The times., 1897-11-21
MY COUSIN EDITH.
I spoke seriously to Edith.

| Jlitilk you are DeilaNlDg dlserd ceIuily-
She looEed up. She was scratching the
gravel on my aunt's garden path with the
pointed end Of her parasol She chose to
willfully Inisinterpret my words
1T viii all ron in again. 1 think the
gardener wants exercise.
Fred, went on, seryereiy, is not a
man to fie played with
Il don't play with MIN. His screw is
too feeble for Words
Il aJn not referring to tennis. Fred,
repeat, is too good 10 he flirted with ia
the outrageous way you are doing
Il don't flirt''
You do, EdiUh. Last season 1t was
af.er that
''oh, that was not flirtin git was
cousinly affection Besides you don't
count
1T is the same thing. Fred is too seri
y ri therefore shouldn't be taken seri
R'And YOU are making hun believe that
you care for him.
Perhaps 1 Co"
You don't. Fred is not the sort Of man
you would like
Il em not sure. ike him sometimes
when he is away. He is a very restf II
man 10 think about
1t is Impossible for you to care for u
man -
Thanx you'll You're abomina by ruder'
who is fend of Stuart Mill l went on
calmly.
u didh't know ne was. he never taIks
about it,"
Il should think, I mused iudiciany.
that he can tax about nothing else
| What can he say ay?''
! ''Oh. the usual sort of thing-very much
/ much The same as you used to-
4 Fred never struck me as being par
ticularly poeticaL ="
We're you poetical?" she Inquired iuno-
Gently.
dIsre egardeG the question.
As your cousin, am bound To speak
seriously tc you, Edith.'
'As my cousin, you are privileged 70 be
rude
! II is tie fate of good intentions to &c
Misunderstood
'Tney shouldn't masquerade as rude
ness.
Fred IS went on.
Very wearisome."
Then why do you encourage him?'
ASKED, triumphantIy.
Il don't encourage hini l don't think
any of them want encoura ging. 1 can't
heIr it if-if they think I'm nice, can I?'
1T is not Kind
ITO Je niece"
"To make 4 man think you really care
and be laughing in your sleeve al the
while"
NY sleeves are tight this year"
If you really ike him
How do you know l dCn't?''
1T would he different. I should say
nothing. AS it is, it is disgraeeful''
Suppose 1 do not care for him2'
You don't. You said he bcred you -
You all Go; but Ike some"
i really think You have no heart, Edith
Poor rel VIII be awfuuy let down. There
was Charlie last mouth"
His hair cUried-do you remember how
his lair curled?''
.'Curly hair in man is effeminate." !
said. Nine was quite straight.
''Never mind, Charlie; let US talk about
FREQ. l am getting quite fond of him.
haven't seen him all day"
i wish you would be serious. 1t is
realiy time sou began to look at life so
berry. You are no longer girl
Have you seen a gray hair?'' she asked.
anxiousIy.
'.As your cousin and man Of some ex-
perience----''
"Dear me, why didn't you tell me that
before"
i arn three years older than YOU: man
gathers a great deal more knowledge Oi
the world than a woman"
THAT is why womenar sOcharHIng
''All Women are not charming >"
THAT is SO, she assented, musingly
Constance Droury, Tor instance
Miss Droury is a particularly well
informed girl I rather liked Constance
She appreciated NY poems Net every
girl hasthe power to appreciate my poems
Yes, about the faiingS of her friends -
They, at least, are failings
"She says So
You are in natured. I hope Edith, YOU
are not jealous i'll temperament
"Of Constance certainly not
She ansv cred my Implied question. not nay
verbal one. 1 knew by that that she wa
hurt
Miss proury is very popular
Fred hates her. think she's well mean
ing, but dRfortunate.''
Il was not thinking of Fred
No, YOU were thinking of yourself
Edith had a disagree ha hahit0freadingone (
thoughts to be more correct, of readinl
mv thoughts. Sometimes it verged Ipo;
indecency.
We are getting away from the questior
said severely, Il want to speak to you St
ripusiy about your Irritation with Fred
Il deny the Filtration"
Then il is serious?'
She did rot answer She wore hlue-a
personal blue. There are some blues which
belong to the universe, and there are Some
which belong Co persons. This blue be
l1nged essentially to Edith. I liked !t
l liked also the way she had dune her hair
1 had told her of it two days ago. I
suddenly struck me that her adoption of i
was delicate compliment to me- | like
compliments delicate compliments. Be
sides. Fred waSn not tie man to make Edit
happy. Or the whole, I don't think ha
was the unan 10 make any woman happy.
''Do yog think you are making wise
choice, Edith" I went on.
isn't that matter for my own con
siieration?"
Il am your nearest male relative"-
Edith was AN orphan whica was hleSS
ing---you have practically 10 one to look
to but myself. or course, your happines;
is a grave responsibility -
Just now it was puor Fred's appetit,
or heart or something You must be very
busy looking after other peoples con
cerns''
1T is so easy to make a mistake"
''He is very fond of me-
Il don't think you are the girl to eniO,
u divided affection with Stuart Mil
Il prefer d division with Stuart Mill t