The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-27
d / drew her aside gently

collafrtte into it, enviahle place abuut
her throat Phyllis. do You think Cy
rano was the only man in the world
vino was ever faithful to his love in
spite of big nose z
She looked up. she looked down she
blushed vividly. but | held her firmly
facing under guise Of buttoning
her coat-and she was compelled to
make some sort OF reply. After a mo
meut it came. and Unexpectedly gentle,
considering all things
mo. she said sweetly II don l. /
suppose there are men living even now
IA few Of them anyway-who are
faithful like that.
My heart gave great bound of joy
for had been longing to ask Phyllis
certain question for many months and
Phyllis was not always kind. Iaugured
well for my question from her late re-
mark hut mindful Of the lesson Of
the earlier evening | WAS careful TO al
low nothing OF my elation TO he seen.
Phyllis. | asked again. holding
both her hands in mine under pretense
Of giving her her muff Phyllis. do
you think | IN one Of those mem
"l-l--6ou't know perhaps. said
Phyllis, blushinR gloriously. but she
pulled her hands away from mine in
hurry and set her face toward the street.
! was Ht loss how TO continuc the
interesting series OF questions which
mis- ht never be so sympathetically and
conveniently PROF nded and responded
IA again, and again Fate or Providence.
in the form Of the girl who sat imme-
diately in front of ms. came to my aid.
"Oh. Phyllis l' she cried evidently
forgetting all about the snub admins
tered 10y that charming damscl in dis
cussing Cyranu's "nwful nose ''uh.
Phyllis. won't you decide the question
Nj. Barnton and have been disputingy
Do you think it would have been 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 impossibeY'
Phyllis shifted audibly.
"Mell, according to my opinion.
my way of thinking. she announced
with decision. 'the girl who would
stop to think Of the shape of man :
nose after he had proved himself AT all
worthy of her would be too small and
little, in point of soul and heart to he
worth any man = love. 1t doesn I seem
to me such little thing as uose--
even II il ; as big us Cyrano :. seeing
that the other girl and her escort sus-
pucted a pun and We're preparing To
smile, Ought to be allowed TO enter
into the consideration of such ques-
ton ut all. | 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
hasty, half furtive glance in my direc-
tim, Il don't see how it could have
anything to do with the question of
love at all
We'll, | don't believe could bring
myself to love a man with u nose like
Cyrnno's, persisted the other girl.
whose escort, soon to assume nearer
relationship, if common repor, was to
he believed. boasted nose modelled
something after the snub pattern. and
once more Phyllis shifted.
"i could her attitude seemed to
say as her friend kept on chsttering
and laughing, and | took advantage of
;he moment to slip my hand over hers,
as il hung at her side, the soft folds of
her pretty dress in its grasp, Phyllis
own nose is dainty little feature, but
il was elevated in manner more de
cided than graceful just then another
fact from which ! augured well, Nor
did she snatch her hand away. as ! had
half expected her To do.
phyllis, murmured again as we
reached the street and stood waiting
for the carriage. "do you think you
could love man in spite of his big
nose, If he happened to have oney'
Phyllis looked rifle scared, but the
good blood which made her soldier an
cestors famous for their deeds of valor
made her brave and trife daring, SO
she glanced mp courageously TO meet
my eyes.
IL think SO, she whispered back,
trembling a little, but not shrinking
from my eager face in the least, and
cuce more | was emboldened TO further
rislsing of my fate,
Phyllis, said. whispering myself
now, do You think you could love me p
There was 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 l am now firm in
my belief that Mansfield concerning
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
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
curs Chicago Post.