Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-07-06
Ole Way Stories
AAASs Black and White. \


"Well?" i asked as she lay down the
gaily-covered magazine. i was sorry
for the ending of the tale. when the
grey eyes ceased to flash and the kind
lips to culver.
1T is a pretty story. MI. Norton"
she said. 20, no, you needn't shake
your head. I'm not saying so just be-
cause it's yours. / cannot imagirs how
you could write it,"
Pen and ink, whisky and soda, tall
or's bill as a stimulus!"
Please don't make fun. / wan to
be serious" When she looks at me in
her earnest way l am helpless.
Docs that mean criticism ?" in
CURED, leaning a little towards her.
criticism and inquiry-if / may?"
Inquiry by all means. I'm rather
afraid of your criticism. do you know
she is very bright, and her remarks Of
ten help me, as Il matter OF fact.
She opened and shut the magazine
a%bsently.
What l was wondering she said,
was why you wrote SO seriously, and
talked so f~rivolously; whether one
mood was h real you. and the other
a sham you; and which was which,"
Il think" / protested, II would
rather have the criticism, If you don't
mind"
She laughed softly. I like her laugh.
ut Is rather an obtrusive question.
But | should very much like to know.
You do mean this"-she touched the
book-"a little, don't you?'
"Ye-es," l said, Il suppose 1 do. 1
did when ] wrote it, anyhow"
And afterwards?"
Il keep my seriousness for serious
occasions
which is a rebuke for my inuu;sl-
~tiveness. i ~suppose?" She flushed n lit
tie. She is rather pale geIierally. Some
people wouldn't call her good looking.
/ do.
II didn't mean to be-" I a~pologized.
Il ought to be battered at your inter-
est"
I'm your tales" she corrected.
I'm my tales, OF course. suppose
the real answer is, that 1 do not carry
my heart upon my sleeve"
But you have one all the same % A
touch OF usefulness makes her voice
perfect.
"Try!" I caught her eyes for a mo-
ment and stopped. l had made UP NV
min to keep heart-whole before I
met her.
Now for the criticism" she contin-
ued hastily.
"Or as large an instalment as I can
stand" ~
The criticism must not be
stood. You VIII remember, please, that
/ like the tale--like It very much I'm
fact" / bowed.
THE criticism is-?"
That 1t is a repetition OF your other
tales" 1 gasped.
why ! thought 1t was quite differ
ert!' She shook her head. Fresh
characters, fresh scenery, new plot,
original phrases"
THE machinery is different, but the
story is really the same"
I'm what way? In being about a
man and a woman?"
Yes" / laughed.
IF you can invent a third kind of
person." l said. "Tll utilize 1t with
pleasure. At present l haven't made
the discovery"
Don't be absurd. What / mean is
that your men n women always DO
the same thing"
Fall in love?'
Exactly"
There are lots or ways of doing 1t"
l suggested.
A the present rate you Will soon
exhaust them. Whatever will you do
Them"
1 lit a cigaret, with her permission.
to aid reflection.
I'm hanged IL 1 know. I've often
wondered myself. Make them fall out
OF love, / suppose"
And when you've exhausted that?''
Make them fall in again!" She
stamped her DOT impatiently.
DO you absolutely refuse to be orig
inal? / cannot think you do yourself
justice in keeping TO such a hackneyed
theme-though I admit you do it very
nicely"
II might do It better IL I had more
practical experience" / suggested.
There Is something about her big eyes
and the little droop at the corners OF
her mouth which makes q fellow say
that sort of thing. you know.
Now remember u compact" she
warned me. We were pledged to q
purely platonic friendship. I've had
that sort Of thing In my tales, but II
always broke down.
"The keeping of a platonic compact
said ], would be a novel theme, don't
you think?"
she asked, doubtfully.
There! What stronger defense could
j have? / propose to leave out the
love making, and you say that the In
terest would be gone" She drummed
upon the table with her fingers.
Surely there is some other theme? p
I knocked the ash deliberately off my
.1garet.
upon my word" I 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 I was going
1t is part of the compact that she shall
see me out OF the door. / insisted up
on II.
when shall / communicate the re-
suit of my de~liberations?" / asked in
the hall. Tomorrow"
I'm going to Workers.
And Wednesday, I'm due at a smok-
er. Thursday"
IF you like"
Thursday, then. Good night, Mary
1t is in the compact that / am not to
call her Mary, but / do. Sometimes she
objects, sometimes she doesn't. On this
occasion she only tossed her head. and
half turned from me. She Is aware
hat she looks well In profile. / sudden
ly bent over her. and
How dare you!" she cried, hotly.