Evening journal., 1899-10-02

would come TO me. j get tired of
making fun OF things, nd think that
perhaps they are serious after ALL"
twirled my mustache. and felt my
own smile fading out. "Vhey are Sc
rious enough" said, "iflyou look at
them in that way. 1t isn't a good way
20 look at things-things in general
] think"
"But one looks sometlmei'," she said
absently, "at things in particular, and
feels very, very serious"
"Then," I said, leaning forward. zone
doesn't talk about them much. There
IS rarely anyone 10 whom dne cares to
talk about them
IL don't think" she went ON, with a
little catch in her voice, there Is ever
any single person 20 whom anyone
would Ike to tell them all-the serious
particulars j mean
~ don't think there Is, so usually one
doesn't tell them"
"Or unburdens oneself In install
ments. as opportunity Offers" She
sighed again.
Exactly. That is why there arelsuch
odd condolences now and then. The
critics lashed scene in my last book
because he told her one OF his secrets
In the first half hour of their acquaint-
ance. IT was natural enough, really"
"He was bound TO tell some one" she
assented, "and she was the fitting con
fsdante for that particular secret"
quite So She was the response to
that one item of his nature"
''rhe worst OF H." said my fair &C.
quaintance, SIS when ones nature Is
many-sided; because--wel, you know
what 1 mean"
Society expects us to find a single
kindred spirit which is to respond tc
all the calls, and II cannot"
"No, it cannot" she spoke with sud
den energy; though it may answer SC
well--so very well-to some" Hei
hands trembled in her lap.
Wherefore" said /, speaking half tC
myself. 1--WE find Il q sound theory no
to expect too much from anyone. &c
be thankful for what IS given and com
passionate TO what IS missing
''You look at the matter more calmly
than l." She cried, passionately. will
her lips quiyering.
Perhaps" l told her, 81 have LOOKED
at II oftoner or longer ago.
She studied thu floor for time, an'
I studied her. She certainly was yer.
pretty.
"What percentage OF one, do yoi
think, Mr.. Nugent," she asked q
length, "ought to meet with respons
In "a friend?"
"Well, I'm hardly prepared for eN
animation in the mathematics Of tn
subject. 1t depends on the one an
the friend and the kind Of demand.
"TalSe yourself for example sh
proposed.
"All right" said I, Struggling m
shoulders; III it pleases you I'll di
sect myself. Ny esthc1ic demands upo
the friend 1 have already formulated
they are approximately satisfied b
several people whom I know-for e.
ample, you.'
"Your aesthetic requirements al
e evidently very reasonable, but they a
e a minor matter after ALL"
J, Theoretically they may be; pra
ticaly they are all-important. Tit
Il nv intellectual demands hardly kno
some people satisfy so per cent.
= them. You would answer TO quite
per cent, 1 imagine"
She laughed again. As I have state
r she had a charming laugh.
Most peoples intellectual demand
= are SMALL she said "The emotion
demands are the difficulty"
= "Ah, yesl A general answer is In
possible there. You can never tell wit
+ out trial and when you try the demar
d changes, and when you fail you pc
o price. It's always a risk
e "Is there no way Of forecasting
she inquired. eagerly. Cannot eve
r an author with a reputation for analys
- of character wish / had-'mal
4 an estimator" I shook my head.
!. Scarcely, ] think. He might make
e good guess. Do you want me 10 su
up someone for your
+. MOO. / merely wanted an exar
IS pie"
"Well," L said, smiling, "rll take N
unworthy self again, and my emotion
needs. You would, / judge, answer
< 90 per cent. of theml"
K "But, you see" she objected, II a
r, already appropriated"
"For the matter of that" said I, ="
< am II"
Then we gave way TO laughter
n which is the practical philosophy
10 Black and White.
e. The Crescent.
The origin Of the Turkish crescent