Middletown transcript., 1903-10-31
accompaniments.-

sing yourself?
Hardly; my vocal powers limit them
selves to one comic song for the mess
room, he laughed. But am passion
ately fond of music of any kind.
Bad music? Gladys asked, raising her
eyebrows.
No-smiling. And I cannot endure
English music. In my opinion no Eng
lishman is capable Of composing at all.
Oh, those airs-popular airs, with varia-
tions, as if the piano had suddenly been
seized with a fit of stammering and could
not hammer the air out-they drive me
mad!
When my hand is better, said the girl
gravely, I will play you "Home, Sweet
Home," with variations arranged by
our schoolmistress at-at home-our VIII
laga schoolmistress. It is treat am
sure you will enjoy.
beg you will not, he replied; though
I am sure, played by you, any air or ar
rangement would sound well. Yet,
while there are the glorious compositions
of Beethoven and Mozart, to say nothing
of the modern composers of the foreign
schools, it seems pity to neglect them
for conglomerations of notes which can
scarcely be dignifed by the name OF
music.
Oh, what disquisition! Gladys cried.
Would you mind saying it over again?
You are satirical, he said, smiling.
Not at all. I am only not blue-stock-
ing, she returted.
Heaven forbid! he calculated fervently.
There is nothing SO dreadful as blue
stocking.
Dear me, said Gladys demurely, l won.
der what sort of women you do like!
They were once more alone, for Mrs.
Mcdonald had gone to finish her letter to
her boy Robert.
The sort of woman like, said Gerard,
leaning his arms upon the table and
looking straight at her, is gentle.
Yes?
Gentle in every way-by birth, by ed
ucation, by nature.
Humph, said the girl doubtfully-a sort
of tame sheepl Go on.
Not at all. She is gentle; her voice is
low and sweet.
l have heard that in song somewhere,
Gladys interrupted. Oh, I know; it is
"Annie Laurie" of course Yes, that is
it. Well, Mr.. Fame, go on.
Being gentle, she should also be yield
ing, to certain persons; she should look |
to a stronger arm for aid, and not rely |
only on herself.
All, as / did to you this afternoon! put
in Gladys carelessly. But, if neither you
nor any one else had happened to be
there, ! should have been in nice fix.
l think you were in nice enough fix,
as it was, he answered.
Oh-with sight was awful! Well,
go on with your description of the ideal
I think that is all gentle, loving,
yielding and clinging always to stronger
nature than her own.
In fact, the typical ivy twining round
the oak, Gladys laughed. Now shall l
tell what other characteristics your fault
less white cat has? Yes? Then you may
take my word for i'll am only twenty
years old, but 1 have not passed those
twenty years with my eyes shut-that a
great truth lies in the old proverb that
"Still waters run deep" They do run
deep-so deep that you never reach the
bottom. Your pussy y-cat, Who turns up
the whites OF her eyes and cIings to you
who can't buy bonnet or wlite letter
without your help, who dares not walk
the length of the street alone, who in
other words plays the role OF the ivy to
your oak, is one huge deception.
Why?
Well, if you have been brought up
from childhood with her, well and good;
but il you only meet her at one, two, or !
;hree and twenty, does it never occur to |,
you that she may have played the role of Z
he ivy before? She has, depend upon
t, made use Of all those little tricks of
and homage to half dozen
nen before you. And whyP Because
nen are SO vain, so easily attracted by a !,
title f1attery. that hers is the least diff
ult way of conquering them-and the
most ignoble. Shall tell you my idea
4 a true woman? She should have spirit; :
n, call it temper if you will! She should y
woke respect. She should permit none d
t those Sights and careless imperti-
ences which your white cat would pass Z
yer without rebuke; familiarity with Z
er should not breed contempt. She =
hould not be treated as toy or play
hing, as an inferior creature, bnt as an Z
quail. There, is not that an Grafton for 4
ou? she concluded. (
Perhaps combination of the two would <
g an improvement, said Gerard gravely. Y
My ideal would be gentle, my ideal }
.ould know when to yield. Just COM J
are the two-yours, gentle. yielding, (
inging; mine, gentle, wise, firm, true, +
ignifed. They will not bear eompari- \
IN. x
No. Now give me your ideal of a man. y
Oh, 1 have not one! she cried hastily, Z
nd flushing all over her face. l had T.
ne, but-but- o.
But what2
Oh, he was like Dagon, he came to
ref! But then he was only an ideal,
OF a real man of flesh and blood, any
ore than your white cat was. ~
Miss Bransconfbe, said Gerard, will you i
II me something?
Certainly.
Was your ideal woman real?
OF course not-and Gladys laughed. NJ
He looked little disappointed. e
1 thought it might bs yourself.
/? Oh, no! l am cowardly-very. as
,u have seen-fanciful, horribly impul-
We, sometimes obstinate, not very wise, r
,ough I hope l am always true. am q