The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-08
OVER THE TEA URN.

at her miserably over The top of his tescup.
"Ths popularity Of the tsakettle and thu
chatting dish in good society seems to me d
graceful recognition by women Of ths
charm that housewifely cares still have for
them. The kitchen Is 30 attractive that
even the drawing room cannot dispense
with Its graoes. A woman who IL barred
out OF her Kitchen by a French chef win
still cling TO the privilege Of using her
chatting dish, and in her case II Is beautiful
and significant that It should be so, but
| He hesitated moment.
"Wellf" asked she politely.
II don't see what, from that point Of
view, you are doing with teakettle. You
have injured all that 1t stands for. You
have found something better than the do
nestle life.'
"That Is nonsense, " responded the wom-
an of genius Grossly, for her work had not
gone well that day. Personally adore
domestic life. In general 1t adds the ele,
ment of grace to the life and of gracious
ness to the woman when she takes up that
form OF existence not because 1t is the only
form, but because it Is the sweetest of all .,
Those are very pretty views--very pref
IT," he remarked gloomily, "but have
not observed that you practiced them. It
isn't of any particular avail for salvation
to assent with ones intellect to any ortho-
dox doctrine while ones actions are still
hereto. You have refused the things that
are the best of all. +"
Who said had refused them?" she de-
manded impatiently. "Youwouldn't have
me marry the wrong man Just to show
that my views upon the woman question
were conservative, would your"
"That is an easy thing to say, but you
know You will never find the right one"
She looked at him-a curious, measured,
wondering gaze There was scorn in 1t,
but was it all scornP "No," she said slow
ly, II am not emancipated enough for
that. / intend to let him find me, even
though we play at hide and seek together
all our days"
do you mean-would you really lis
tenn r.
1t was half an hour later before 1t CO.
CURED to him that all this was violating
precedent.
DO you suppose you can be happy" he
implored, and then he brought up the SUBJ
ject of the books in which the married
woman of genius had always been miser-
able. He refrained, however, from speak
ing of those households which had fallen
under his observation in which the hus-
band of the genius had been dissatisfied
with the cooking Of the beefsteak.
"Oh, books, said she, with an infinite
scorn. Haven't you noticed that people
write best about things Of which they
know absolutely nothingP Do you really
mean to say that you have been influenced
in this by booksY''
He nodded silently. "And SO YOU
thought l did not care, and would not
marry you, dear9'
II thought so. Yes"
An adorable smile bent her lips. "Don't |
you think you were rather hasty, not to |
say unkind, in adopting so completely the |
generalization that the artist rejects-loye |
and with 1t lifeP"
'But if you had heard yourself talking
of your work, " he cried. "You seemed to
think art tho one thing In the world. Ey-
cry word fell like clod on coffin"
why should I not speak of art with
fervorS feel it all, and you had not of
fered me any career which preferred.
"Ah butdo you, will you always prefer
itP 1t is not as If you were merely talent
eu, you KNOW, 10 give up -
'Give up? But intend to give up moth.
ing! am afraid you are little stupid"
Would you mind explaining the situa.
ton to me?" he asked humbly.
THAT is very easy" she said composed
ly. II simply don't intend to be unequal
to the combination of love and art
The luminous brilliancy CT this solution
kept him SILENT while she vent on
Those women you read about, vow
know, were under the disadvantage of not
Icing modern when they tried to do things
They were working against tremendous
though perhaps invisible pressure The
world wasn't adjusted so as to help them
and make the solution of their problems
easy. They felt that horrible weight-the
pressure of tho d!supproval of the universe
and could not stand out against it, One
has delicicusly buoyant sensation-the
Lord is on our side feeling-that is in it.
self guarantee of success. Then, you
know, VIC have better health and fewer
nerves than women used to have and that
makes difference
But suppose" he persisted "just sup
pose that you were to fail. What them"
"One swilling to pay u certain price for
the best things, she admitted slowly, "f
he goods are delivered. 1t is possible that
happiness might be very bad bargain,
even though Paid for it with art
"Ah, darling he began, But she went
on: But l shall not have to do it,
shall have my cake and eat it too"
He looked at her with an expression of
admiration which almost hid his funda.
mental skepticism.
You are, he said with sudden illu.
something more advanced than
modern. You are She of whom we have
hcardthe coming woman"
She looked down at tliepink palm which
he had held fast in his own through all her
self possessed eloquence, and suddenly
wave of color rose and swept across her
face.
All, no." she fal softly. But he heard
her. Whether | succeed in combining
love and art or not, it seems to mo have
arrived II Exchange