The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-06-07
7 He WAY
! STORIES END
BY J. A. FLYNN.
Zoe 0 500 5000 o0cooC0oo0oc

~ ~
"WtH%" l asked as she laid down tn
garlv covered magazine. l was sorry f..
the ending Of the tale, when the gray cya.
ceased to flash and the kind lips to quivc".
at is pretty story, Mr.. Norton" re
said. ooh, no, you needn't shake you.
head. I'm not saying so just because i, =
yours | cannot imagine how you could
write it,"
"Pcu and ink, whisky and soda, tailor:
bill as a stimulus"
please don't make fun. | want to II,
serious When she looks at me in L-r
earnest way. | am helpless.
Does that mean criticism?" l inquire
leaning little toward her.
"CriJicism and inquiry-if l may?"
enquiry 10y all means. I'm rathe-
afraid Of your criticism, do you know"
Shois very bright, and her remarks often
help me. as Il matter of fact.
She opened and shut the magazine all
seuy.
"What | was wondering" she sal.
twas why you wrote so seriously anl
taa.l So frivolously, whether one m Z
was The real YOU, and the other >h.l
you. and which was which,
% think | protested. Il would ratho.
have thc criticism. if you don't mind"
She laughed softly. | like her lau..i.
at is rather an obtruSive question. rut
should very much like to know. Yaq
do moan this''-she touched the book
"ali'J'c, don't you:"
"Ye-cs.' | said, Il suppose do did
when wrote it, anyhow"
and dftcrward:"
81 keep my seriousness for serious &c
casian~'
(Which is a rebuke for my inquiSitiyo-
ness ! ~uppose?' She flushed a little.
Size is rather pale generally. Some pao-
pie wouldn't call her good looking. do.
81 didn't mean it to be" | apologizsd
y ought TO he hattcred at your inter
est
IN your tales" She corrected.
IN my tales, of course. suppose the
real answer is that | do not carry my
heart upon my sleeve"
but You have one all the same?" 4
touch Of usefulness makes her voice per
feet.
TRY" l caught her eyes for a moment
aud stopped. had made up my mind t.
keen heart whole before | met her
"Now for the criticism she continued
hastily.
"Or as large an instaIlment as l can
stand"
"Ihe criticism must not be misuuder-
stood. You will remember. please, that
like The tale-lille it very much in fact"
bowed.
"Thn criticism is
'Ihat it is a repetition of your other
tales, | gasped.
"Why | thought it was quite differ
emit. She shook her head. Fresh char
acter>, fresh scenery, new plot, original
phrases
The machinery is different. but the
story is really the same"
IN what way? In being about a man
and a woman?"
'Io~.' | laughed.
II. you can invent a third kind of per
son, ! said IN utilize it with plcaSGi
At present | haven't made the discovery"
don be absurd. What | mean is that
your men and women always do the same
thing"
"Fan in love?"
"EEactly."
There are lots of ways of doing it."
suggested
"At thc present rate you will soon eS-
lan>t them. Whatever will YOU do them
No cigarette, with her permission,
to ala reflection.
I'm hanged if | know. I've often
wondered myself Make them fall out If
love ] suppose"
And when you've exhausted that
Make them fall in again Sic
stamped her foot impatiently
ID" you absolutely refuse to he or
IHait | cannot think you do yourself i9~
uo" W keeping to such hackneyed thpmr.
though | admit you do it very nicely
u might do it better if had more
practical experience | suggested. Taet
is something about her biz eyes and tle
mule droop at the corners of her mtutH
Nl'on makes a fellow say that sort o.
Thing YOU know.
NpW remember our compact" ST."
warned me. We were pledged to rur.
y raianic friendship, I've had that sdr
81 lining in my tales, but it always lro1.
1.-The keeping of a platonic compact,
Said !. would be novel theme dHt
Yen thiuk?"
w. Would it he interesting enough| sh.
a>Ecd doubtfully.
There. What stronger defense coa1.
nave? propose to leave out the iavr
Nahing, and you say that the inter
would be gone" She drummed upon tie
table with her fingers.
surely there is some other thence
knocked the ash deliberately off my cig
arctic.
pom my word" confessed. Tin rot
sure that there is. But I'll think over il.
lhen her brothers came in, and W.
changed the subject until | was going. u
Is part of the compact that she shall SEE"
q g out Of the door | insisted upon L.
When shall | communicate the result
oI my delihcrations?' asked in the hall
Tomorrow"
i IN going to Vereker's."
,r And Wednesday I'm due at a smoker
Thursday?"
IF you like
thursday then. Good night, Mary.
1t Is in the compact that | am not t.
call her Mary. but do. Sometimes she
oDJects; sometimes she doesn't On this
occasion she only tossed her head and
mar turned away from me. She is aware
mat she looks well in profile. | suddenly
Oent over her, and
How dare you," she cried hotly