Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23

The man who came often being wise IN
his generation made no audible comment,
but he grinned, and Nancy resented the
grin.
"Oh. yesi of course you think that be-
cause l straighten my hat every time l pass
a mirror, and because l like pretty clothes,
I'm vain; but that isn't vanity. 1t is habit.
Vanity is something bigger than that, and
I've always feared l had the big kind; but
my mind is relieved. I've conciusively
proved that my sense of humor takes up all
the space that is usually given over to van
ity in a woman's head"
who was the MANI" asked the blower
of smoke-rings, who occupied the divan.
why should there be a man in it?' pro-
tested Nancy holly. Positively, the ego
tism of men is colossal. The pyramids
ought to be knocked out of the list of the
seven wonders of the world and masculine
egotsm put in their place. A man thinks
woman cannot do anything, think anything,
feel anything. unless Il man is concerned.
For my part, / could jog along very comfor-
tably if there should be another flood. and
the new ark could accommodate only the
feminine things. To be sure. there
man in this story, but he was quite acciden-
tai l know lots of interesting stories that
haven't man even in their prologues
epiIogues AS for a man who grinS like
Cheshire cat l wouldn't put him in any
sort of story. He isn't nit for anything
literally except a tooth-powder advertise
ment.'
Tell me the story" urged Bobby, I'M
moved by abuse and grinning more cheer
fully than ever. Nobody really minds
Nancys bad temper. Only homely women
are forced to choose between excessive ami
ability and unpOpularity.
This story goes back to the creation"
began the girl without vanity.
Passions au deluge," quoted her audience
entredtlnSiy. She frOWned him down.
Jack button and 1 were born next door
to each other
This sounds familiar. Were there apple
trees in the garden:
There were and we ate the green apples
with salt, and obtained a knowledge of evil
that kept our mothers awake nights.
Really though, you know, Jack was very
nice little boy-no such muff as Adam. He
always did things first. and invited me into
the game and never peached, and always
took whippings for both of us. The modern
Adam may be just as sinful as the old
Adam but at least he has learned to lie
like gentleman.
We'll, Nancy never can get fair run
ming start until she has said "welr'-'Jack
went away to school and we moved to New
York, and l didn't see him again or hear
anything about him until this fall. One
day l went to a clubs ladies day. Some
one said, May l present DR.. Dutton? and
there was Jack. He was a splendid big
fellow, with grave eyes and a Van Dyke
beard and nice voice | knew him at once,
but he didn't recognize me until l spoke
Putting up ones hair and putting down
ones skirts and wearing New York clothes
does make difference you know. The
last time Jack had seen me l had mop of
short hair and a short checked pinafore
and no shoes or stockings and | was hang
ing out of the big elm tree at the front
gate to watch him go by to the train
When l gurgled Jack he knew. We fell
upon each others necks and went off to
corner and SCandaliZed my cEaperon. He
surgeon quite a famous if
you please, and he lived near US. He
wanted to call that night and take me to
the theater the next night and play golf
with me on Saturday. 1t seemed almost
like a special providence that you had
gone to California two days before and
made room for him"
You didn't say anything about him in
your letters" said Bobby, studying a par
ticularly fat smoke ring with deep inter
est.
Nancy looked surprised
Now. why should l write to you about
him? You and he hadn't any early asso-
Citations to bind you together. l thought
you would rather hear about me-
It's exceedingly difficult to get a snap
shot of you without finding a man in the
picture I'm reconciled to groups. When
there is man in your letters l know
I'm getting expurgated editions. and l re-
sent it, Now, about this surgeon
He was very nice
we are all nice when sufficiently in
love"
You should take the treatment Bobby"
''If l were any nicer than l you would
marry me. and then who would entertain
me? Does surgeon in love show the or
binary symptoms?'
Nancy laughed.
The symptoms aren't different, but there
were complications in this case"
Mother objeCt?"
'Oh, dear, no. That wouldn't be COM
plicaton She has always objected TO you"
Your mothers anxiety is the only thing
that encourages me- sighed ROhhN Go
on with the story"
People talked a good deal They hoped
l was going to be sensible at last and
marry an eligible man. Do you know
Bobby, I've been great benefactor TO my
social circle. They must talk, and to pro-
vide them with fresh material is my chief
aim in life. I'm thinking of starting club
for the promotion of polite conversation
each member guaranteeing to furnish a GER
tain number of acts that would provide
food for gossip every fortnight There
would be woman's club uniting entertain
ment and philanthropy, which is more than
most of them can do"
Bobby shook his head.
"Supererogation, my dear child. Indi-
yidual feminine folly and feminine magma
lion will keep the wheels of gossip running
Organization and united effort aren't neces-
sary. Just go on doing your best alone
So far you haven't anything to reproach
yourself with. You can be relied upon for
1t least one topic a fortnight, and when
things are slow I'm always on hand to fur
nlsh material"
No one except mother talks about you
any more. She has no confidence in my
common sense. I'm much more rational
Than my family believes. I've always under
stood, Bobby, that you were impossible
person"
Make it improbable" suggested the det-
rimental, seTenely.
Mother liked Jack"
How much was his practice worth?"
And they call women cats. Bobby, she
loved him for his personal charms and vir-
tues. So did l. I've always said l wouldn't
marry doctor, but surgeon isn't so bad.
Patients don't make up their minds in the
middle of the night to have their legs cut
of, and a surgeon can take his wife to
evening functions without having mes
sengers tumblng up the front steps after
him all evening. l had come round TO the
point where l thought life with a surgeon
might be endurable when Priscilla came
to spend two months with me. She thought
Jack was splendid After he called the
night she arrived, she went into mothers
room, and she and mother talked for
hours. Then Priscilla came in to me ana
tried to look as If they had been discuss
ing steam heat and sanitary plumbing. She
reached Jack by way of the Philippines
and the South African veldts, and dropped
him into the conversation as though she
hadn't thought Of him since the door closed
i'm, ha tall oh fS Nd Oalrc