Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1904-02-12
ABOUT A GIRL
WE DIDN'T GET

ahoWl, about the size OF a handker-
chief, and e housewifely expression
that she always dons on such occa-
slons Suddenly she glanced Up.
"Lookl Quick out Of the window,
Jack. No, the other way. There she
goes"
by Jove, what a pretty girlw ex-
claimed. who Is sheY"
'But you were looking the wrong
way" said Polly. "and that wasn't the
girl meant"
II was looking at the girl across
the street."I said, "and she was quite
the prettiest girl have ever seen
except one" added, dutifully.
Polly set the kettle down with
thump that Jared the teacups.
ITS always that way" she said,
resignedly. "The girl across the
street, like the girl he didn't get, al
ways Is a mans ideal. If he never
marrles, he carries her image about
In his heart, or her photograph about
In his pocket. and uses It for a stand
ard with which to compare all the
other women he may meet. II he
does marry somebody else she be-
comes a sweet memory that rises
every time his wife burns the biscuits
or forgets to take her hair out Of curl
papers. why is it?' and Polly tilted
her little nose upward until she look
ed almost dignifed, that the mere
fact that a girl doesn't want to marry
man makes him wild to get herT
Polly" said !, do you remember
when you we're a very little girl how
you used to lie awake nights trying
to catch Santa Claus2 Do you recol-
lect how the jam on the top shelf was
always the kind you liked best Did
you never long to see the other side
of the moon, or eat what wasn't good
for you, or play with the naughty
little girl whom you we're forbidden
to speak to? It's human nature. The
Elusive, the unattainable, the thing
we cannot get always has been the
thing we want"
Polly pushed back a little curl that
will get into her eyes, and began cut
ting lemon, meditatiely.
yes" she agreed, "but it's dlffer-
ent with woman. She always feels
a sort Of resentment toward the man
who won't fall in love with her, while
a man rather respects a woman for re-
fusing him and admires her for snub-
bing him. The longer she remains on
the other side of the street."
"That is It" broke in, the longer
she remains on the other side of the
street. But l have observed that it
Is generally very easy to cross over
yourself. and then"
"And then she is no longer the girl
across the street?" broke in Polly,
waving half a lemon triumphly.
"Then she loses her Illusion, her at
traction. It is as If you had turned
the Hmelight of 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 a
straight-front corset. The stock mar
ket falls, and you are glad to sell out
your interest IN the girl at the very
lowest figure. The very fact that she
has succumbed to your entreaties OF
your fascinations, the very fact that
she loves you, or is willing to firi
with you"
polly will you put down that lam,
on. 1t is taking the color out Of me
already"
nolt,, e,,bef5od
LET me ask YOU l went on, seri
ously, why. If you girls know all this
do you so often cross the street your
selvesT'
What do you mean7" said Polly
"You send us sofa pillows" / re
torted.
Polly WINGED.
"And necktie cases" went on
"and invite us to violet teas"
"AIr Heavyfeather," said Polly
"will you kindly pass the sugarP
passed.
Polly took two Jumps with the dig
nifty Of tragedy queen.
1T is evident" she remarked in
tone like the triekling Of ice waite
that your charms have made you
victim Of feminine attentions. But,
she continued, there are girls AM
girls. The kind TO whom you hav
reference never were like the girl Of
the other side Of the street. The.
never gave you nor any other man al
opportunity to observe them from
J dfstancep
blew the smoke Of my cigarett
+ rehectlvely. 1t is always amusing t
hear Polly talk sensibly because
well-because her pompadour is fuh
and her nose is retrousse-and in tina
nonsensical apron-well-
Yes" 1 began slowly; nov tina
you come to mention it, there wa
once a girl"
p u didn't ask for particulars, Nj
Heavyfeather."
'The most beautiful girl eve
knew
+, "wm you have some more tea, NJ
e Heavyfeather?"
"The eleverest-"
zone lump, or twoT
"The girl with the greatest amorI
OF common sense"
4 "LemonY
I. "And she was the girl across"
p Il don't want 10 knowp
'.The girl across"
Il won't listeng'
, "The girl across"
!. Polly rose In righteous wrath.
e ''The girl across the table"