Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-04-07
INCORRIGIBLE
tOriginal.1

Long apartment fitted with easy
chairs, one side of glass; with view of
Hampton Roads Enter at one end of
the room a lady, at the other an artil-
lery officer
Otficer-Gwendolen!
Lady-Why, Duncan Webb!
Oficer-How' came you here?
thought you were abroad
Lady-And 1 supposed you were in
the Philippines.
Officer docking at her admiringly)-
The same feminine figure, the same in
nocent eyes!
Lady-Where was it we last met?
Officer-Have you forgotten?
Lady-At the graduating hop?
Ofiicer-After the graduating hop. I
took you home. 1t was moonlight
Lady-Was there a moon?
Officer-A full moon. 1t stood mid
way between the horizon and the meri-
dian. To the east the hills We're, biz. ok.
Over the bosom of the river the moon
light shimmered, lighting up the noun
tains to the west. The air was still.
Lady-It seems to me I remember
There was a moon.
Officer (softly)-I can feel now the
thrill that ran through my arm as your
hand rested upon it.
Lady-And IL remember what you
said to me; no, what you didn't say to
me.
Ofiicer-And your replies! All, If
they had only been sincere!
Lady-Does a man deserve sincere
replies from woman when he is, en-
gagged to three others at the same
time?
Characterization, you wrong ne.
That was mere play. l would have
been transported at one real engage
ment to fourth. But she would not.
Lady-Because she could not.
Ohcer-Could not?
Lady-She would have been a fool to
trust you.
Oficer-There is fallacy that takes
its name from toy called the thau-
matrope, a card with picture of bird
on one side and cage ON the other BY
turning the card rapidly the bird is
made to appear in the cage. By such
a process you
LADY, put you into cage?
Officer-By such process
Lady-1ou We're too wise a bird. You
of all men % talk like this. 1 gave you
all the response your words deserved.
Officer-I deserved? Why. Gwendo-
len, 1 was as putty in your hands.
Lady-Putty hardens very quickly.
Officer-So does a woman's heart on
occasion.
Lady-You men, whose game is war,
who slaughter each other, what do you
know of woman's heart? What to
you is q wound to a woman's very
soul? Less exciting than golf, more so
than pingpong.
Characterization, had 1 believed
why did you not
Lady-Display my feelings like the
| garrison flag which is saluted by the
! boom of cannon?
| Officer-Gwendolen, 1 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 tingers9
Otticer-What need for honor where
| the heart is enlisted? Oh, Gwendolen,
| many night have sat on the parapet
| 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
colonel's daughter.
officer Gmpauently) = 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-Better? You at least could not
be worse.
Ofticer-Better 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.
confess she was lovely. l caught sight
one morning of your cadet gray and
her robins egg blue winding up to
Fort Peet Well, I'm glad you've been
true to her.
Ofticer-Gwendolen, 1 swear to you
(Enter gentleman, with lady. They
approach the officer, his face turned
from them. Officer, hearing footsteps
turns.)
Lady Ito entering gentleman)-Joh
this is my old friend, Captain Duncan
Webb. Captain Webb, my husband.
Captain Webb-Well, upon my word
Married? 60 the entering LADY, Edith
this is my very dear friend, Gwendoler
Swan, now Mrs.
Lady Pope-Plain Mrs. Pope, wife OF
civilian.
Captain Webb-When did you two
meet? Mr.. Pope, l congratulate yor
upon having shared so wild bird
How did you manage it?
i Mr.. Pope-Gwendolen is this the for
mer cadet you have told me about
The one whom
Mrs pona-0Nha commonwealth thf