The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18


tWinkling eyes, and remarked: Sir Ed
win. that be the curousest shaped man
ever ! see the measures Of. Sure it would
made q mighty handsome woman, or |
know nothing of human dimensions
Never you mind about dimensions;
make the garments as they are ordered
and keep your mouth shut, If you know
what Is - your interest. Do YOU hearY
He delivered himself of a labored wink
i do hear and understand too, and my
tongue is like the tongue of an 0belisk
In due time | brought the suits to Mary
and they were soon adjusted to her liking
The days passed rapidly. till it n
matter Of less than fortnight until the
Royal lima would san, Ana IL reaiiy
looked as II the adventure might turn
out 10 desire.
Jane was in tribulation and thought she
ought to be taken along. This, you may
be sure, was touching me very closely,
and ! began to wish the whole Internal
mess at the bottom of the sea. If Jane
" eul, Ms august NJ leStV King tie ~ Y Ill
would be without a master of dance just
as sure as the stars twinkled in the
hrmament. 1t was. however, soon de-
cided that Brandon would have his hands
more than full TO get off with one woman
and that two would surely spoil the pan
So jane WAS to he iett ben Id uf
tribulation and Indignation, firmly con-
WINGED that she was being treated very
badly.
Although at irst Jane was violently op-
posed 20 the scheme she soon caught the
contagious ardOr OF Marys enthusiasm
ana knowing that her dear ladys every
chance of happiness was staked upon the
throw, grew more rsconciled. TO per-
son of James age this venture Tor love
offers Itself as the last and only ca t
the cast for a,l-and in this particular
Case there was enough of romance to
catch The fancy OF any girl Nothing was
lacking 10 make 1t truly romantic. The
Gra'ted atscN of at cas-, "a a. ne low
ers; the rough road of their true love-
the eiooement, and, above all, the elope-
eft 10 word. Wit ~ ut
nesting in fragrant shades and glad with
the notes of love from the throats of
countless song -birds--what more could
romantic girl desire? So. to my
Sul prise. Jam became mere han recon-
Cied. and her fever of ant cipation and
excitement grew apace with Mary's as
the time drew en-.
Mary's vanity was delighted with her
elopement lrousseau. for of course it must
be Of the finest Not that the quality was
any better than her own. but the doublet
ard hose showed so differently on her.
she DaIaded fer an hour or so before
Jane. and As she became accustomed to
the new garh, and as the steel reflected a
most beautiful image. she determined 10
show herself TO Brandon and me. She
said she wanted TO become accustomed TO
being seen in her doublet and hose, and
would begin with us. She thought If she
could not bear our gaze she should surely
make a dismal failure on shipboard
among so many strange men. There was
some good reasoning in this, and 1t, to-
gether with her vanity, oVerruled her
modesty and prompted her to come to Sc
us in her character of young nobleman.
Jane made one of her mighty protests. so
infinitely disproportionate in size to her
little ladyship, but the self-w!lled Princess
would not listen 10 her. and was for COM
ing alone if Jane would not come with
her Once having determined. usual
with her. she wasted no time about 1t,
but throwing a long cloak over her shoul-
ders started for our rooms with angry,
weeping. protesting Jane at her heels.
When | heard the knock | was sure II
was the girls, for though Mary had prom
ised Brandon she would not, under any
circumstances. attempt another visit |
knew so well her utter inability TO combat
her desire and her reckless disregard of
danger where there was a motive suffi-
cient to furnish the nerve tersion, that
was sure she would come, or try to come,
again.
/ have spoken before about the quality
Of bravery. What it is. after all, and
how can we analyze it? Women. we say,
are cowardly. but / have seen woman
Ike a risk that the bravest mans nerve
would turn on edge against. How 1t is?
Can it be possible that they are braver
than We? That our bravery is of the
vaunting kind that telleth Of itself? My
answer, made up from a long life Of OBJ
servation. is: ''Yesi Given the motive.
and woman is the bravest creature on
earth. Yet how foolishly timid they are
at times
I admitted the girls. and when the door
was shut Mary unclasped the brooch at
her throat and the great cloak fell at her
heels Out she stepped, with little
laugh of delight. clothed in doublet. hose,
and confusion-the prettiest picture NOR
tai eyes ever rested on. Her hat, some
thing on the broad. fat style with single
white plume encircling the crown, was of
purple velvet trimmed in gold braid and
touched here and there with precious
stones. Her doublet was of the same pur-
pie velvet as her hat, trimmed in lace and
gold braid. Her short trunks were of
with hose OF lavender silk; and her little
shoes were of russet French leather.
Quite rainbow you will say-but such
rainbow,
admiration and could not keep from show
ing il. This disconnected the girl. and in
creased her embarrassment until we could
not tell which was the prettiest-the gar
ments. the girl. or the confusion; but this
| know, the whole picture was as sweet
and beautiful as the eyes of man would
behold.
Fine feathers will not make fine birds,
and Marys masculine attire could no
more make her look like man than har-
ness can disguise the graces of a ga
exquisite womanhood. With our looks of
astonishment and admiration Mary's
bushes deepened.
What is the matter? Is anything
Wrong?'' she asked.
Nothing is wrong" answered Brandon.
smiling in spite of himself; nothing on
earth is wrong with you. you may be
man; and one who thinks there is any
thing wrong about a perfect woman is
hard to please. But if you hatter your
self that you. in any way resemble a
man, or that your dress in the IA ntest de-
gree cOnceals your sex, you are mistaken.
1t makes it only more apparent"
"How can that be?" asked Mary, in
comical tribulation; lis not this a mans
doublet and hose and this hats 1T not
a mans hat? They are all for a man:
then why do ] not look like one, I ask?
Tell me what is wrong. OH l thought 1
looked just like man; 1 thought the dis
guise was perfect
We'll" returned Brandon. "if you will
permit me to say so. you are entirely too
Symmetrical and shapely to pass for
d man..
The flaming color was in her cheeks, as
Brandon went on: your feet are too
small even for boys feet. | don't think
you could he made to look like man if
you worked from now till doomsday."
Brandon spoke in a troubled tone, for he
was beginning to see in Mary's perfect
and irrepressible womanhood an insur-
mountable difficulty right across his path.
'As to your feet. you might find larger
shoes or. better still. jack-boots and. as
to your hose. you might wear longer
trunks. but what to do about the doublet
/ sure do not know.
Mary looked up helpless and forlorn,
and the hot face went into her bended
elbow as a realization of the situation