The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-04-28
MY COUSIN EDITH.
I spoke seriously to Edith.

at 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. think the
gardener wants exercise.
Fired, went on severely, sis not
a man to be played with F"
81 don't play with him. His screw is
too feeble for words "
ST am not referring to tennis. Fred,
I repeat, is too good to be firted with
in the outrageous way you are doing. !"
81 don't firt." :.
"You do, Edith. Last season it was I !,
after that
"Oh, that was not flirting; it was
cousinly affection. Besides you dom
count. r
sit is the same thing Fred is too
serious II
"And therefore shouldn't be taken
seriously.
"And you are making him believe
that you care for him. -
perhaps do -
"You don t. Fred is not the sort OF
man you would like"
81 am not sure. / like him sometimes
when he is away. He is a very rest
full man to think about. - ~
''It is impossible for you to care for
a man ........
''Thank you. You are abominably
rude"
-'who is fond of Stuart Mill" 1
went on calmly.
81 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?''
sob, the usual sort of thing-very
much the same as you used to-
Fired never struck me as being par
ticularly poetical f"
"Were you poetical?'' she inquired
innocently. 1 disregarded the question.
GAS your cousin am bound to speak
seriously to you, Edith.
AS my cousin you are privileged to
be rude. -
sit is the fate of good intentions to
be misunderstood. -
''They shouldn't masquerade as rude
ness. -
Erred Isl l went on.
every wearisome. "
"Then why do you encourage him?''
I asked triumphantly.
II don't encourage him. / don t
think any of them want encouraging /
CAM help it tiff they think I'm nice,
can I?''
''It is not kind'-
''To be nice?''
''To make a man think you really
care-and be laughing in your sleeve
all the while.
"My sleeves are tight this year.
eff you really like him
Chow do you know don 't?"
cit would be different 1 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 like some"
81 really think you have no heart,
Edith. Poor Fred will be awfully let
down. There was Charlie last month =
'tHis hair curled-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. am getting quite fond OF
him. ] haven't seen him all day
II wish you would be serious. 1t is
really time you began to look at life So
berly. You are no longer girl. -
Have you seen gray hair?' she
asked anxiously.
''As your cousin and man of some
experience
''Dear me! Why didn't you tell me
that before?"
81 am three years older than you. A
man gathers great deal more knowl-
edge of the world than a woman. -
That is why women are SO charm
ing"
All women are not charming
sThat is SO. - she assented musingly;
Constance Droury, for instance. :
Miss Droury is particularly well
informed girl l rather liked Con
stance; she appreciated my poems. Not
every girl has the power to appreciate
my poems.