The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-08-12
WOMAN RULES.
THE LOVE LINE DANGEROUS.
BUT MOST MEN CROSS 1T.
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY "NEMO."
Copyrighted by Dave & Tabor.)

BY "NEMO."
Copyrighted by Dave & Tabor.)
To YOUNG MEN IN LOVE You have
had your chances to twit other fellows
when they gradually absented them
selves from the store or the corner but
now your turn has come; for assume
your male companions have already
found you out. Like thieves set to
catch thieves, they recognize the symp-
toms, and they tease you little if you
are easy-going and much moro if you
are bad tempered about it. Now a
stranger, young man among young
men, would like really thorough COM
munion with you on the same subject,
but not in the same spirit of fun-mak-
ing. I realize that none OF US knows
all things; that some few of us think
more than others and that the greater
number enter into no sort of under
standing of the beautiful oasis love can
prove to be in desert life. So let us
chat together as though I were a tried
and trusted friend to whom you had
come in perplexity.
Do you realize how great change
has come over your spirit? Go back a
few years in your memory AS a
whooplng, roIlicking boy, full of good
spirits, and probable tyrant among
your sisters, girls we're all very similar
to you. Your free boyish spirit made
you almost look down on the helpless
"softies," who could not climb trees at
all, nor run races we'll, nor play games
passably. There may have been in
those early days, one brlght-eyed school
Miss who found in you champion and
protector. But you we're more or less
ashamed of your sneaking regard had
no idea OF the kingdom of love whose
outskirts you were traversing; and the
boy who poked fun at you about 1t
was sure to be given "the lie", with
full measure of fists behind 1t. In
time that experience probably came to
an end. The girl was forgotten or if
ever remembered only as conirma-
ton of your later theory that woman
needs protector in man. Schooling
came to an end, business began, and
the chums of the store and the street
had so much of evil suggestion to make
regarding girls that your main thought
OF them was as very pleasant after
thought of the Deity, devised for the
amusement and comfort of mankind,
of whom you we're chief.
But now another change has come.
Forgetting your bellttling ideas of "sof-
ties" and "playthings" you have been
pressed forward by the selectlve i'm
pulse of Nature to point where you
see one whom you desire "to have and
to hold ;" though all the rest perish
In other words you a1e Gin love-" and
because you are, I believe, for time
at least, you have escaped from earlier
unworthy ideas. The woman you love
has opened the dismal dungeon OF las
civious thought that holds so many
youths in thrall. How has she done
it? Mainly through your own convic-
ton, that, whatever of playthings other
women may be, this one-your one
Is pure, noble spirit. Your soul is at
last out of its prison of wrong under
standing; woman has released it, and
in the first access of new idea, you
place her on pedestal of glorious es-
teem you worship her in secret as
goddess hoping some day soon to pro-
claim her as such in the ears of the
community.
Mark how the sleeping landscape
Lies in the twilight gray,
By the shades of night half hidden,
Dreaming the time away.
Watch as rosy finger
Heralds the coming dawn,
Pointing the varied beauties
OF tree and wood and lawn!
See the world spring to brightness,
Gllsten with laughing dew,
Changed in single moment =
The heavens, the earth are new !!
So on the youth or maiden,
Fresh from the realms above,
Their twilight lite Transforming
There breaks the Dawn OF Love.
Mile after mile you travel in the
stormiest weather if only you may see
her for few moments. Without a
uualm OF conscience, you now are apt
| to let the ordinary girl shift for herself
where escorts are needed. But your
dear one finds in you one so persistent
Nervous debility is common com
plant; especially among women. The