The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-27
THE AMERICAN WAY.

skirt up In her hand and trirpsd I'D the
stairs with the most approved Delsartean
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 throb to his youthful German
heart That was why the dark eyed Miss
Brown smiled
I When she had hung up the flmy frock
and kicked of the high heeled slippers
and was attired In dressing gown and
knitted, shapeless footgear, she was still
smiling. She brushed her hair and looked
at herself critically.
II am certainly better looking than I
was" she murmured approximately, "and
| know how to make the most of my
charms better than did. This pink
| thing Is becoming, He must be younger
than l. It's almost mean for me to let
myself fascinate him, Those Germans are
so romantic. They are not 1ippant, cold
blooded things like our men, Here Miss
Browns dark eyes looked somber, and sbe
glared for second at photograph on her
table. Then her face frightened again,
and she went on In her reflections.
"f II were purely personal matter"
she decided, II simply would not do It,
But it is not personal. Those foreigners
are really in a state of painful ignorance
about the American woman. dare say
they think 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
patriotic act, n yindieation Of the new
woman, triumph over the faxen haired,
Madonna faced, eternally knitting ideal
Still, of course, 1t mustn't be allowed to
get too serious. don't want him shoot
ing himself OF 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 tho 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 ramble, he always sprang to her
and humility, begged permission to accom-
pany her. Every one about the place no.
ticed and smiled at tho young mans ap-
parent infatuation.
Miss Brown played her part exceeding
ly well. She was a clever Young woman
and never allowed the youth to become too
personal or toe 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 tho few young women who
could do this in way that would inspire
tho respect of a man who knew much on
these subjects, but who was unaccustomcd
to women who knew anything outside tho
purely feminine realm.
1t was before the evening that Miss
Brown tried to instruct Mr. Won Ehrcn in
tho beauties Of Browning that she decided
to stop playing with fire. She did not fear
it herself; but, as sho put it, conscience
not quite outgrown kept her from getting
real enjoyment out Of other peoples
agonios. 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"
ho said in his deep voice, with tho marked
German accent which all the summer
boarders found so delightful What is it
which he means by such things as this,
Where no stands the arch fear in n visible
form yet tho strong man must Ro? "
"Oh you have been reading Prospice,'
have your" said Mr.. Won Ehrens guide.
"Ile means death Of course
Il understand better the rest The rest
is very beautiful" said he, and he began
10 quote it. But Miss Brown didn't want
to hear "Oh, thou soul of my soulr' even
with tho quotation marks. So she stopped
him.
"Wcll, if I may not be permitted to |
speak of that" said the gentleman ohlig-
ingly, may ask your permission to Id
the little poem find here, One Way to
Loyc?' Nou might kindly elucidGte that"
But Miss Brown didn't care to hear the !
poem.
"Ah, snid Mr.. Won Ehren. at Is not
so we love. When we have missed tho
heaven, we do not say, Those who win
heaven, blcst arc they We love other
wise"
You are still Wprthcrs over there, I
Imagine" said Miss Brown lightly ris-
iEg US she spoke.
Pardon me-" said tho young man,
rising also, 'if l usl; you what nay seem
TO you most impairment question. You
have told ne and shown me much about
America and American ways viii you
not tell he how it is that American wom-
On love-"
Herr Won EhrCn must ask a more OK
pCrtCnccd American woman than | that
question, answered Miss Brown, with
certain dignity. She was annoyed, If the
man was going to make an idiot Of him
self, it would be disgusting,
1T is not, pursued he ''as our women
do. l am convinced Of that. You arc ell !
different. YOU
ut is a subject on which one cannot
gcnerali2c, broke in Miss Brown quite
CURLY, "And on which we most certainly |
do not wish to particularize. l think
there's u fog coming in"
1.-THE fraulpin wishes the subject
changed" hazarded the German, smiling
OF Miss Brown in peculiarly irritating
way, "But before we leave it may | not
ask her congratulations that know about
the German ways Of loyingf"
Miss Brown for the moment was almost
staggered but before the German had u
chance to observe that she had recovered
herself sufficiently to say:
"Ah, it Is as suspected Indeed do
congratulate yon. And Is she n flaxcn
haired nacdchcn2'
Mr.. Won Ehrcn kindly gave brief de-
scription Of the young woman who was
waiting for him to finish his travels, and
Miss Brown struggled desperately to think
what had been the secret of his devotion
TO herself.
She never knew until the next winter
when there came a marked copy of u Ger
man magazine to her containing u very !
delightful article on 1.-THE New Woman In
American by Professor Siegmund Won