Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-05-12
GIRLS AND F0IBLES.
TIT HERE are certain things" said Ethel
wyn, narrowing her eyes the way she

does when she trying 10 say some
thing nalytical-"certain things which we
all like to do, but which we seem to feel we
ought not to do unless we are urged to do,
and, even then, not show that we like to
do"
"ro do--to do--to dol' Knocked irreverent
Nan. "Come out Of the bog, dear, and begin
over just say what you're talking about,
and then can tell you ii isn't So"
"I'm talking about having photographs
taken and getting weighed" exploded
Ethelwyn. "Now everybody has-or at
least all women have-a deadly curiosity
about finding out how they re going to look
in a photograph. Aud they don't have it
Just once, like smallpox, either; it keeps
coming back like the grip, or else it gets
chronic, like rheumatism. 1t doesn't make
bit of difference whether woman is pret-
ty or not. It's the only face she has, any.
way, or ever expects TO have, and every lit
tie while this consuming desire to see it
perpetusted on a piece of pasteboard comes
back. You needn't be getting ready to deny
this, Cornelia, for know what I'm talking
about. I've made study of this. Women
are lust as naturally secretive about the in.
terest they take in their own pictures as
they are about looking in the glass, but ]
don't believe there's one living who doesn't
20 oil by herself once in awhile and study her
photograph with fascination that no other
ever inspires. I've only known one person
in all my life who was outright honest in
this thing, and that was girl who was such
Joke, anyway, that she didn't prove any
thing. Oh, wish you'd known that girl !
She used to sign herself Your bue.eyed
friend, Lulu That's fact. remem-
her one time when she was visiting me some
thing disturbed my rest about 4:30 in the
morning, and when ] opened my eyes there
was my 'blue-eyed friend sitting on the
edge of the bed in her nightdress and curl
papers gazing at her own photograph. And
DO You suppose she cared because / caught
her at it? Not bill She only looked up
at me in her soulful way and said: Ethel
wyn, how do | look in this picture? As If
We're saying: What?"
"You made that up, Ethelwyn," asserted
Nan "Or, at least, you embellished."
"No such thngl didn't even give her a
finishing touch"
"She was irrelevant, though; whether she
was true or not" remarked Cornelia, severe
y. 81 was just getting ready to talk on
The subject in hand when you switched off
on that girl. | suppose the point you're
| trying to make is that people really do like
to have their photographs taken, no matter
| what they say to the contrary. | think, as
4 rule, it's true, but it doesn't apply to
me. Now I'm going to sit for some pictures
next week and I'd rather 20 to the dentist
eny day"
ooh, that sweet, familiar echo" cried
Ethelwyn. "Why don't you say you'd made
up your mind never to have any more
taken, but that some friend or other insists
and you really can't refuse without giving
otfense, and so you're going to make a mar
| tyr OF yourself?"
That's the way it is, exactly" agreed
Cornelia, seriously.
Ethelwyn groaned "Conelia, | suppose
YOU think you're telling the original truth.
Nou haven't the least idea what hack
neyed old conventionalism you're using.
Why, everybody says that People never
have their pictures taken because they want
o themselves. When they're young they
do it to please grandfather and when
lhey're old they do it for the sake of the
children Between times it's always for
friend. And most of them think they
mean it, too. / tell you if you want to see
a sad-hearted woman Just take the one who
honestly believes nobody cares whether she
'ver has another picture taken or not. Ii
sands for everything, you see. 1t covers
! he whole ground of loveless lonesomeness
besides shutting her out from doing what
every one in her secret heart enjoys-not
the posing for the picture go much as see.
ing how it looks when it's done. For, Of
course, no woman would have the face to go
and have pictures taken just for herself"
"She might have the face to do it if she
lad the face to justify It," put in Nan.
Never mind trying to see that, girls. It's
TOO deep for you. You've given me great
idea, Ethelwyn, by suggesting how girl
might make the hit of being perfectly orig
inal just by insisting on all occasions that
she'd rather sit for photograph than go
10 grand opera. But, somehow, l don't
care to be the one TO start the fad"
"No, l guess you don't" laughed Ethel
wyn. 1T was seeing the fuss you made
about being weighed this morning that put
the whole idea into my mind. Now, why in
The world should a girl hang back and in.
sist she doesn't care anything about her
weight and finally yield with well, if
must air, when all the time she's dying to
know whether she's gained or lost frac-
ton of an ounce?"
Nan looked foolish. ~ know it. was
ike that" she admitted. "And can see the
amusing side hf it as well as you can, but
tell you it's fact that if you want to find
out whether a girl has the least bit of co.
qnette about her, you just want to lead her
nto some grocery store and try to weigh her.
1t will come out then if it's in her. Why,
girls that are perfectly impervious to atten.
lions from man will begin a regular hiitN.
lion with pair Of scales as soon as they're
anywhere near them. That was what allied
me this morning. 1t was just nature"
81 know" said Etbelwyn, nodding wise
ly. And ! thought maybe it would inter.
est you to hear how it all sounded from
where / was waiting, around the other side
Of those sacks of -four So just wrote In my
memorandum tablet the remarks you made
Nan. lost little at the beginning, but III
read you how it went on from where
started; oh, I'm not going to be weighed
Way, I'd break those scales I'm afraid il
would discourage me to see how much I've
| gained. There's no sense in doing it, any
way, because this skir. is So much heavier
than my other You'll have to hold my
book if / do why, no, said wasn't
going to- What do you mean by taking
away that l0O,pound weight? Do you think
I'm only 80 plus? OF course / meant what
| said, but thought you were determined
should Guess I'd better have off my
Jacket 4 don't care about being weighed
anyway. It's too much bother, getting of
this jacket What shall do with my mufF
Does that count?' oh, I'm not going to Dc
H. We'll, if you insist Shall keep Of
my rubbersF' Are you really so crazy L
know" Hold my jacket, then, Guess my
hat doesn't weigh much There, that
exactly what ! weighed last, and see all tht
time we've spent for nothing And ther
10 have it come out on you Nan. that you'C