The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-10-17
The Way the
Stories End
By j. A. FLYNN

"[MELL?" l asked as she laid
w down the gayly-covered mag
azine. l was sorry for the ending of
the tale, when the gray eyes ceased to
fash and the kind lips to culver.
1T is a pretty story, Mr.. Norton"
she said 80, no, you needn't shake
your head. I'm not saying so just be-
cause it's yours. IcaHnot imagine how
you could write it,"
''Pen and ink, whisky and soda, tail
or's bill as stimulus!"
"Please don't make fun. I want to
be serious" When she looks at me in
her earnest way | am helpless.
"Does that mean criticism?' I in
quired, leaning a little towards her.
Criticism and inquiry-if l mayo"
Enquiry by all means. I'm rather
afraid of your criticism, do you know"
She is very bright, and her remarks
often help me, as a matter of fact.
She opened and shut the magazine
absently.
"What I was wondering" she said,
s'was why you wrote so seriously, and
talked so frivolously; whether one
mood was the real you, and the other
a sham you; and which was which,
81 think" l protested, Il would
rather have the criticism, if you don't
mind"
She laughed softly. like her laugh.
set is rather an obtrusive question.
But should very much like to know.
You do mean ths"-she touched the
book-'a little, don't you?'
'Ye-es," l said, 81 suppose l do. I
did when l wrote it, anyhow
Sand afterwards"
II keep my seriousness for serious
occasions"
(Which is rebuke for my inquisi-
tiveness, l SUPPOSE" She flushed a
little. She is rather pale generally.
Some people woNldn't call her good
looking. l do.
81 didn't mean it to be-" l apologized.
81 ought to be fattered at your inter-
est"
sin your tales" she corrected.
'In my tales, of course. l suppose
the real answer is, that do not carry
my heart upon my sleeve"
"But you have one, all the same"
A touch of wistfu,ness makes her voice
perfect,
"Try!" l caught her eyes for a mo-
ment and stopped. l had made up my
mind to keep heart-whole before l met
her.
''Now for the criticism she con-
tinued, hastily.
"Or as large an instaliment as 1 can
stand"
'The criticism must not be misun-
derstood. You will remember, please,
that l like the tale-like it very much,
in fact" l bowed.
''The criticism is-?"
"That it is repetition of your other
tales" l gasped.
"Why. l thought it was quite differ
eutv She shook her head. Fresh
characters, 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 woman?"
"Yes." l laughed
''If you can invent a third kind of per-
son." L said, "Pll utilize it with pleas
ure. At present l haven't made the
discovery"
Don't be absurd. What I mean is
that your men and women always do
the same thing"
"Fail in love"
Exactly"
"There are lots of ways of doing it,"
suggested.
"At the present rate you will soon
exhaust them. Whatever will you do
them"
| lit a cigarette with her permission
to aid reflection.
"fw hanged if l know. I've often
wondered myself. Make them fall out
OF love, l suppose"
"And when you've exhausted that?''
snake them fall in again!" She
stamped her foot patiently.
''Do you absolutely refuse to be
original? cannot think you do your
self justice in keeping to such hack
uayed theme-though l admit you do
IL very nicely"
"T might do it better if had more
practical experience" L suggested
There IS something about her big eyes