The Jersey City news., 1903-02-05

lContlIllea.l.

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(Continued.)
rive are on his maJesty'a BUSINESS"
1 with an intonation which implied that
The same was none of mine. s.Gret-
chen. we shall return tonight. so you
may lay two plates at a separate ta-
ble,a with an eye on me. He couldn't
have hated me any more than hated
him. ''Then there is no way of getting
kissg'
NO" said Gretchen.
"Then I'll blow you one.s and Gret-
chen made pretty courtesy.
| nearly bit the amber stem off my
/ pipe. They were soon gone, and was
! glad of it.
''Herr Jack is angry said Gretchen.
Not at all. growled. What right
have to be angry?"
Does Herr Jack wish Gretchen al
ways to be sad r
Certainly not, but sometimes your
/ joy is>irritating You are sad all day;
then some strangers come, and you are
all smiles. Your smiles do not come in
my direction as often as | should like"
We'll, then, look at me" said Gret-
chen.
The smile would have dazzled an an
know whether he loved her for GER
/ tain, but who was willing TO give odds
! that he did.
"Gretchenr' l cried, starting toward
( her.
But, with low laugh, she disap-
peared behind the door, Gretchen was
woman. AS man must have his to-
bacco, SO must woman have her CO.
/ Quetry 1t was rather unfair of Gret-
chen after what | had promised 1t
was like getting one in cage and then
/ offering sweetmeats at safe distance.
1t now became question of analysis.
So ! went to the river and sat down in
the grass. A gentle wind was stirring
the leaves. and the sunbeams, filtering
through the boughs, fell upon the
ground in golden snowf1akes. What
/ was Gretchen to me that should grow
/ jealous of her smiles? The night be-
fore l could have sworn that loved
her; now / was not so sure. A week
ago all the sunshine in the world had
come from Phyllis face; now shadow
had come between Oh. knew the
symptoms! They were not new to me.
They had visited me some five years
back and had elung to me with the te-
nacity of creditor to man with ex-
pectations. When a man arrives at
that point where he wants the society
of one woman all to himself. the mat
ter assumes serious proportions. And
a man likes to fall in love with one wo-
man and continue to love her all his
days. 1t is more romantic. 1t annoys
him to face the fact that he is about to
/ fall in; love with another. In my case
I felt that there was some extenuation.
Gretchen looked like Phyllis When I
saw Gretchen in the garden and then
went to my room and gazed upon the
likeness of Phyllis, was much like
the bachelor Heine tells about dod-
/ dered.
The red squirrel in the branches
above me looked wise. He was won
dering how long before the green burs
would parch and give him their brown
chestnuts. was contemplating a
metaphysical bur. wanted to re-
main true to Phyllis, though there
wasn't any sense in my doing so. Had
Gretchen resembled any one but Phyl-
lis | never should have been in such
a predicament. should have gone
away the day after my arrival. Here
] was going into my second week. Ny
assistant in London was probably wor-
rying, having heard nothing from me
/ during that time. As matters stood
it was evident that could not be true
either to Phyllis or Gretchen since
/ did not know positively which l loved.
knew that loved one. SO much was
gained. wanted to throw up coin,
heads for Phyllis, tails for Gretchen,
but I couldn't bring myself to gamble
on the matter.
A steamer came along then, putting
| Importantly, sending wash almost at
my feet. l followed it with my eye
till it became lost around the bend.
Over there was Austria and beyond
| the orient, new world to me.
If | could see them together!' !
mused aloud
The squirrel cooked his head to one
side as il to ask, Austria and Tur-
key ?'''
No said / looking around for an
other stick, Phyllis aud GSstchen. II
! could see them together, you know,
could tell positively then which I
love. As it Is I'm in doubt. Do you
understand
The squirrel ran out to the end Of
the limb and sat down. 1t was an act
OF deliberation.
/ s'Well, why don't you answer?''
| I was startled TO nay feet by the
laughter which followed my question.
| A few yards behind me stood Gret-
| chen.
Cant you find a better conadante'
! she asked
Yes, but she will not be my conf
dant, said 1 I wondered how much
| she had heard Of the one sided dia-
logue. 'sWill you answer the question
| just put to that squirrel Of yours n
And what was the question:" with
/ Innocence not fefgned.