Smyrna times., 1901-11-20
EXCLUSIVE
RIGHTS
A Story Giving Some Excellent
Views on Flirting.
100000 oGGo oC0o o00ot


demanded Alison, with a superior air.
1T is good for one. 1t sharpens ones
intellect. 1t makes for the equality of
the sexes. It,
1T breaks numerous hearts," l mur-
INJURED.
Hearts,! Alison brought her hands
together with a movement of con-
tempt, as though she were crushing a
heart between them. What about
that?'
"Oh, nothing" replied quietly
She seemed to be annoyed because
l was not annoyed.
"Why shouldn't flirt if want to-"
she inquired again.
"Oh, why not, indeed, my dear lady,"
1 returned, and then, bowling low, l
added. Il am everlastingly at your
service"
"Y-you? Oh, couldn't firt with
you"
"Why not? If l am deficient in in
tellectual capacity accept your die
tum that the pursuit sharpens the in
tellec-you see, it might benefit me if
She looked at me with frank smile
so charming that-well, it made me
angry to think that she should flirt
with any one else.
at isn't that" she remarked bright
ly. THE fact is l don't like the heart
breaking part of the business. To en-
Joy flirting thoroughly the person one
fiirts with must be devoid of heart"
'Well?' l asked.
She shrugged her shoulders.
Pm afraid l shouldn't enjoy it with
you.'
Because have hearth"
"That, should imagine, is the infer
ence," she remarked superciliously.
l nodded.
"And is there he further Inference
that you have-er-nO heart? l asked.
"Oh, not necessarily; because She
paused and then went on: It's like
this, you see: In a Irritation the wo-
man, as a rule. is the initiator, and
that being so she is prepared to place
exactly the correct amount of impOr-
tance on anything that is said"
"In other words. she says things
which she doesn't mean and listens to
things which are also not meant. eh?"
"That, l fancy, is flirting" she said.
1 shook my head in disapproval.
''Its bad thing morally" | remark
ed. 1T tends to pervert ones sense
Of
Sense of fiddlesticks" she cried.
Really, Hector, l am surprised to
hear you. \ good Irritation is
Like imitation diamonds" l inter
rupted.
"But"-she fixed her eyes on me
"but if one doesn't want to run the risk
of losing the real
"Oh, now you are carrying the simile
too far" l said. I'm lovemaking'-
Her face assumed an expression of
utter disinterestedness.
You are beyond me now. Hector"
"In the interests of the public, flirt-
ing ought to be sternly suppressed"
said.
She laughed airily
That's because you love one wo.
man, my dear boy" She waited to see
whether l would contradict her and
then went on, Zone cannot expect a
man who is in love to tolerate the firt
ing propensity in the woman he loves :
stared hard at her. Her words
just allowed of an Interpretation other
than the one that l loved her; but
was not at all certain that a dual inter
| DretatiOn was i'm hpr mind
You mean?" I asked.
"Oh, Hector, how blind you arel
mean that you never did see any one
you cared for so much as you care fol
me. And r
She paused, and flood of tenderness.
swept over her face.
'Yes-and you?" l asked eagerly.
Surely you know" she murmured
Surely you have seem
Il haven't seen anything" 1 inter
rupted hOtly. except that you hav,
kept me hanging around you 70
months. and-and-yOu know so wei
that love you more dearly than life
A smile flashed across her face ant
the tenderness vanished.
l say? There isn't any fun in flirting
with a man of heart. You say wha
you mean and you mean what yol
say. You can't call that fun. Besides
it's very embarrassing"
l controlled myself with an effort.
81 beg you pardon. Alison" ! said
with dignity. Il quite agree with yo
there's no fun in it, and it's very EN-
barrassing-for me-"
We stood staring at each other 70
some moments. she with a smile O.
her face and | with a scowl on mine
l had been fooled once more.
l bore the silence until it threatene
to turn my brain.
''If you were a man. would deman
, an apology" | said stifly.
, "If | were a man-but men don
fiirt with each other, do theyY
l ignored the question.
"But seeing that you are woman
"Only a woman" she murmured.