Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-10-21
His First Love.
RY A, BLAIR LEES.

rnov were sitting in Bryce's'luxuri-
- nhomhers-a party of men whom
s;oes1 or pleasure had kept in town
u',,, tho festive season, or who had
lH' Sad sufficient inducements offered
s y, to quit it. Bryce was laying
p.n n tho law concerning The Flirting
' ~n in his own dogmatic way.
q, woman who fiirts," he announced,
tcne of absolute finality, "a wo-
AN who deliberately plays with a
,sn's heart for her own amusement IS
.n,hl, Of anything -anything! from
porket Dicking to murder.
rbo men seated around the table eX-
hanged covert smiles. 1t was joke
4 oG standing amongst them that
orvcp had been Tilted by his first and
bnv Icve-hence this particular bee in
his bonnet, his confirmed bachelor
hood and unchivalrous attitude to-
ward the fairer half of creation. Cor
han q slim young barrister, took up
no cudgels on behalf of the sex.
Granted" he said, with an engag-
mo drawl, that a woman has no more
rgbt to tamper with a mans heart
han with his banking account, but
Eou would never get the dear creature
10 understand the principle OF the
|hiDg. Scores of women, who would
bo, stoop to wrong you of a halfpenny,
WOULD break your heart without COM
junction, out of sheer fun and kitten
ISL perversity.'
Bryce shot a glance at the speaker
bis dark eyes flashing with the vindic-
live bitterness that the subject always
fOused in him.
Il say he reiterated, with harsh
Emphasis, that a deliberate flirt is
parable of anything"
"Yaas, dear fellow" drawled Gordon,
Tcetly, I'VE all heard you. Only-you
Fant prove it."
"Cart?"
nc. You assume, what is mani
T&tly unfair, that a woman who is
guilty of one trifing weakness is ca
pablo of all-is, in fact, utterly unprin-
fiNleC. You can't make it good. How
FOulG you stand yourself, judged by
The same slap-dash rule? And they
10 say, don't they, that flirting girls
nSke the best wives?"
Would you care to run the risk ?"
PSkeG his host, with grim laugh.
Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "In
n' humble opinion" he said, lightly,
TIE risk is ineyitable-the results a
natter Of degree
\ general laugh followed this pre-
Fodous statement.
WHAT do you say, Ives?" demanded
bfyee of silent, keen-eyed man. "You
pre- acquainted with the Indian variety
the tribe-you ought to know a
llllIe about the subject"
ives shook his head. I'm no Judge"
'e SAID, diftidently. Il have been l.o-
IoULtry too long, and Irritation is a
fOS' art IN the remote stations-men
Ca"l very we'll flirt with each other.
IT, principal experience of our fair ex-
F"''S was during the Mutiny, and that
MT exactly an honest test Won will
Rgree."
why not?" sneered Bryce.
IVES looked at him a little curiously
'IO'e replying. You men who sit at
.v'uC at ease he remarked, quietly,
~'V's seem to grasp the intense grue-
.-'eNesS OF fighting. Filtration never
. @uus mat fiery ordeal. Love, real
NV Tue genuine article, thrives and
E;o uSsolnS under the strangest condi-
o vnS and in the grimmest scenes-its
s',e'lelIs Wither at the first breath
tnr, noS'lle cannon. Did you ever pic
wy your ideal fiirt-the woman with
soou IN her-in a beleaguered fort,
tie unspeakable horrors of a
ELSEWHERE the enemy's shells keep
evn "AIns through the walls in quite un-
sa nsy,ea places, and the groans of
sonn ueu men are the least alarming
r OrIOs: l thought not. I could tell
h. story OF f1irt 1 knew" he went
crn WIRING the stem of his glass
y. I$lu and round between his fingers.
MIN may interest you. I don't think
'aeS Reeves?" u sou Ano !"
fo y suOdued murmur of assent passed
Er sS% IT,. Jack Reeves was dead. ives
b. ,b %eFs on his glass, and he did not
['er NE dark, painful flush that crept
eshen D over his hosts face, nor the
'yo,! pailor that succeeded it.
W. AnoW how he died, of course %
Nth Se heard" said one of the men,
|Fite v,s sight effort, that he and his
puto, we're killed at the taking Of some
Vas m ae-"ay fort by the rebels. It
T " mo most deplorable affair"
Su' exclaimed Gordon. ~It was