The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1905-03-11

the signs in the almanac. But In
our IIving-room the glow Of a bright
fire on the hearth, and. for q wonder,
at four o'clock. everybody there, from
the Judge to the child playing with
her doll in the corner. One Of the
silences that fall into intimate talk
was broken by the mother, who said
casually, to no one in particular: SO
Julie P. is engaged. l received the
announcement this morning"
"Ah," said Aunt Jane. looking up
with interest. Il am glad to hear It.
She is a finished firt, but she will
probably marry and settle down as
her mother did before her. For my
part" the old maid ment on, with
a charming smile, Il approve Of girls
flirting, to a certain extent"
"T have no doubt, Aunt Jane" ven
tured the young fellow from Harvard.
that you yourself know all about It
Father and Uncle Edward can tell
tales"
Aunt Jane is frankly an old maid.
She glories In the title, and wears
IL like a decoration There Is ira
dition in our family that she and q
friend who pays semi-annual visits at
our house have carried on a Irritation
for the last 80 years. Whenever the
old doctor calls, he lays his heart and
his fortune at Aunt James feet, and
she as regularly declines them, but
they remain fast friends. Lately
Aunt Jane has been growing hand
somer; her mourning put on two years
ago for her father, the general, who
was a helpless invalid so long, has
been softened and exchanged for
layenders and grays. Maybe she'll &C
cept the doctor yet. His nieces, how
ever, have had the immense ad-
vantage Of living with an unmarried
woman who has not despised what
may be called airs and graces-
Julie p. was = finished fiirt, you
said, Jane; by that did you mean
heartless firt? cannot endure a girl
who goes through life carried away by
q desire for admiration, and parading
her triumphs." The speaker was q
woman older than our beautiful aunt
her half-sister.
do you mean such q girl as Rosa
mond Vincy, in 'Middlemarch,' or
Eustacia, In The Return Of the Ma
liver" inquired the Harvard boy, cor
perhaps one OF those fascinating crea-
lures that Kipling tells about at Simla,
girls like cats, with the feline nature,
and the stealthy ways, and the purring
sWeetness-fegular deceivers?
Dear mel" said Aunt Jane, looking
speculatively at the young collegian-
you read something besides Greek at
Cambridge, don't you, Fred? No, I
don't mean any heroine out Of any
book when l say Julie has known how
to fiirt, nor, for an instant, sister Pa
tience," addressing the older lady, do
I intend to call a girl heartless who
hirts prettily and naturally, as q bird
sings, or q rose blooms. In your day.
sister, and mine, we were taught to
nirt."
Meaning precisely what?" The
grave voice was that Of James brother
inrlaw. the Judge, father Of the Har-
ward man.
Meaning this, Louis, begging your
pardon, that we girls we're shown that
Ioveliness was q rare and exquisite
thing in a maiden; that we held our
selves proudly and had to be courted.
and were not too easily won; that We
were never, never anxious to have q
man call on Us, nor deigned to won
der why he stayed away, nor thought
It possible We could be sighted by
anyone who belonged to your AFRO
CANT sex. Until q girl had actually
said yes" to q very persistent and
humble sutton, he never felt quite sure
that she wouldn't say no" Julie p.
"a that sort Of girl. She has not been
too lightly won. It has taken much
trouble and pains to secure her love.
I have only contempt for q tickle
hearted coquette, as you well know.
But I consider a certain amount Of
pretty, coy, elusive flirting to be le-
climate. It is q girls chain armor.
Over In Japan they teach the little
maiden IN school how 10 do 1t. They
put . value, you see, On the graceful
by-play which q woman ought to have
1t her command / don't care very
much about those downright girls who
are solid and substantial, but never
understand how to take compliments
or to give them. They are like peo-
pie who have large bills In their
pocketbooks but never Q single bit
Of small change. Worthy girls. no doubt,
but not fascinating"
Aunt JGne left the room She had
noticed Q poor pensioner Of hers step
ping in at the area gate, and for all
such, on her tongue was the law Of
kindness, and on her pantry shelves
q store OF bread and meat When she
was gone, her brother-in-laW took up
the strain and talked on
"You girls and boys" he said,
may have your doubts. but trust NE.
the trusst tenderest, best women I
ever knew, and the most domestic, the