Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-03-17

of giving her her muff, "Phyllis, do
You think I'm one of those menu"
"I-I-don't know; perhaps, said
Phyllis, blushing gloriously, but she
pulled her hands away from mine in a
hurry and set her face toward the street.
was at loss how to continue the
interesting series of questions which
might never be so alphabetically and
conveniently propounded and responded
to again, and again Fate or Providence,
in the form of the girl who sat imme-
diately in front of us, came to my aid.
ooh, Phyllisl" che cried, evidently
forgetting all about the snub admins
tered by that charming damsel in dis
cussing Cyrano's lawful nose, ooh,
Phyllis, won't you decide the question
Nh. Barnton and have been A:sputing ?
Do you think it would hsv. Leen easy
for Roxane to love Cyrano in spite Of
his nose if she hadn't imagined herself
in love with the other man, or would
that fearful member have rendered any
girls love impossible2"
Phyllis shifted audibly
"Well, according to my opinion,
my way of thinking" she announced
! with decision, 1.-THE girl who would
stop to think of the shape of man 8
nose after he had proved himself at all
worthy of her would be too small and
| little, in point of soul and heart, to be
worth any mans love. 1t doesn't seem
to me such a little thing as nose
even if it's as big as Cyrano's, " seeing
huf ha oil - IL hor.
! pected pun and were preparing to
smile, Fought to be allowed to enter
| into the consideration of such a ques-
ton at all. l don't see just how it
could, for that matter. For my part,
after the first shock of getting used to
it was over, of course" this with a
hasty, half furtive glance in my direc
ton, Il don't see how it could have
anything to do with the question of
love at all.
"Well, l don't believe l could bring
myself to love man with a nose like
Cyrano's, persisted the other girl.
whose escort, soon to assume nearer
relationship, if common report was to
BE believed, boosted a nose modelled
something after the snub pattern, and
once more Phyllis shifted.
Il could, her attitude seemed to
say as her friend kept on chattering
and laughing, and l took advantage of
the moment to slip my hand over hers
as it hung at her side the soft folds of
her pretty dress in its grasp. Phyllis
own nose is a dainty little feature but
it was elevated in manner more de-
cided than graceful just then-another
fact from which | augured we'll Nor
did she snatch her / - away. as l had
half expected her to do.
"Phyllis, | murmured again as we
reached the street and stood waiting
for the carriage, edo you think you
could love a man in spite of his big
nose, if he happened to have one?'
Phyllis looked a trihe scared. but the
good blood which made her soldier an
cestors famous for their deeds of valor
made her brave and trifc ling, so
she glanced up courageously to meet
my eyes.
I-I think So " she whispered ba K.
trembling little. but not shrink g
from my eager face in the least, ID
risking of my fate.
phyllis, said, whispering myself
now, edo you think you could love me2"
There was a moments silence be-
tween us, and then was helping Phyl-
lis into the carriage. But she had tim
idly murmured Yes in the interval,
and that is the reason am now firm in
my belief that Mansfield, concern. e
whose histrionic genius had been care
lessly doubtful heretofore is the great
est actor America has ever seen or will
see for many a day to come, and in this
opinion Phyllis, who presented me with
a framed photograph of Cyrano and
who has not fewer than seven other
photographs of the man who made him
famous stuck about the walls of her
own sitting room, most heartily con-
ours. Chicago Post.