Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-03-01
By Harold MacGrath y

KNOW whether ne loved hrr Tor GER
tain. hut who was willing To- give odds
that hr did.
"t;rytchpn." | cried. starting toward
her.
But with a low laugh she d!sap-
pearcd behind the door Gretchen WAS
woman. ~ man muSt have his to-
lacco. So must woman have her co-
qurtry. IL WAS rather unfair of Greet
| chen after what | had promised. IL
was like getting one in a cage and then
/ Offering SwectmcarS at safe distance.
/ II now became question of analysis.
/ So | went To the river and sat down IN
/ the grass \ gentle wind was stirring
/ the leaves. and the SmhramS. altering
| through the houghs. fell upon the
I ground In golden SnowilakcS. What
was Gretchen Ia me that | should grow
| Jealous Of her Smilcst The night he
/ fore | could have sworn that | loved
! her: now / was not So sure. \ week
! ago all the sunshine in the world had
come from Phyllis face; now a shadow
| had come between. oh. | knew the
symptoms. They were not new Ia me.
| They had visited me some five yCarS
back and had clung to me with the to-
nacity of creditor to a man with cN-
pectations. When n man arrives at
that point where he wants the society
of one woman all To himself the mat
ter assumes serious proportions. And
man likes to fall in love with one wo-
man and continue to love her all his
days. 1t is more romantic. 1t annoys
him to face the fact that he is about to
fall in love with another. In my ease
felt that there was some cNtcnuation.
Gretchen looked like Phyllis When
saw Gretchen in the garden and then
went to my room and gaZed upon the
likeness of Phyllis. | was much like
the bachelor Heine tells about doc
dered.
The red squirrel in the branches
above me looked wise He was won
dering how long before the green burS
would parch and give him their brown
cheStnutS. | was contemplating n
metaphysical bur. | wanted to re-
main true to Phyllis, though there
wasn't any sense in my doing So. Had
Gretchen rcScmbled any one but Phyl-
lis | never should have been in such
predcament | should have gone
away the day after my arrival. Here
| was going into my second week. My
assistant in London was probably w0r-
rying, having heard nothing from me
.l,,, ~, 1
it was evident that l could not be true
either TO Phyllis or Gretchen since
did not know positively which | loved.
knew that loved one. So much was
gained. | wanted to throw up n coin,
heads for Phyllis, tails for Gretchen
on the matter,
\ steamer came along then. putting
importantly, sending Il wash almost at
my feet. | followed it with my eye
till it became lost around the bend.
over there was Austria ana beyond
the orient. Il new world to me.
IF | could see them together
unused aloud.
The squirrel cooked his head to one
side as if TO ask, Austria and Tur-
key?"
No" said |. looking around for an
other stick, phyllis and Gretchen. If
could see them together, you know,
could tell positively then which |
love. AS it is, I'm in doubt. DO you
understand"
The squirrel ran out to the end of
the limb and sat down. 1t was an act
of deliberation.
well why don't you answer
I was startled to my feet by the
laughter which followed my question
A few yards behind me stood Gret.
chen.
} Cant you find better confidantT
she asked.
Yes, but she will not be my conf
dant,' said |. | wondered how much
she had heard of the one sided dia.
logue. "Will you answer the question
, l just put to that squirrel of yours"
: And what was the question:" with
innocence not feigned.
, Perhaps it was, Why should Gret
she holds me?'
l You should know, herr said
: Gretchen gently.
But | do not. | only know that Q
: man is human and that beautiful wo
/ man was made to be loved" Every
4 thing seemed solved now that Gret
chen stood at my side. But she turned
! as if to go.
: Gretchen" l called. do not go
Forgive me. If only you understood
e perhaps I do understand" she re
piled with gentleness new to me
DO you remember why / asked yol
to stay"
t Yes; was to be your friend"
:, ''rhis time it is for me to ask wheth
+ er go or stay"
L Stay, Gretchen But | was a hypo
critic when | said it.
T. Il knew that you would say that,
e simply.
Gretchen. sit down and I'll tell yol
y the story of my life. as they say on til,
t stage" | Knocked the dead ash from
+ my pipe and stuffed the bowl will
u fresh weed. l lit ii and blew clout
/ of smoke into the air. DO you SCI
t that, Gretchen?"
d yes, herr" sitting down, the spac
& of yard between us.
1T is pretty, very, but see how tn
wind carries it about! AS it leaves IN,
t. throat it looks like a tangible sub
stance. Reach for it, and it is gone
y That cloud of smoke is my history"
IS at diSaDpparS said Grntchan