asked more
gently, my face showing her that was
deeply hurt-not angry, but hurt.
l laid my pipe on the mantelpiece,
and, speaking very sadly, proved to her
that I had nothing in common with
other young men, though forget now
how proved it. If I seemed to act as
they did, my motives were quite differ
ent, and therefore I should be Judged
from another standpoint. Also, looked
upon her as child, while felt very old.
fIhere are six years between us.
And now," said I, with emotion,
"as you still think that tried toto
do 1t from the wretched ordinary mo-
t1ve-namely, because I wanted to-I
suppose yon and must part. I have ex-
planned the affair to you because it is
painful to me to- be misunderstood.
Goodby. l shall always think of you
with sincere regard. -
Despite an apparent effort to control
1t, my voice broke. Then she gave way.
She put her hand into mine and with
tears i'll her eyes asked me to forgive
her, which I did.
This little incident it was that showed
her how different 1 am from other men.
and led to the drawing up of our pla-
tonic agreement, which we signed. SO to
speak, that afternoon over the poker. I |
promised to be to her such friend as I
am to MIR. Thomson; even undertook,
II necessary, to scold her though she
cried Gas she hinted she should probably
oo)' and she was to see that it was for |
her good, just as Thomson sees it when
! scold him.
NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE.
Il shall have to call you Mary"
II don't sec that"
Yes, it is customary among real |
friends. They expect it Of each other y
l was not looking her in the face. so
cannot tell how she took this at first. |
However, after she had eaten chocolate /
drop in silence, she said:
But you don't call Mr.. Thomson bv
his Christian name?''
Certainly do"
"And be would feel sighted if you
did not?''
He would be extremely panied"
"What is his Christian name?"
"Thomson's s Christian name? Oh, his
Christian name? Thomson's Christian
name is-ah-Ha1ry."
"But I thought his initials were J.
T.? Those are the initials on that UNI
brella you never returned to him.
lis that sof Then my suspicious were
correct-the umbrella is not his own.
How like him!''
I had an idea that you merely called
him Thomson?''
Before other people only. Men
friends address each other in one way /
in company, but in quite another way
when they are alone.
"Oh, well, if it is customary
II it were not. I would not propose
such thing"