Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-02-26
THAT SIMPLETON.

a HE entered the dining room OF
~ the fashionable hotel, exhaling
the subtle odor of vioIets. She
was daintily attired in an azure gown
or hlmy silken texture, over which
masses of soft white lace were artis.
tlcally arranged. Every eye was upon
her as she quietly glided to her place
at one of the tables reserved for regu
lar Doarders. Those Of a romantic ma.
ture might have imagined the face OF
an angel appearing through white
clouds floating over a sea of bright
blue sky. There was not the slightest
doubt that upon the faces of the men
there were expressions of admiration
Ihe big husband by whose side she sat
made no effort to conceal the fact that
thls exquisite piece of femininity-who
mad been his wife for ten years-was
still the object of his ardent and ever
increasing worship. AS he deferential-
~ Dent his head to her in reply to some
slight request, the big woman sitting
just opposite glanced reprovingly at
her own husband, as if to say, "Mr.
Leslie is a model husband. If you
were only like himr' But the express
sion of reproach was Immediately sue
ceeded by a frown of indignation as
she noted that Mr.. Leslie's chiyairy
was quite lost upon her mate, as he
was evidently absorbed in the vision of
beauty at Mr.. Leslie's side.
The vision was only talking common
place; but with such a genius-or was
1t magnetism?-that every one seemed
helpless under it's influence, although
the women present were evidently not
quite in harmony with the situat tion
nor the fragile looking woman of thir-
ty with the child's face. In spite of
this antagonistic undercurrent they
were. however, almost as irresistibly
attracted as were the men. Women
are usually more analytical than are
men, and mentally dissected Mrs. Les
lie. although they inwardly rebelled
that she possessed the power to claim
second thought. When discussing her
together they denominated her "a silly
chit. doll face" "simpleton," know
nothing" and so on. They never ad-
mitted her attractions, but openly won
dered what there was in Mrs. Leslie
that all the men went wild over. If she
did have one grain of sense-they aver
red to the contrary-she certainly pos
sessed little education, and would Of
ten make the most astonishing blum
ders.
Yet she always held a crowd of male
admirers around her, while the intel
lectual women who could talk politics,
literature, science or art, were quite
neglected if she were present. She
was no coquette, however, and in spite
of much Jealous watching was never
discovered to be guilty of a moral in
discretion. The women were Jealous
OF her. The men enjoyed her because
they were not jealous.
She always seemed unconscious of
either admiration or censure. and
though she had the most exquisite
taste in dress, there was no apparent
vanity In her nature. To-day, in spite
of certain whispered comments and
glances of disapproval she innocently
chartered on. her delicate, chiId-like
face flushing prettily at times, al
though she could not. as Mrs. Adams
said, talk fifteen consecutive minutes
without displaying the most egregious
ignorance even upon ordinary sub
jects." Yet the men always ignored
her mistakes. Just now she caught tha
word ''tariff' from a conversation he
tween Miss Adams and Mrs. Smith
and she quietly interrupted in bird-like
tones: ooh. has that bill passed? Let's
see. what was it called" One of the
ladies giggled audibly as Mr.. Smith
CALAMITY replied:
"oh. yes; the Dingley bill, you
mnan?'
''Yes. that's 1t. Who introduced itp,
A smile from the women, and the no
lite and quiet reply:
"Mr. Dingley introduced it; it is nam
ed for him."
"Ah, is that so? !SHow nice, Mr.
Dingley is an Englishman; l remem-
DCT uOW
"Foolr' whispered Miss Adams, while
Mrs. Smith applied her handkerchief
quickly to her mouth and feigned a
cough. although she knew her ruse was
detected by the look of scorn Mr.. FL
lis gave her as Mr.. Smith again made
courteous reply, and then. with charm
ing tact, changed the subject to one
more adapted to Mrs. Leslie's capacity.
That night, when the guests were as
sembled upon the commodious hotel
porch, the men, as usual, forming a cir
Gle around Mrs. Leslie, the women thus
isolated discussed more satirically
than ever "the siren" and her charac-
teristics. One declared she was not
only brainless but soulless, incapable
of any great and noble thought or ac-
ton.
But" responded Mrs. Smith in sar-
castle tones, initiative of Mr.. Ellis, "she
is so genuine and sympathetic; such
q sweet, wcmanly womanw