The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-25


ribbon. and matched her blue eyes beau
;ifully. People say that such things-hlue
eyes and dark hair-are 10 be found IN
Ireland by hundreds, but they say so many
things about Ireland. l have not been to
Ireland, but do not believe g. l do not
believe that beauties grow on any par
ticular soil Ike prize turnips.
Often l rallied at Fate for reducing me
to an Unknown Quantity Why. because /
was supposed to have seen the world h3v-
ing been In India for a few years. because
/ had brought back a few tigers claws.
purchased, for all she knew. IN Regent
street; because ] was a little older than
these boys who lowered round her, ana had
forgotten how to blush ike them-why
should | be reduced to this absurd posi-
tiong After all, 1--WE years In India does
not make one grandfather. and a man
may even have shot tigers without quail
flying for the situation OF a sphinx. But
Fate. rejoicing in irony, has ordained that
to is Is shall be a mystery, separated ir-
reconcilably by long years OF experience
and intolerahle wisdom, for 26 has seen
life while Is is learning department The
annoying thing about II is that in another
year-or two at most-when the pig-tatl
shall have become a coll on the top OF
the head-unknown quantities will cease
To exist; X. by the universal vanishing OF
age distinctions. will be resolved into ono
more man. and-from ~ TO lOO--no reason
able offer viii be refused
In the meanwhile We were friends-with
a difference. She tyrannized over the col
legisns when they gathered IN her train
too sheepishly, or deferred to them when
they blusteringiy laid their regulations as
rowers or batsmen at her feet, and she
drank in their comfortable egotism. our
relations were not Of the same simplicity.
We spoke OF tigers and other perpiexing
and Oriental subjects, in which she dis
played a constrained intelligence and | a
fictitious interest. I am not sure even
that was not compelled to get up the re-
lglon OF Buddha from dusty works Of ref
erence, and / know she scored on the
subject of Avatars- II was not so very
long since ! had stroked my college eight
and my average for cricket in India. What
does II matter? She could not understand
that such subjects were meat for trav-s
eled man. so that | had no opportunity Of
mentioning laurels won. Seeing on what
easy terms they would have placed us.
kept regretting that l was so modest. but
the laprels of mere wish or mere regret
I fear / am quoting some philosopher--are
withered leaves that never were green.
But neares- approach to mutual under
standing was when j ventured to tease
her. IL she understood my jokes, which
happened, admit, when they were at their
poorest. we INDUCED In common laughter.
And laughter is one of the methods OF
x Al
contained some bewildering subtiety. she
was good enough TO overlook the point,
and we went on to pastures new
One day-it was at the time when May
grows odorous among the bleaching liiacs,
when laburnums let fan their yellow rain
IN the sunlight. and the lapwing--as | am
given to understand, although no ornthoi-
ogist-takes himself another crest--My
Lady OF the Pig-tail brought out divine
sailor hat. Many were the collegians who
saw her home from school and purchased
boxes OF chocolates TO win her grace.
also bought her chocolates. Of I swear, a
superior flavor. but. whereas she accepted
theirs votive offerings with queenly
condescension, mine elected an impuisive
gratitude, as though they had been the
tip OF some elderly uncle Since then
gratitude-the emotional quid for the ma
teriai quo-has always. in my opinion.
been least among the virtues, II / had
been her uncle l might have felt differ
entity ! suppose uneles do. But / was
not her uncle, nor did wish to be. The
pseudo avuncular position Ia worse than
that Of the brother by compact As an I'M
known quantity / writhed. She under
stood enough OF the 90 read disappoint-
ment on my face, for she set about con-
sohng me by stating that she wished for
my opinion. To ask an old man for his
opinion, as II you really thought II worth
listening To (which, Of course you never
dol, Is the sufest way 10 his good graces
l not an old man, and wondered II
the sirens spoke with alluflnx a lisp.
We were sittln9 at the tennis court. where
many Of her colleglans were playing
gathered from her mysterious preface
that several OF the coilegians had made
dark requests for gloves and flowers and
such things, Indicative OF nomsntous IN
tention. She desired my opinion on them.
ii want 60 know what you think OF air.
Tom Reddington," she said. do you con-
slider him nioe7"
MIR. Tom ReddIngton." replied. ia a
man Of exquisite taste and unimpaachabls
good fortune
WHY" she asked
Because he has the felicity to attract
your attention"
mo but. seriously" she iisped II was
somehow understood between us thai
polysyilablea denoted an absence OF seri.
business.
Wen. then" said, he bats. doesn't
Are you sure you're seriousf" she said
Honor brghtg"
And shining" I said. solemaIy.
Hem got q very good average 30 far
this season" she reflected. not taxing me
into this athlatie monolokue.
The season Is young get I said heps-
fuzzy. You Shogld never eosut your calck.
ens uRtn you're sure they are not ducks"
'Bui Mr. Dick Walker IL higher aha
went on. balancing msrits. 'oniy beth 80
couceiled about a."
Pride comes before a fan," I sAiA.
though sood deal depends on the howl.
eTs"
"Thsa there's Mr.. Dean she ,a,A
ihoue atiully. ne brought me some cnocs,-
lAies to-day"
What does Mr. Dean dof~ asked.
bird %oestT'
or course not" she sala. hagh.nr N.