The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-08
A QUESTION OF AFFINITY.


But you forget that the poets-and
surely they are sensitive enough to
/ higher infuences-have always been in
| love more than once" She stood with
the fire glow bringing out the sheen in
the silk Of her gown and her hair; her
eyes followed one doubtful sDire OF fame
that rose hopelessly each time and then
fell into darkness
mo, do not forget" he answered.
but Go not consider that tae loves of
a poet prove multiplied aninities to be
natural. They may sing beautifully to
Claribei, Isabelle and Marion all in turn,
because they are emotionally without
balance. but"
Take Goethe, then she interrupted
with impotence, he was more than q
poet he lived in nature, was a SCENT
Ist, he lived IN music and literature.
Think Of his great development, and
then remember to how many women he
made love, because in each one he found
something which appealed to some phase
of his development" She turned from
the fire and looked at the man flung
across the end OF a couch, his elbows
buried IL crimson cushion, his head in
his hands. There was no light in his
face except that reflected from the FIRE
ana the chance CLEAN Of rose-shaded
lamp at the far end Of the room. He
was taking her argument as seriously
as she herself.
And what would he have amounted
to- she went on. eff he had married
young and had never met these other
women except as a good citizen and
a prosperous parent
He raised his eyes to her profile sill
hOuetted against a bronze shield hang
ing above the fireplace Il wonder if
You are sure Of your point of view. Sup
pose Goethe, and not his biographers,
We're here to analyze the influences of
his love affairs; the effects of the first
love that he won from the little girl
who used to talk to him over the hedge,
or the influence of Charlotte Won Stein,
or OF any one of the interesting love at
fairs-yOu would think him a brute;
don't you know you would?" He wait
ed for the answer.
NO" she hesitated, ''but it wouldn't
be natural for him to do that-tO talk
Of the different women he had loved"
That's just it. he broke in languidly.
He would have forgotten them entirely
mystery and freight before him.
She made no answer.
But suppose" he continued, that
the women were here TO tell You what
they had given him; the fresh beauty
Of a young girls love, the sympathy
Of one who understood him and learned
love from him, and the full love of ex-
perience-the passionate love of q wo-
man. And suppose each one told you
how he took these gifts and used them,
forgetting the giver. Would you still
think him right?' He had reused TO
seat himself opposite the quiet figure
near him.
Perhaps they had learned what he
habitat no one person can perfectly
understand another; perhaps they did
not give him all of their soul-and body.
AID 4, che 10
crisply-"they had to pay the price of
ignorance-the heaviest price to pay
$50 you believe il true for women
too he questioned, that they should
not look for the one soul, the affinity
the one who is to be more than all to
them You believe, rather, that they
should give some fragrance of their love
to many-you do not suggest, of course, /
more than a gift Of the fragrance" He
kept his eyes steadily on the irelit pic
lures in the Persian rug.
fragrance" she repeated yes, only
the fragrance unless it be so weak that
the whole flower must be crushed to
make the perfume strong" She turned
YEARLY and sank into a chair.
He looked the doubt of her meaning.
at cannot be possible that you believe |
then began again: Tell me, Arna, |
there is one love that is greater than
al others, and for that men and women
should hope, for that they should live.
Am I not right"
why should you be right?" she rose
fercely, as though throwing far from
her the burden of a thought. 'Why !
should YOU hope for what may not come, /
lost in the hope OF an illusion, unalive
to ali that is about us-to all that Of
fers itself, while we are waiting with |
eyes shut and our hands over our ears, !
listening TO voice that may never
speak outside our own thougbts?" She /
confronted him; she stood tall and slim, /
with her hands clasped behind her head /
the mastery of an importunate ques- |
Ion in her pose.
He looked at her from the distance to /
which her question had thrust him /
You would not be dismayed, then, to 1
have a man ask you to so a short ways 1
with him, leaving you your freedom TO /
turn back at any time and giving him /
the right of leaving you at the next /
of his Development"
''I-you are making it PERSONAL have /
not thought his look Of skepticism con-
centrated her expression. Yes, I VIII /
be honest. I would rather go with him
rs far as the crossroads and part than /
be left at the first stile OF conventional
acquaintance" She stopped, with the
wide eyes Of 1f-discovery.
Iy. you are brave; I almost said
bold. But you may he sure the man
would never wish to leave you at the
though he might ask you TO
take the slipper Of the two ways with
him. I wonder, though, unused, If you
would waken to any sympathy for the
women he had left at the earlier turn
ing points Of his life. or perhaps you
would envy them that they had been
eft A dark furrow Of doubt brought
his heavy brows together. you have
confused me, he spoke apologetically.
i am listening TO you as though I be-
ieved you meant what you say
THE reward Of honesty she said,
ool1ing him straight IN the eyes" IS
never TO be believed"
"Yet that is safer" he added, as
hough she had not spoken, Ear safer
lOt to believe you. I should not dare
20 test you by any personal history Of
ny development. I shouldn't dare To
Ell you that 1 broke a girls heart be-
'ause / outgrew her, nor that I laid
uy nexe development at the feet Of a
married wouan-the wife OF q friend
hat she WIS pleased with It. accepted
{, kept it until I had to tear it from
Ter when she would hinder its larger
growth. Above all. I shouldn't dare to
ell you that IN the next epoch I made
owe 70 an artist, en- English actress
max she married me. ara Lnatr althoN&n
have outgrQwn her ideals and aspira-
ions TO the point 81 mutual separation
have not yet found sufficient excuse
% offer society FOR leaving her, unless
81 stopped MS strides up s1d dcWn the
Dom ana faced her-''l5niess offer her
he excuse by starting FOR the next goal
X my ambition with woman VINO
would not mind being LETT at the inevfta-
Sc crossroads
sire had s~aun hack into tl,a sl,eaovr
'Gt her es-es shone with the briluance or
new-aWakencd fear. her lips moved .
without sound Suddenly she threw her