News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-02-19
"A Lovers
. Quarrel

He thrust his hands into his peck
cts. She envied him his ability to
do so, but compromised by twisting
her fingers tightly together behind
her back.
From her standpoint she felt that
things never could be the same
again. 1t wasn't that she blamed
him for caring because she had
seen too much of Tom Wells. She
had rather enjoyed his jealousy at
first. She liked to see him standing
by, clinching his hands and growing
pale, because she knew that it was
all because of love for her. But
when the battle was finally on, when
he had got her alone and come to
the point, things changed. Instead
of having him at her mercy he some
way seemed to have her at his.
'There now, little girl, it's all
over, and we might as well kiss and
make up. I know you were thought
less. You didn't mean to hurt me
by your flirting with that little, in
significant schoolboy, so we'll for
get all about it. Come, lift up your
head, Trix, and"-
I Trix did lift up her head, but
Ewing stepped back, all at once
realizing that the lips weren't quite
as coaxingly sweet as usual. Her
chin seemed to have lost its dimple;
her eyes might have been hard if
there had not lurked in them
trace of hurt pleading. But her
voice was very calm and even as she
answered slowly:
"You seem to forget that I may
have something to say about wheth-
er or not you will kiss me; also you
don't seem to remember that you
yourself graduated only last June,
just year ahead of this other little
insignificant schoolboy. | ain al
most afraid" she went on, taking
on a superior tone Of condescension,
as though the new feminine ideas
were really rooted in her dear little
soul-"1'm almost afraid that men
who have broad shoulders and have
won questionable fame on bru-
tai football team when at college
somehow grow to let their physical
power dominate their motives as
well. Mr.. Philip Ewing, you can't
carry me before you just because
your arms are strong. A woman
admircs fine proportions in man,
but not after he betrays that his
muscle and Drawn are mightier fac
tors in his life than gentle manli-
ness. TO think about it, don't
know bat | prefer Mr.. Tom Wells
lack Of stature, with its attendant
abundance of honor and honesty,
to Mr.. Philip Ewing's six feet of
pompous stubbornness."
She was frightened at herself, for
she hadn't meant to say so much,
but when she had begun she could
not find place to stop. Then, too,
she rather enjoyed seeing him
vince, and when he drew in his
breath with a quick start of pain at
her fling at his questionable fame"
she was goaded on by an irresistible
power to show him, once for all,
that she wasn't going to be wax in
his hands. She was too angry to
consider. Pride had overpowered
her love, and as she went on the
big fellow only looked at the tiny
fury in speeches. amazement, crush
ed, hurt, astounded at her sarcastic
deluge.
At last she finished. He bowed
his head as if to 60 and then turned,
holding out the dear, strong arms,
where she would have given worlds
to creep if only she could have done
so without sacrifice of her pride,
and all he said was:
Beatrice, for heavens sake don't
make this mistake. Remember, dear,
that you once loved me; that |
was the first man you loved; that
you were the first girl | loved. You
can't 60 to some one else. won't
let another man have you and kiss
you and tell you things ] have told
you"
But this tiny embodiment of the
new woman's determination to teach
man his place set her teeth and only
smiled at him-smiled just as anus
edly as he had smiled at her in the
beginning of the little dispute which
now had reached such alarming pro-
portions.
Poor Philip stood and waited,
holding out his empty arms, and
she merely smiled. So he turned
and went, but the new woman re-
ceived a terrible shock the instant
that the door closed behind him, for
Miss Beatrice threw herself on
mountain of pillows and INDUCED in
q deluUe of GOOD salt tears. inst the