The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-01-17
down the road might do Come"


They gazed admiringly at Gretchen as
she poured out their beer She saw
the rage in my eyes. She was aggravat.
ing with her promiscuous smiles. The
elder officer noticed my bulldog pipe. :
'English?" he inquired indifferently
The German cannot diassociate an
Englishman and brier wood bulldog
pipe.
"English," 1 answered discourteous
ly. 1t mattered nothing to me whether
he took me for an Englishman or a
Zulu. Either answered the purpose
He wore an eyeglass through which
he surveyed me rather contemptu.
ously.
"What is your name, fraulein?' he
asked, turning to Gretchen.
'Gretchen," sweetly.
"And what is the toll for kiss?'
Nothing" said Gretchen, looking at
me. The lieutenant started for her
but she waved him off. Nothing, Herr
Lieutenant, because they are not fe1
sale"
moved closer to the bar. "Out fol-
a constitutional? 1 asked, blowing the
ash from the live coal in my pipe.
1--WE are on his majesty's~ business, g
with an information which implied that
the same was none of mine. "Gret-
s. chen, we shall return tonight, so you
may lay two plates at a separate ia
ble,' with an eye on me. He couldn't
have hated me any more than 1 hated
him. ''Ihen there is no way of getting
a kiss?'
No." said Gretchen.
Then I'll blow you one," and Gret-
chen made pretty courtesy.
nearly bit the amber stem off my
pipe. They We're soon gone, and was
glad Of it.
Herr Jack is angry" said Gretchen.
mot at all, l growled. "What right
have to be angry?"
docs Herr Jack wish Gretchen al
ways to be sad?'
certainly not, but sometimes your
JOY is Irritating. You are sad all day;
then some strangers come, and you are
all smiles. Your smiles do not come in
my direction as often as should like"
well, then, look at me- said Gret-
chen.
The smile would have dazzled an an
chcrite, let alone a man who didn't
know whether he loved her for GER
tain, but who was willing to give odds
that he did.
"Gretchenw l cried, starting toward
her.
But, with low laugh, she disap-
peared behind the door. Gretchen was
woman. AS man must have his t.
baccO, so must q woman have her CO.
quetry. 1t was rather unfair of Gret.
chen after what l had promised. It
was like getting one in cage and then
Offering sweetmeats at safe distance.
It now became a question of analysis.
SO l went to the river and sat down IA
the grass. A gentle wind was stirring
the leaves, and the sunbeams, iltering
through the bOughS, fell upon the
ground in golden snowfakes. What
was Gretchen to me that should grow
Jealous of her smiles? The night be-
fore l could have sworn that l loved
her; now | was not so sure. A week
ago all the sunshine in the world had
come from Phyllis face; now a shadow
had come between. Oh, | knew the
symptoms! They We're not new to me.
They had visited me some five years
back and had chung to me with the tie.
naclty Of a creditor to man with ex-
pectauons. When 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 III love with another. In my case
l felt that there was some extenuation.
Gretchen looked like Phyllis. When l
saw Gretchen in the garden and then
went to my room and gazed upon the
likeness of Phyllis, l was much like
the bachelor Heine tells about dod-
dered.
The red squirrel in the branches
above me looked wise. He was won
derlng how long before the green burs
would parch and give him their brown
chestnuts. I was contemplating a
metaphysical bur. 1 wanted to re-
main true to Phyllis, though there
wasn't any sense in my doing so. Had
Gretchen resembled any one but Phyl-
lis l never should have been in such
predicament. 1 should have gone
away the day after my arrival. Here
l was going into my second week. My
assistant in London was probably wor-
rying, having heard nothing from me
during that time. AS matters stood
it was evident that could not be true
either to Phyllis Or Gretchen since 1
did not know positively which 1 loved.
l knew that loved one. So much was
gained. I wanted to throw up a coin,
heads for Phyllis, tails for Gretchen,
but couldn't bring myself to gamble
on the matter.
A steamer came along then, putting
importantly, sending wash almost at
my feet. I followed it with my eye
till it became lost around the bend.
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