The times., 1897-11-26
MY COUSIN EDITH.
I spoke seriously 70 Edlth.

Il think you are behaving dlSGra cefuliy.
She looked up. She was scratching the
gravel on my aunts garden path with the
/ pointed end OF her pagasol. She chose to
willtuily misinterpret my words.
1T will all st'li ia again. 1 think the
gardener wants exercise
Fred l Went on. severely, lis not
man to tie played with
Il don play with him. His screw is
too feeble for wor'1s.'
Il am not referring TO tennis. Fred
repest, is TOO good 70 ne nirted With in
the outrageous way you are doing
Il don't flirt,"
'.Yoa 10, Edith. Last season it was I
after that
''oh, that yyas not fiir5iu git was
eousiiiy affection. BESIDES you don't
count
IT is Tie same thing. Fred is too seri
and therefore shouldn't be takeu scr
ousy.''
And you are making him believe that
| you care for him
/ '.Perh1ps I Co."
''Yon don't. Fred is not the so.t Of man
| you Vn.ld IKE
c'iAA A4Dl 81 & 1 44s- 44liA sum
-whcii ae IS away. He Is very ressf II
uIan Uo think about
| 1t is impossible for you TO care for u
! man -
IhaDs yeul You're aboGninss by ruce.''
! wis is load OF Stuart MIi l went on
calmly.
Il '.iaI't know ne was. He never talks
/ about IT.
| II should think 1 mused judIciany
that he can talk about nothing else
| What can he say?'s
ION. the uSaal sort Of thing-very much
| Fnuch rhe sauc is you used to-
/ Fred never struck me as being par
| ticulafly poeticai.,
We're you poetlcal?'' she inquired limo
Gently.
| u.sre essrtIeG the question.
"As Your cousin, 1 am bound To speak
seriously to you, Edith"
'Asmy cousin, you are privileged to lie
rude"
is the fate Of good intentions to u
| misunderstood.
lne> sHouidEt masquerade as rude
ness
Fred IS l went on.
VERY wearisome"
"Tacn Hny do you encourage hirn2''
as'-cd, triumPhantly.
Il DON encourage himl l don't think
| any Of the!n want encoUra ging. cant
helP it if-if 5itry think I'm nice. can I?''
Tits not kmd--'
TO be uice?"
ITO make nan think you really care
and be laughing In your sleeve all the
while
My sleeves are tight this year
"lf you really Ike him
How Do you know 1 don't?''
1t would be different I should say
nothing. AS it is, is diEgTacefuI"
Suppose l do not care for Idm7''
You don't. You said he bored you -
''Yog AL DO; but I Ike SOME"
Il really think You have no heart. Edith.
Poor f rel viii be awfully let down. There
was Charlie last month
His hail cUrletl-do you remember how
| his hair curled?''
'.Cutiy hair in a man is effeminate.''
said Nine was quite straight
''Never mind, Charlie; let US talk about
FREQ. L ain getting quite fond Of him. !
haven't seen him all day"
L wish yoB would be serious. 1t is
really time sou began to lock at life So
berry. You are no longer girl"
Have YOU seen gray hair?i she asked.
anxiously.
''As your cousin and man of some ex-
peTienee-''
Dear me, why didn't you tell me that
before?"
Il ain three years older than you; a man
gathers great deal more knowledge Of
| the world than woman"
THAT is why wumeuare 50 charming"
''AII women are not charming
That is so,' she assented, mrsingIy
Constance DToury, fer instance
Miss Droury is particularly we'll
| informed girl I rather liked Constance.
She appreciated my poems. Not every
girl has the power to appreciate ms. poems
Yes, about the failiugs of ter fHen& >
"Thev, at least, are failings
"She says so"
You are iii natured. I hoFe. Edith, you
are not jealous in temperament.
"Of Constance certainly not
She answered my implied question, not my
verbal one. l knew by that that she was
hurt.
Miss TlrGury is very popular
Fred hates her. think she 5 well mean
ing. but unfortunate.
II was not thinking of Fred
mo, YOU We're thinking of yourself
Edith lad a disagree ha ofFeadingOne' S
'houghtS-to be more correct. of reading
nav thoughts. Sometimes it verged npo1
| tndeceacy.
We are getting away from the question
1 said severely. 4 want ID speakto you se-
ripusly about your Irritation with Fred.
Il derry the Irritation
Then il is seriOus?''
She did rot answer. She wore hlue-a
personal blue. There are some blues ~ hich
belong to the universe, and there are some
which belong 20 pers0ns. This blue he
l1nged esSentislly TO Edith. l liked g.
liked also the way she had done aer hair
l had told her of it two days ago. II
suddenly struck me that her adoption Of ii
was a delicate compliment TO me. like
| coIu!jliments-<d -<deliGate compliments. Be
sides, Fred was not the man TO make Edith
| happy. Or, the whole, / cont think he
was tils man TO make any woman happy.
''Do you think you are making wise
choice, Edithf" ! went on.
isn't that matter for my own con-
sideratioa?"
II am your nearest male relative''-
Edith was an orphan whiCn waS a hless-
ing-'-ypu have practically Io one to look
to but myself. or course. yGur happiness
is a grave responsibility"
Just now it was poor Fred's appetite
or heart or something. You must be very
busy looking after other peoples con
cerns''
1T is SO easy to make a mistake"
"IIe is very fond Of me-
II don't think l*a are tie girl to enjoy
IL divided affection with Stuart Mil y