Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-10-12

please don't. I'm tired"
rs bargain day so very bad, them"
she asked with touch of sympathy.
Very bad" he assure. her, smiling.
Let me bring you something rest
full"
Nothing on earth could rest me
more than the delicious repose Of your
presence:
I've had better than all the ballads
That ever were sung or said,
For we are the living poems,
And all the rest are dead
Wait-don't move. | will shut up.
Please tell me where you learned the
secret of keeping silent. How many
owls did you sacrifice to Minerva be-
fore she endowed you with her full
heritage of wisdom?"
owls to Minerva"
Didn't the Greeks use to sacrifice
owls to her? They sacrificed doves to
Aphrodite.
ITO begin with, Minerva was a
Latin goddess"
Was she? Well. what did the an
clients sacrifice to herr"
Pretty much what moIerns offer up
at her altars-midnight oil and medi-
tation."
Whatever it was, wish you would
let women generally into the secret,
for | can assure you that few of them
possess it. saw poor fellow at the
opera with a girl few nights ago.
I've seen something of him on the
street; he's been travelling rutty
road, and | imagine he had taken the
girl to the opera thinking she would
keep quiet and give his frazled nerves
a chance to knit uD their ravelled ends.
But you can bet your life she didn't.
She talked blue streak from the
time she took her seat until she left it.
curtain up or down. And he had to
listen and answer best way he could.
You know caught myself wishing
the poor victim could sit down by you
and rest. He looked an age older when
he went out and felt ten years young
er. You cant imagine what boon it
is to tired man to feel that he can
sit down by the woman-he-well en-
joys being with-and needn't talk I'M
less he wants to-"
Il thought she commented dryly.
that we were going to discuss psy-
chological-what do you call it? Phe-
IF you wish. Yes, we were. That
is, you were to talk and | was to sit
here and listen and forget that it had
been bargain day at my counter"
well, let me get my thoughts in or
der
She leaned her head against the ban
lister and looked away to where the
early stars were struggling against
the stronger moonbeans. The linger-
ing after-glow touched her hair to
warmer tints and fell with exquisite
'oftness upon her upturned face. Ben
looked at her wistfully and his pulses
If only he dared to hope
that his good news would be good
news to her. She had forbidden even
the suggestion of sentiment between
them. yet they had never met within
the last year that he had failed to re-
mind her she was to him queen of all
women. He suspected that the size
of his salary was what stood between
them.
Once he had asked her abruptly if
she would marry poor man and she
had promptly replied:
NO; it would be doing him too great
an injustice"
Since then he had fancied. until re.
Gently, that he held the key to the sit.
uation; that she preferred to wait for
him without being asked to do it, But
of late? Well. she had become very
much dearer to him, and she did not
seem to know it.
will you tell me something?" he
asked suddenly why is it that in all
the time I've known you. you have
never allowed me to spend five cents
in treats?"
"Oh, | don't know. 1t is just an idea
Of mine that bank account is more
advantageous to man than bills from
the confectioner or florist, and did
not like to think of my friendship as
being disadvantageous. But this isn't
psychology"
NO. he admitted, and thought with
a guilty shock of what was in his
vest pocket.
What would her practical principles
have to say about a bill from a jew.
eler, and of that size, even If it was
receipted? For an instant his eager
act took on the look of an enormity.
Then love asserted itself. She was
worth it ten thousand times II only
she would consent to wear it.
"One of the subjects of psychological
investigation that have always inter.
ested me-" the girl began, lis result
tant thought"
yes" he said; then. with a sudden
resolve to have it over, Il had an ex.
perience of resultant thought myself
today. Got rise in my salary. and
as soon as | realized it found myself
that now could afford dia.
mond ring And" desperately Il
stopped on my way up town and
bought IT. His forefnger and thumb
|umbled for n moment in his vest
pocket and he took nervous posses.
sion of her hand. won't you wear
IT." he whispered.
Tho oil ri .t,,.ol
jewel flashed in the moonlight. and all
her practical ideas of economy revolt.
I'd at the extravaganza. In an instant
oman love rose above wisdom. She
turned toward him gently.
Dear boy" she said softly 1T is
such beauty"