Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-30
MY COUSIN EDITH.
I spoke seriously to Edith.

spoke seriously to Edith.
II think you are behaving disgrace
fully"
She looked up. She was scratching
the gravel on my aunt's garden path
with the pointed end Of her parasol. She
chose to willfully misinterpret my
words.
"It will all roll in again. I think the
gardener wants exercise"
Erred" l went Oh severely, sis not
a man to be played with"
II don't play with him. His screw il
too feeble for words"
II am not referring to tennis. Fred,
I repeat, is too good to be f1irted with
in the outrageous way you are doing"
II don't firt."
"You do, Edith. Last season it was I
after that
"Oh, that was not flirting; it was
oousinly affection. Besides, you don't
count"
at is the same thing. Fred is too
serious
"And therefore shouldn't be taken
seriously"
"And you are making him believe
that You cart for him."
perhaps I do"
"You don't. Fred is not the sort Of
man you would like"
II am not sure. I like him sometimes
when he is away. He lisa very rest
full mar to think about"
"It is impossible for you to care for
q man
"Thank you. You are abominably
rude"
-"who is fond Of Stuart Mill" I
went on calmly.
II didn't know he was. He never
talks about it,"
II should think" / unused judicial
ly, ''that he can talk about nothing
else. What can he say?"
"Oh, the usual sort Of thing-very
much the same as you used to-"
Fired never struck me as being par
ticularly poetical."
Were you poetical?'' she inquired
i%nnocently. I disregarded the question.
"As your cousin I am bound to speak
seriously to you, Edith"
GAS my cousin you are privileged to
be rude"
ut is the fate of good intentions to
be misunderstood.
"They shouldn't masquerade as rude
ness"
Erred isl / went on.
Every wearisome."
"Then why do you encourage him?"
I asked triumphantly.
II don't encourage him. I don't
think any of them want encouraging. I
can't help it Tiff they think I'm nice,
can I?'
1T is not kind
"To be nice?"
ITO make a man think you really
oare-and be laughing in your sleeve
all the while"
"My sleeves r tight this year"
IF you really like nim"-
How do you know I don't?"
ut would be different. I should say
nothing. As it is, it Is disgraceful."
Suppose | do care for him?"
"You don't, You said he bored you.
"You all do; but I like some"
II really think you have no heart,
Edith. Poor Fred will be awfully let
down. There was Charlie last month
Ellis hair ourled-do You remember
how his hair curled?"
"Curly hair in a man is effeminate,"
] said. Mine was quite straight.
Never mind Charlie, let us talk
about Fred. I am getting quite fond Of
him. I haven't seen him all day"
II wish you would be serious. 1t is
really time you began to look at life 90.
berry. You are no longer a girl"
Have you 9 q gray hair?" she
asked anxiSusly.
AS your cousin and a man Of some
experience
dear mel Why didn't you tell me
that before?"
II am three years older than you. A
man gathers a great deal more knowl.
edge of the world than q woman"
"That is why women are 30 charm
ing"
"Al women are not charming"
"That is 60. she assented musingly;
Constance Droury, for instance"
Miss Droury is a particularly we'll
informed girl" I rather liked Con-
stance; she appreciated my poems. Not
every girl has the power to appreciate
my poems.
Eyes, about the failings Of her
friends.
"They at least are failings."
"She says co."
"You are i'll natured. hope, Edith,
you are not jealous in temperament.
"Of Oonstancep Certainly not"
She answered my implied question,
not my verbal one. / knew BY that that
was hurt.
Miss Droury IL very popular"
Fred hates her. I think she's we'll
lieaning but unfortunate
~ was not thinking Of Fred"
mo, you were thinking 81 yourself.
Edith had q d~isagreeable habit Of
eading ones thoughts-to be more COZ.