The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-01
HE DODGES PRISCILLA
THE MERE MAN OBJECTS TO THE ToNCs

/ heS human, and when a woman freezes
/ out all his little follies and weaknesses
! she merely infiames him 10 greater ones
Keeping man home nights and forbid
! ding him 10 smoke around the house
doesn't make an angel OF him: II merely
makes him a milksop or a monster of
deceit Now l. for instance. have a
few-a very few Iittle-er-peculiaritie
/ I've noticed them" said the Bachelor
Glri dryIy- You smoke and drink cock
tails and go 10 the races and"
start.
What is it," inquired the Bachelor
Girl anNiousy.
I thought l felt a pin prick But" he
resumed. leaning back again. las ! was
saying, II | were married 10 Priscilla I'd
do things ten times worse"
Worse The Bachelor Girl looked her
Incredibly
Yes said the Mere Man solemnIy.
Id die. When a girl takes a mans
moral responsibility out OF his hands she
takes the backbone out Of him"
And Yet, lared the Bachelor Girl de-
fiantly "a man is always signing FOR a
woman who will be an inspiration to
him"
But it isn't Inspiration you get from
the Priscilla Girl" declared the Mere
Man: its desperation You can't be in
spired by woman who keeps a mental
finger pointed at YOU and goes about with
mental shake Of the head A man
wants his Aspiration in homeopathic.
doses and sugar-coated pills"
'EIe doesn't want t. at all" retorted the
hafn frI
her needle. He doesn't want to be told
what 10 do, nor how TO do it. but what
wonderful things ne has done. and how
cleyerly he has done them. He doesn't
want TO be shown the right way. but that
his way Is right. lie doesn't want to live
up to a wOman's ideal. but to be her
ideal. no matter what he is is He doesn't
want tonic. but a soothing syrup
'oh, we'll returned the Mere Man.
YEARLY, 1t is very firing reaching up all
the time to n woman What a chap likes
is to put out his arm and cuddIe up some
coy, comfortable little thing that is on
his own level, and hasn't any fences round
her heart. nor any steep laces In her
ideals, nor any hard knots in her opin-
Ions. He wants a girl who can look M
him without looking through him. and
accept him without turning him round 10
see II there are any seams in-hS charac-
ter. or bad spots in his disposition. or
weak places in his morals. Priscilla is the
kind Of girl that we ali admire-but don't
try TO kiss; the kind we praise out don't
invite 10 supper the kind we ask for aG-
vice. but don't ask to marry US: the kind
that every man knows would make an
dol e. 81
And I had so hoped you would like
herr sighed the Bachelor Girl. in voice
that tried to be disappointed.
What
And invite her to supper"
OH
And ask her to" But at this mo
ment the door opened and the prettiest
girl the Mere Man had ever seen walked
in
Priscilla cried the Bachelor Girl.
jumping up and dropping the hat.
Priscilla muttered the Mere Man un-
der his breath, as he took his feet hastily
of the chair and stuffed his pipe surrep-
titiously in his pocket
We've Just been talking about YOU.
exclaimed the Bachelor Girl sweetly.
and Mr.. Porter is dying to meet you"
The Mere Man rose and reached for his
coat with a SILVER
Are You cold?" inquired the Bachelor
Girl solicitously
Quite frozen" returned the Mere Man.
glancing at her reproachfully as he drew
on his coat
That was nice man. remarked Pris-
ella. as the door closed behind him.
What were you telling him about me?"
Everything. confessed the Bachelor
Girl, frankly. And he thinks you are
quite ideal"
But protested Priscilla. gently.
wasn't il q bit unconventional, his being
here?'
Ouch cried the Bachelor Girl IT'S
nothing. She added hastily. Il pricked my
finger