The daily Alaskan., 1904-08-04
INCORRIGIBLE
IOrlRlnnLl

| SCenc.--HOtcl Gt Old IOnt ColutOrt. Long apartment fitted with easy chairs, one side of glass, with a view of Hampton Roads. Enter at one end of the room lady, at the other an artil- lery officer,
 Omcer-Gwendolenl
 Lady-Why, Duncan Webb!
 Omccr-How came you here? l thought you were abroad.
 Lady-And l supposed you were in the Philippines.
 Officer 0oGdng at her admiringly)- The same .E3ninine lSA.c, the same in- nocent cycsf
 Lady-WhCre was 1t we last met?
 Officer Have you forgotten? Lady-At the graduating hop?
 Oniccr-After the graduating hop. l took you home. 1t wgs moonlight
 Ludy-Was there a moon?
 OGicer-A full moon. It stood mid way between the horizon and the meri- dian. To the east the hills were black. Over the bosom of the river the moon light shimmcred. lighting up the noun taius tO the west. The air was still.
 Lady-It seems to me l remember There was a moon.
 Officer (softlyl-I can feel now the thrill that ran through my arm as your hand rested upon it.
 Lady-And IT remember what you said to me; no, what you didn't say to me.
 Omccr-And your replies! An, if they had only been sincere!
 Lady-Docs a man deserve sincere replies from a woman when he is en- gagged to three others at the same time?
 Officer Gweudolen, you wrong me. That was mere play, I would have been transported at one real engage mcnt to a fourth. Gut she would not,
 Lady-Bccause she could not
 Officer Could aG.?
 Lady She would have been a fool to trust you
 Omcer-Thcrc is a fallacy that takes | its name from a toy called the thau- matropc, a card with picture of bird on one side and a cage on the other By turning the card rapidly the bird is made t9 appear in the cage. By such a process you-
 L0dy-I put you into cage?
 Omcer-By such a process
 Lndy-You were too wise a bird. You of all men to talk like this. l gave you au the response your words deserved.
 Omccr-I deserved? Why. Gwcndo- len. I was as putty in your hands.
 Lady-putty hardens very quickly.
 Oficcr-So does a wCman's heal, on occasion.
 Lady-Iou men, whose game is var, who slaughter each other, what 63 you know of a wom0n's heart? What to you is wound to a woman's very soul? Less exciting than goif, more so than pinEpong.
 Omccr-Gwcndolcn, had I believed why did you not
 Lady-Disploy my feelings like the garrison flag which is saluted by the boom of cannon?
 Omcer-GNrndolen, I swear on the honor of an officer
 Lady-Which in all things save love is of the highest order and In love not worth that. Snaps her fngersD
 Omcer-What need for honor where the heart Is enlisted? Oh, Gwendolcn, many a night l have sat on the par0pet while the moon-the moon that looked down on us so softly that night-shone on the incoming waves
 Lady Playing your guitar to the coloncTs daughter.
 Officer Gmpatiently) - Gwendolen' enough of this. Answer me-are you still free?
 Lady-Oh, go on about the moon, shine. It's delightful.
 Oficer-You are laughing at me as you did before. You cannot now; you shall not We are older; we are bet ter
 Lady-Bcttcr? You at least could not be worse.
 Omcer-Bettcr or worse, for five years have been true to one love.
 Lady-Now l remember. There was blue eyed, blond haired girl at the Point that summer. a dainty creature, whose voice was as soft as her eyes. l confess she Was lovely. I caught sight one morning of your cadet gray and her robins egg blue winding up to Fort Feet. Well. I'm glad you've been true to her. Officer Gwen. l swear to you
 Entcr gentleman, with lady. They approach the officer his face turned from them. Officer, hearing footsteps, turnsD
 Lady Cto entering gcntleman)-JOhn, this is my old friend, Captain Duncan Webb. Captain Webb, my husband.
 Captain Wobb-WcIl, upon my word! Married? CTo the entering lady) Edith, | this is my very dear friend, GwendOlen