The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-07-02
THE WAY@
| STORIES END
BY J. A. FLYNN.
800 oo0o o00o oC0o OF


"Wen?' / asked as she laid down the
gayly covered magazine. l was sorry for
the ending of the tale, when the gray eyes
ceased to flash and the kind lips to culver.
st is pretty story, Mr.. Norton" she
said. "Oh, no, you needn't shake your
head. I'm not saying SO just because it's
yours. l cannot imagine how you could
write it."
"Pen and ink, whisky and soda, tailor's
bill as a stimulus"
"Please don't make fun. want to be
serious" When she looks at me in her
earnest way, am helpless.
'sDoes that mean criticism?' / inquired,
leaning little toward her.
"Criticism and inquiry-if may?"
Enquiry by all means. Pm rather
afraid of your criticism, do you know?'
She is very bright, and her remarks often
help me, as matter of fact.
She opened and shut the magazine alb
sently.
"What I was wondering" she said,
twas why you wrote SO seriously and
talked so frivolously, whether one mood
was the real you. and the other sham
you, and which was which,"
81 think" protested, Il would rather
have the criticism, if you don't mind
She laughed softly. l like her laugh.
at is rather an obtrusive question. But
1 should very much like to know. You
do mean this"-she touched the book
"a little, don't your"
"Ye-es," I said, Il suppose do. l did
when wrote it, anyhow"
"And afterward?"
81 keep my seriousness for serious oc-
casions."
(Which is a rebuke for my inquisitive-
ness, / suppose?' She flushed little.
She is rather pale generally. Some peo-
pie wouldn't call her good looking. | do.
81 didn't mean it to be-" l apologized
IT ought to be fattered at your inter-
est
I'm your tales" she corrected.
"In my tales, of course. l suppose the
real answer is that l do not carry my
heart upon my sleeve"
"But you have one all the sameT A
touch Of wistfulness makes her voice per-
feet.
"Try!" l caught her eyes for moment
and stopped. had made up my mind to
keep heart whole before l met her.
"Now for the criticism" she continued
hastily.
"Or as large an installment as l can
stand
ssThe criticism must not be misunder-
stood. You will remember, please, that l
like the tale-like it very much in fact. y
bowed.
1.-THE criticism is
'That 1t is a repetition Of your other
tales" gasped.
"Why, / thought it was quite differ
enty She shook her head. "Fresh char
acters, fresh scenery, new plot, original
phrases
"The machinery is different, but the
story is really the same"
'In what way? In being about man
and a woman?
Eyes" 1 laughed.
"If you can invent third kind of per-
son." said, s'I'll utilize it with pleasure.
At present haven't made the discovery"
"Don't be absurd What mean is that
your men and women always do the same
thing"
"Fall in love?"
Exactly"
'There are lots of ways Of doing it." I
suggested.
"At the present rate you will soon ex-
haust them. Whatever will you do then?'
] lit a cigarette, with her permission,
to aid reflection.
"I'm hanged If l know. I've often
wondered myself. Make them fall out of
love, suppose"
'And when you've exhausted thatY
make them fall in again. She
stamped her foot impatiently.
''Do you absolutely refuse to be orig
inal? cannot think you do yourself JUS
tice in keeping to such hackneyed theme,
though I admit you do it very nicely"
81 might do it better if l had more
practical experience" I suggested. There
Is something about her big eyes and the
little droop at the corners of her mouth
which makes fellow say that sort of
thing, you know.
"Now, remember our compact she
warned me- We were pledged to pure
" piatonic friendship I've had that sort
OF thing In my tales, but it always broke
down.
'The keeping of platonic compact"
said l, would be a novel theme, don't
you think?"
"Would it be interesting enoughY' she
asked doubtfulIy.
"There! What stronger defense could
have? / propose to leave out the love
making, and you say that the interest
would be gone" She drmmed upon the
table with her fingers.
'Surely there is some other themeY /
knocked the ash deliberately off my Gig
arctic.
"Upon my word" confessed, 'I'm not
sure that there is. But I'll think over it,"
Then her brothers came in. and we
changed the subject until. was going. 1t
is part of the compact that she shall see
me out of the door. insisted upon it.
"When shall communicate the result
Of my deliberations? / asked in the hall.
Tomorrow
"I'm going to Vereker's."
"And Wednesday Pm due at q smoker.
Thursdayr'
t'If you like"
Thursday. then. Good night, Mary"
1t is in the compact that l am not to
call her Mary, but l do. Sometimes she
objects; sometimes she doesn't. On this
occasion she only tossed her head and
half turned away from me. She is aware
that she looks we'll In profile. / suddenly
bent over her, and
'How dare your she cried hotly.
81 couldn't help it, Mary; you looked
so tempting" But she ran up stairs,
with her face scarlet.
Il. shall not be in On Thursday" she