The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-01-22
AT ATMOSPHERE OF SOAP
BY f. II. LANCASTER

Copyright. 1901. by
OF the four raised voices in the Ii
brary only one was speaking in the big
mans defense. But that one was hold
ing it's own fairly well until some
body. a man, spoke out in bitter con-
domination:
And he carries with him eternally
An atmosphere of scented SOAP
1t was then that the thin. wiry voice
first made itself heard. striking across
the silence of dumb CONSERVATION.
He is dentist and has to wash his
hands a hundred times day
No matter" retorted the gentleman
OF the opposition. "a man may wash
his hands five hundred times a day
without turning himself into per-
fumery shop.
Against such arguments even the
thin voice hesitated about finging a
missile. Woman-iike she changed her
ground and cIamor of tongues flied
the room.
That night the big man went to call
on the girl with the thin voice. She
smelt the soap in the hall.
cit would never be necessary for
him to send up card. Every one is
familiar with his favorite brand, and
it is loud enough TO make itself heard
on the sixth floor. No wonder he has
never married. Imagine any woman
consenting to share such an atmos-
phere!"
Then they laughed. even that other
one who had tried to defend him in
the beginning. And the gentleman
who lead the opposition had turned
deliberately and looked at her. The
girls cheeks famed anew at the re-
membrance and this time their fire
was wholly of righteous Indignation.
For her part she much preferred scent
ed hands to unsavory manners. She
opened the parlor door with sting OF
recklessness in her mental attitude.
What is wrong?" he asked as soon
as they had shaken hands.
Il have been thinking she an
swered with rather savage determine
tion
The big man smiled upon her, lazily
genial. 1T appears to have been a
disturbing experience" he commented
at length.
"It always is" she turned to look at
him. He sat in the full light. calm
of brow and lip, with that ever-pres-
ent suggestion of broad tolerance
and scented soap. The girl shrank
little into the shadow.
IF it is a fair question. what were
those troublesome thoughts?'
II don't imagine l could manage
more than one. I never venture into
the plural with thought. l was think
ing what sharp contrasts our reals
strike with our ideals. We are never
what we imagine we are or would like
to be-"
why, don't know" he studied the
outline of her head with satisfied eyes.
Aren't You what you would like to
be?"She questioned dreamily.
Il? was not thinking of myself"
$50 it Is l who am falling SO far
short" he remarked good-naturedly
Don't take the trouble to deny it.
know by your manner that it was one
of us"
But l didn't mean"
He smiled encouragingly. go on"
81 didn't mean that you fell short
of MY meant that you probably fell
far short of your own Ideals
He paused a moment to enjoy her de-
licious confusion. What do you fan
cy my ideal would be liked?" he asked.
"Oh, big and strong and sensible and
way above anything little or foppish"
And / am none of these good
things?"
ooh, yes, you are. You are all of
them"
The big man thought moment
Then where does the sharp contrast
come in?" he asked.
81 don't know" she stammered
Then with a plucky resolve not to give
over the game, answered: AT any
rate, you don't mean to be foppish-
if you really appear to be-
eff | ann" 1t never occurred to him
to be angry; her bushes were too
tempting.
About the perfumery, you know"
But ! do not use perfume"
But you do" She paused to pull
her pluck together. You do use scent
led soap that is outlsndish. 1t smells
to heaven