Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-10-12
SOME STRANGE lAPSES OF A
LOVER,


But before there was time for me
to get distinct impression, that ugly
shape of cynicism had disappeared.
1T was a shadow ! myself cast upon
her" assured myself, and once more
she seemed to me like a clear, calm
lake OF melted snow from the noun
talns.s Il can see to the pure white
sAnd OF the very bottom" thought |.
2 Mystery there was, but only the mys-
terry OF wonder at the apparition of
such beauty and purity in such a
world as mine. True, from time to
time, there showed at the surface or
@ vaguely outlined in the depths, forms
strangely out of place in those unsul-
) lied waters. But | either refused to
see or refused to trust my senses. |
had a fixed ideal of what a woman
should be; this girl embodied that
ideal
II you'd only give up your cigar
ettes,"l remember saying to her when
we were a little better acquainted
you'd be perfect"
She made an impatient gesture
Don't" she commanded almost an
grily. You make me feel like a hypo
cTite. You tempt me to be a hypocrite.
Why not be- content with woman as
she is-a human being? And-how
could Amy woman not an idiot-be
alive for twenty-five years without
learning-a thing or two? Why should
any man want it,"
Because to know is to be shattered
and stained said |. Il get enough
OF people who know, down town. Up
town. want change of air. OF
course, you think you know the world,
but you haven't the remotest concep.
ton of what it's really like. Some.
times when I'm with you, | begin to
feel mean and-and unclean. And
the feeling grows on me until it's all
can do to restrain myself from rush.
ing away"
She looked at me critically.
You've never had much to do with
women, have your" she finally said
slowly in a musing tone.
Il wish that were true-almost," re
piled |, on my mettle as a man, and re
sisting not without effort the impulse
to make some vague confessions"
iboasongs disguised as penitential ad
missions-after the customary mascu
line fashion.
She smiled-and one of those dis
qufeting shapes seemed to me to be
floating lazily and repellently down
ward, out of sight. "A man and 6
woman can be a great deal to each
other, | believe" said she; can be-
married, and all that-and remain a,
strange to each other as II they had
never met-more hopelessly strang
ers."
g There's always sort of mystery,
l conceded. Il suppose that's one Of
the things that keep married people
interested"
She shrugged her shoulders-she
was in evening dress, | recall, and
there was on her white skin that in
tense, transparent blush tinge one
sees on the new snow when the sur
comes out
Mystery" she said impatently
There's no mystery except what We
ourselves make. It's useless-per
fectly useless" she went on absently
, You're the sort of a man who, IL q
woman cared for him, or even showed
friendship for him by being frank and
human and natural with him, he'd pun
ish her for 1t by-by despising her."
| smiled, much as one smiles at the
efforts Of a precocious child to prove
that 1t is Methuselah in experience
III you weren't like an angel In
comparison with the others I've
known" said |. do you suppose
could oare for you as I do?"
saw my remark irritated her, and
I tancied Il wa her vanity that wa