The Cairo bulletin., 1904-08-25
HIS OWN
HEART
BY oliver l.. Mitchell
Copyright, 1901, by X. A. Whitehead

Hes all right, Jo,' Phil said, land
hope you won't break his heart badly
enough to keep him from finishing the
story I'm to ilustrate-if you'll pose
for me-"
Joannas blue eyes danced-then, ana
little later when Phil made an IN
sufficient excuse and left them alone
Howbridge felt as IL he had been told
to play with a strange little girl 90
anna was quite at ease. The mischieV
ous freedom of her glance contradicted
tha reserve OF her bearing. HowDrldge
decided that she was fit to be the hero
Inc Of IN unusual story. She was Dlond
and beautiful and magnificently tan.
.Are YOU waiting for me to say en-
loved yonr last book p she questioned
| at last
| "Follow your conscience, MISS lreh
| ton. But did Phil make you read y!
| wouldn't mind knowing whether you
cried at the right places. Did your
He leaned toward her, His strong lace
was clean shaven. His gray eyes were
noncommittal. He had the sad mouth
and gentle manners of a humorist.
..Oh. didn't read it," she said
"Why not?'
"Reeause | did read your first book.
don't like your women I'd like 10 De
nolite. but you mentioned my CON
science"
Don't mind my feelings and tell me
what is wrong with the women in my
i tales
.Ihey are all right It's you, You
make them do what they never would
ia If their own free will. Now, you
married Fanny to that Burson. he
wasn't even interesting" He waited
for her to continue, his fertile fancy
fitting literary situations about her per-
sonality
"You can't know women very wen,
do YOU? You're too she paused
roguishly.
: .Too young?" he hazarded
~ don't know how old you feel,
: but it's not age that gives insight ~
8 II. BY the way, Mr.. Howbridge, where
:. do You get your material? For your
| new story, for instance, that's ah'
nounced for September? The title
= isn't II weak? And how do you know
d What Life Is Made orr
j Suppose / came down here just TO
J. find out?" he said mysteriousiy. fer'
r. hans YOU can show me? They say
j that women know. The story Is nara
IL begun. Can't you find me mode
for a het,,ine? 1t would be charity
to the reading public"
Joanna unused.
u "There aren't ten interesting womei
In this neighborhood. not even count
II ing my sister-in-law'-
S. "And you"
i" THANK you, since | couldn't say
E. myself
r. Their conversation was cut shor
e by the abrupt entrance OF l'hil anu III
sr wife. who liked her husbands friend
f. and had invited Howbridge to spen'
20 his six weeks vacation and write IN
H. story at ''The Place Apart" as the
lie called their summer home, which wa
Of near Phil was an illustrator, and D'
re tween him and Mrs. Phil. who ma
he, been an interior decorator, the cottag
re was a thing to dream about artisu'
v ally. They had keen sense OF WIZ
or not TO nut into house. Joanna, WI
I'd was practical, lived with them, di
~ the housekeeping, which she ioNe'
at nosed for her brother and roamed IL
to woods with her big ST. Bernard dog
n. Hovbridge was given room, a.
20 solute diHposal of his time and po
m luck in family that had all u
as charms and none of the discomforts
a. camping. Joanna treated him ike
Sc amusing playmate, teased nm aOo
Its his literary distractions and his WI
In ing and pretended to search for mo
es el for his heroine. She knew little
es hooks. but could caricature enectlv
IN ly. sing like thrush and play u
piano with musicianly instinct =
was TWENTY-FIVE and had always live
He was thirty-three and had aiwa
wrltten-with moderate success.
- Howbridge studied Joanna imp'
sonally. as he had studied all gil
since his betrothed married anoth
-, man while Howbridge was at cole
dreaming and writing her sentiment
love letters. The other man had
~ WAYS wanted her, so he stayed on !
,s snot. saw her every day and q
=. things till he got her-which iaug
az uowbridge lesson. Tie woke
-" and after that his characters We
~ more real-not like those in bis d
q, book.
rs Joanna had no heart history NJ
ny who saw much of her did. Thcy,
~ WAYS TO her surprise. feh In love
W her and to their own surprise MARI
i N,s other women and sighingly rene
bered her as a lost love when they !
ie indigestion or lost out in some pr
ect. Joanna liked men In CONRAD
way and never fiirtod. for she
g" very sincere and hated TO hurt n
thing Besides. she wanted 70 h
her heart all In one piece.
She and oliver walked and dr.
a.. and canoed together and talked mi
e., about nothing in particular ana
:. lot that they did not mean. WI
IT, was a sure method Of learning q
- others tastes. She ridiculed his g
-, monplace title and began posing
- Phil for the illustrations.
Hovbridge tried 70 get down to W
on his story. which was 10 be OF
great length and which ordinarily
.,,,ld have written I'm few days.