Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-12-26
THE GIRL
ACROSS
THE STREET.

1.-THE STREET.:
~<>>~~e~ s~~eeeeeee>~e~>~~v
Polly sat on the other side of the
table making tea. She wore a ridicu-
lous little apron (fOr nothing but show
about the size of a handkerchief: and
housewifely expression that she al
ways donS ON such occasions. Sudden
ly she glances up.
Look! Quick! OFT of the winaow,
Jack. No, the other way. There she
goes"
BY Jove. what pretty girl" l ex-
claimed. who is she!''
But you were looking the wrong
way" said Polly, land that wasn't the
girl I meant"
Il was looking at the girl across the
street" l saiu. and she was quite the
prettiest girl | have ever scen-excapt
one" | added dutifulIy.
Polly set the kettle down with a
thump that Jared the teacups.
"Of course she was." she exclaimed.
There isn't man living who doesn't
worship some girl across the street.
She's like the girl you couldn't get, the
fish you didn't catch and the cake you
didn't eat"
But that girl! Why. Polly, she was
Titan"
"Per-oxide!"
and Gibson"
Connected"
And Burne-Jones-"
Loud"
ALL in one:"
Polly sighed as she turned to put a
light under the kettle.
''It's always that way" she said re-
signedly. "The girl across the street.
mans ideal. If he never marries. he
carries her image about in his heart or
her photograph about in his pocket and
uses it for a standard with which to
compare all the other women he may
meet. If he does marry somebody else
she becomes sweet memory that rises
every time his wife burns the biscuits
Or forgets to take her hair out or curl
papers. Why it ISL" and Polly tilted
her little nose upward until she looked
| almost dignified. that the mere fact
that a girl doesn't want to marry a
man makes him wild to get herr"
Polly" said I, do you remember
when you were very little girl how
you used to lie awake nights trying to
catch Santa Claus? Do you recollect
| how the jam on the top shelf was al
ways the kind you liked pest? Did you
| never long to see the ether side of the
moon, or eat what wasn't good fer you.
or play with the naughty little girl
whom you were forbidden to speak to?
| It's human nature. The Elusive. the
unattainable. the thing we cannot get
always has been and always will be the
thing we want"
| Polly pushed back a little curl that
will get into her eyes. and began cut
! ting lemon meditatively.
| YES" she agreed. but it's differ
ent with woman. She always feels
a sort Of resentment toward the man
who won't fall in love with her. while
4 man rather respects woman for re-
| fusing him. and admires her for snub-
| bling him. The longer she remains on
the other side of the street."
That is it, broke in, 1.-The longer
she remains on the other side of the
street. But l have observed that it is
generally very easy to cross over your
self, and them
| And then she is no longer the girl
across the street" broke in Polly, wav-
ing half lemon triltm Dhantly. Then
she loses her Illusion. her attraction. 1t
is as if you had turned the limelight
| off of the leading lady in the play. Her
Titan hair becomes red: you observe
| that her nose turns up at the end: her
diamonds are only paste. and her figure
| is nothing more nor less than the result
| of wearing straight front corset. The
stock market fails and you are slad
| to sell out your interest in the girl at
| the very lowest figure. The very fact
| that she has succumbed to your en-
treaties or your destinations. the very
| fact that she loves you. Or is willing to
fiirt with you----"
| Polly, VIII you put down that leM-
| on. It's taking the color Cut of me al
ready"
Polly subsidized.
let me ask YOU" went on serious
IL. why, If you girls know all this. do
| you so often cross the street your
selves?"
What do you mean?" said Polly.
You send us sofa pillows" retort-
| ed. Polly WINGED
"Ahd necktie cases" went on, "and
invite lis to violet teas"
Polly nearly burned her nose trying
| 20 look into the Kettle.
And you call on our mammas and
make them sewing bags. And our sis
tiers have more feminine friends than
any other girl in the neighborhood.
Mr.. Heavyfeath her" said Polly, will
you kindly pass the sugar."
I passed.
| Polly took two Jumps with the dig
nifty of tragedy queen.
| at is evident" she remarked in a
tone like the trickling of ice water
that your charms have made you a