Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-03-01
On an Inclined
Plane
BY JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright, 1901, by 7. c. Mcclure

TO q Q0SReQ determination 10 get tD0
girl in spite of herself He had had a
year Of the ups and downs of court
ship such as only Helen Benton could
have made so torturing, and yet sweet
ened by the hope Of ultimate success.
The worst Of it was that he really be-
lieved that she loved him, though he
had no proof beyond the fact that she
refused other men right and left, was
suspiciously sweet to the other girls to
whom he paid the least attention and
treated him in a cavalier fashion that
indicated that she considered him her
property.
When he asked, as he did all too
often, Nell, do you love-at ALI" she
would answer sweetly, "Do act as II
I didr
He was obliged to admit that she did
not Then she continued to laugh at
his counting and to turn him down
whenever she so chose.
One pleasant August afternoon he
sauntered to her home and invited her
to go golfing. She loved golfing. He
found her under the trees in a ham,
mock in a dress of foamy blue ruff1es.
with a cool blue cushion under her
dark little head.
TOO hot" she answered, "and I'm
too lazy. Besides, want to finish my
book" She picked up her novel, leav-
g. III 80 ,,F @ha% h<> fob i'm,
self off. He did-as far as the gate
then he turned and walked back to her.
"Helen," he said slowly, do you in
tend ever to marry me or mott" She
looked at him with apparent GOODNESS;
something flickered to her eyes, then
wavered away.
II intend not to-" she replied.
do you love me? Does my love mean
nothing to your
make your own differences, Henry
Carroll Tell me why 1 should marry
at all. / am happy as l am. Why
should l want a-man? Unless" she
spoke meaningly, II could find one who
could make me think wanted him."
"Nell," he said sternly, do you realize
what you are throwing away?
"a lover she interrupted. "a chance
to wear the title Of Mrs.; to live in
one place always; to say Yes, dear
and No, DEAR to audit the household
bills; to make and receive calls; to-
ITO be loved and protected always;
to be made happy, for l can make you
happy. Now you are simply idle Nell,
don't you ever look ahead to the time
when your parents may leave you.
when you-even you-will be no longer
young? Don't you see that you need
me almost as much as l need you?
Aren't you afraid of old age, of not be-
ing loved? Aren't you afraid of-any-
thing, girl?" She picked at her sleeve,
then lifted serious dark eyes to his own
blue ones.
81 am afraid of one thing. r.
what Is It, sweetheart" She
sprang from the hammock and ran into
the hall; then she thrust out her head
and called, "Tm awfully afraid of-the
DARK And he heard the sound Of re-
treating laughter.
Thereupon Henry Carroll betook him
self and his wrath to the links, where
he played very bad golf and fiirted ex-
cellently with pretty Polly Cummins.
Toward sunset, as he was waiting to
put her into her dashing little trap, he
haZarded a question:
Miss Polly. if you were a man and
wanted girl, and she kept you dan
Cling, but wouldn't have you, what
would you do?' Polly's eyes danced.
She knew Nell Benton's ways.
docs she-careY
Il think so, but she won't own I'D.
She only torments me. What would
you doY
'You big, splendid, helpless thingr'
she laughed. why, make her have
you! There's nothing women like like
being made to do things-by the right
man. Get her where she can't help
herself and make her promise to do as
you wish" Still laughing, the girl
drove away.
Carroll walked gloomily along the riv-
er road, turning over Polly's advice
He looked up TO see a canoe coming
swiftly upstream. The girl handled
the paddle with easy skill. AS she
came closer ne gasped with anger. 1t
was Nell in her red waist-the one he
liked 1t was too hot to golf with him,
brit just right for laborious upstream
paddle by herself. He resolved to make
her sorry before she got home
Keeping carefully out of sight among
the trees and bushes, he followed the
rivers course till Nell landed. drawing
the canoe up on shore. Then she sat
down on the grass with her book. Aft
er what seemed an age she arose and
tried vainly TO catch the lowest limb of
the tree above her. Then she brought
up a haif dozen old boards lying near.
With more Skill than Carroll thought
women possessed in matters mechan-
zeal she built a rough sort of incline
plane reaching halfway up the tree
trunk. Then she tried to climb up, but
her feet slipped. After a moments
hesitation she took off her little oxfords
and then her stockings, which she stuff
ed into the shoes In her bare feet
she climbed easily up her platform and
into the tree She disposed herself
carefully upon large, almost horizon
A,I