The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-31
THE AMERICAN WAY.

little yyickedIv as she gathered her fllmy
skirt up in her hand and triPped up the
stairs with the most approved Relsartean
grace She felt sure that Mr.. Won Ehren
was watching her progress with admira-
ton, and she suspected that each click of
her high heeled slippers upon the stairs
brought a throb to his youthful German
heart. That was why the dark eyed Miss
Brown smiled.
When she had hung up the 6lmy frock
and kicked off the high heeled slippers
and was attired in a dressing gown and
knitted, shapeless footgear, she was still
smiling. She brushed her hair and looked
at herself critically.
ct am certainly better looking than
was, she murmured appreciatively, land
/ know how to make the most of my
charms better than I did. This pink
thing is becoming. He must be younger
than I. It's almost mean for me to let
myself fascinate him Those Germans are
so romantic. They are not fippant, cold
blooded things like our men," Here Miss
Browns dark eyes looked somber, and she
glared for a second at photograph on her
table Then her face frightened again,
and she went on in her reflections.
eff it were purely personal NATTER
she decided, 81 simply would not do it.
But it is not personal. Those foreigners
are really in a state Of painful ignorance
about the American woman. I dare say
they think a girl who has been to col
lege can't be fascinating. For me to prove
to the handsome Herr Won Ehren that we
can be all things to all men will be really
q patriotic act a vindication of the new
woman, a triumph over the f1axen haired,
Madonna faced, eternally knitting ideal.
Still, of course, it mustn't be allowed to
get too serious. I don't want him shoot
ing himself or me-
With this charitable conclusion Miss
Brown climbed into the big four posted
bed which filed the larger part of her
room in the old homestead where she was
spending the summer and fell at once into
the refreshing sleep which comes especial
ly to those whose minds are free from
guile.
In pursuance of her patriotic plan Miss
Brown permitted the young German, with
the handsome, boyish face and the courtly
air, to be her constant attendant every
where. He seemed to like the position.
His eyes sought her place the instant he
entered the dining room. If she started
out for a ramble, he always sprang to her
side and, with his foreign air of Difference
and humility, begged permission to accom-
pany her. Every one about the place no
ticed and smiled at the young mans ap-
parent infatuation.
Miss Brown played her part exceeding
ly well. She was q clever young woman
and never allowed the youth to become too
personal or too sentimental. She told him
about her college life, and he seemed to
never weary of her tales. She discussed
everything with him from the classics to
clambakes and from poetry to politics.
She was one of the few young women who
could do this in way that would inspire
the respect of a man who knew much on
these subjects, but who was unaccustomed
to women who knew anything outside the
purely feminine realm.
1t was before the evening that Miss
Brown tried to instruct Mr.. Won Ehren in
the beauties of Browning that she decided
to stop playing with fire. She did not fear
it herself; but, as she put it, a conscience
not quite Outgrown kept her from getting
real enjoyment out of other peoples
agOnies. And the courtly, slow speaking
young man had really seemed to her until
that evening to be approaching the stage
of agony.
II cannot understand your Browning"
he said in his deep voice, with the marked
German accent which all the summer
boarders found so delightful ''What is it
which he means by such things as this,
Where he stands the arch fear in visible
form yet the strong man must COP -
ooh, you have been reading Prospice,'
have yOu?" said Mr.. Won Ehren's guide
''He means death, of course.
81 understand better the rest The rest
is very beautiful, F." said he, and he began
to quote it. But Miss Brown didn't want
to hear ooh, thou soul of my soull'' even
with the quotation marks. So she stopped
him.
''WeIl, if I may not be permitted to
speak of that, said the gentleman oblig-
ingly, may I ask your permission to read
the little poem find here, 'One Way to
Love?' You might kindly elucidate that"
But Miss Brown didn't care to hear the
poem.
''Ah," said Mr.. Won Ehren. eft is not
so we love. When we have missed the
heaven, we do not say, Those who win
heaven, blest are they We love other
wise"
''You are still Werthers over there, I
imagine" said Miss Brown lightly, ris-
ing as she spoke.
"Pardon me" said the young man.
rising also, eff I ask you what may seem
to you a most impertinent question. You
have told me and shown me much about
America and American ways. viii you
not tell me how it is that American wom-
en- love?''
Herr Won Ehren must ask a more ex-
perienced American woman than 1 that
question, - answered Miss Brown, with a
certain dignity. She was annoyed. If the
man was going to make an idiot of him
self, it would be disgusting
st is not, - pursued he, Gas our women
do. I am convi need of that. You are all
different. YOU
ct is a subject on which one cannot
generalize, = broke in Miss Brown quite
CURLY, and on which we most certainly
do not wish to particularize. I think
there's a fog coming in
1.-THE fraulein wishes the subject
changed - hazarded the German, smiling
at Miss Brown in a peculiarly irritating
way. But before we leave it may not
ask her congratulations that know about
the German ways of loving?'
Miss Brown for the moment was almost
staggered, but before the German had a
chance to observe that she had recovered
herself sufficiently to say:
"Ah, it is as I suspected Indeed I do