The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-07-06

Aheh. hVh ahOtuer tnlnS, your eyes
are good I'm shape and color, but"
Miss Raveline, whose eyes had been
dropped, raised them quickly at the
"but."
But what2" she asked hesita tingly.
"Oh, well, I've no right TO criticise,"
| said, apologetically.
You have, If ask you," she re-
piled somewhat abruptly.
But still" I said, and passed on
hurriedly. "Your nose is really fine in
line and molding, though of course ii
would he better II 1t didn't turn up
just a"
at doesn't" protested Miss Ravel-
inc. GROSSLY.
mo. of course" ! hurried on. but
your hair"
"Yes; is there anything the matter
with my hairT' she asked with lofty
sarcasm.
ITS color is good" said, land as
for your complexion" hesitated.
Miss Raveline was drumming on her
fan impatiently.
"Well?" she said, almost defiantly.
81 can't see well enough in this light
to give a definite opinion" I said.
Before deciding I should like to in
spect it more closely and more thor
oughly. so to speak"
You're right. The light is bad"
she said abruptly, and got up reso-
lutely. rose after her.
81 was afraid you wouldn't like me
toto Give my opinions so bluntly,"
said timidly. "Of course, I'm sorry if
! have hurt"
What an absurdity" she said. with
hauteur. IL don't in the least mind
what you say. And you've been quite
complimentary, | suppose. Pray go
on" She reseated herself. n monu-
nent of statuesque reserve and frigid
civillty. ITS nothing to me what you
think" she said. icily
well, there is your mouth" 1 went
on very nervOusly. She turned slightly
toward me with Il lofty inclination of
her head, rs though giving me gra-
| cious permission to take liberties with
her mouth. wished that I could.
THE lips are perfect i'm color and de-
sign-so far as / can judge from n dis
tance," | explained, "but here again n
more thorough examination would be
necessary before"
"Have you nearly finished?" she
asked in her scornful voice.
II think there's only your waist left"
I ran on precipitately.
"ch, yes. my waist, of course" she
said with irony, "what are you going
to do 10 my waist?"
81 wasn't going to do anything" |
replied, but l wished I was. "It only
has always struck me as being well
proportioned and jimp, as they say in
Scotland. The stature is sufficient.
and the modelling is just-always pro-
viding that Ii is natural and not"
Miss Raveline rose for the last time,
magnificently angry. Thank you so
much for your candor," she said loft
lily.
"But-but we haven't seen this pic
ture," | urged. She paused, and then,
ignoring my remark. took one step tow
ard me. You'd better take ME down
again, think" she said, almost under
her breath, and her face quite near
me. "Why-but why?" she asked al
most tearfully, but you said l was
beautifulr'
80 you are" | answered prompt
Iy; "the most beautiful woman in the
world" She was silent, as if aston
ished. There is no beauty but has
some strangeness in the proportion" I
quoted from Bacon. "The slight tilt
of your nose"
1T isn't" she said feebly.
The faint irregularities of your face
only enhance your beauty. You are
not icily, regularly, splendidly null.
And, personally, happen to adore all
the defects in you"
Il don't see how you could do that"
said Miss Raveline in n tremulous.
half-laughing voice. But you said
my waist" She stopped
well, you see, Ion't know sfrom
personal experience" l replied. 81
dare say it is-if only knew"
'It is-it is really"
made the experiment boldly. "It is"
1 whispered, and added, "Pm sorry to
make the fourth tonight
"You might have been the first. Why
weren't you?" she asked.
well, you see, it was ali that mon
ey," 1 quoted.
"You said-you said that my lips"
YES, l must make sure was right
there" I declared, and did so.-H.
Il. Marriott Watson. in London Mail.