The Washington herald., 1907-03-14
A MATTER OF TEMPERAMENT
BY TROY ALLISON.

Am I the joy to your soul that you
are 10 mine, Roger?'
Cynthias drawing voice could lend it.
self TO bits of sarcasm in a way that
would have maddened a less innammable
person than Roger Somers-
Roger was enveloped in a scowl that
made it seem incredible be could ever
hav eentertained thoughts of being the
JOY of anybody's soul-Cynthia own
particular soul being beyond the limits
Of possibility.
Did you-address me?" His GOODNESS
| added decidedly 90 Cynthia's interest. She
raised herself In the hammock, and ar
ranged the cushions with the care Of one
who is determined TO get comfort out of
life.
Il was trying my voice" sweetly, "its
been growing rusty for the last hour"
Roger sat stoIidly on the doorstep. bis
back eloquent with offended dignity.
"One labors under such an inc0nveni-
ence in addressing the back of ones au-
dience."
The audience. however. kept its eyes
upon distant spot on the lawn. trying
TO concentrate its mind upon the exact
spot where the driveway met. and won
dering why the place didn't seem the
bit Of heaven it had appeared a week
before upon entering through that drive
way 10 become one Of Mrs. Keener' S
guests.
Il feel such an inclination to-er-bab-
bic, Roger. that if you don't mind I viii
continue TO put fl into sentences for-er
my own entertainment. Do you mind
my saying that I never have seen such
a bunch OF dignity as your back repre-
sents? I cannot without making an ef-
fort that the warmth Of the day forbids.
see more of you than the back Of your
blue serge coat, a slight glimpse of pro
file. and the tips Of your patent feathers
where the sun strikes them"
She leaned back in the hammock.
shamelessly cohvulsed with her own wit
II was clearly evident that Cynthia was
enjoying herself.
'Well-if you are waiting for an an
swer 10 that psychological problem you
propounded Roger sat erect. delighted
with the alliterative impressiveness Of
his opening remark. we can probably
reach the answer with less difficulty if
we go about it logically The statement
that 1 am "a joy to your soul-we VIII let
that remain undisputed until it is clearly
proved that you have q soul"
Cynthia looked at him in frank delight
an appreciative smile curving her lips
She thought it possible the audience
might face her soon, so she changed the
cushions and put the rose-colored one
next her face
You have such a beautiful flow Of
language, Roger" there was a sweetness
in her voice that caused the audience TO
turn and look at her quickly TO discover
the possibility of latent sarcasm, I Of
ten wish I could talk"
Good Lord!' his fervor left on doubt
as 10 his sincerity, els it really a fact
that you have recently lost your voice?
1 thought you were merely joking"
You had sulked Tor an hour. I might
as well talk TO a stone wall as the back
Of a serge coat. Now I admit cheerfully
that / have a fiendish temper-you. ac-
cording to your own showing. are never
moved by stronger or less meritorious
feeling than righteous Indignation As
for me-Roger, did you ever see me when
was really angry?"
That Cynthia was an adept at facing
an audience no one of her acquaintances
would have denied. Perhaps the pos
session of an adorable nose ana a fluffy
mass of curly hair strengthened her in
nate self-COnhdence. anyway-Roger. hav-
ing once looked. had q feeling that he
had, in some way, weakened for the fray
Not that he intended giving Cynthia any
inkling of the slight feeling Of mollifca-
tion that stole over him-but the rufFies
fell around her forearm in a most dis
tracting manner.
His eyes softened into pity. the poor
girl had had so little opportunity for
learning self-control. Taking a course as
a trained nurse had. at one time. been
her fad-nOt that she ever expected ID
be one, but because desire for lznovI-
edge and an everlasting propensity for
trying experiments seemed 10 have been
born in her
Roger. in the depths Of his soul had al
ways disappTOved of trained nurses. Her
last esCapade had completely convinced
him that there was nothing more insult
ed for a woman than such profession.
Was there any other circumstance. he
asked himself, that would have made il
seem improper to Mrs. Keener's household
that Cynthia should sit in that man
Hardings room all the morning. admin
istering little doses Of medicine, simply
because Hardins's cold had given him a
fever that made him talk out Of his head?
Mrs. Keener or cne of the servants
could have given that medicine.
I was-sorry not to go rowing with
YOU last evening-the moonlight on that
river is something one doesn't see al
ways"
There was an expression in her eyes
that was reminiscent.
Roger broke of viciously the piece Of
honeysuckle vine that had been tickling
the back of his neck.
There were perhaps other things that
TO you more" coldly
You know I prefer rowing" insin-
uatingly.
'Perhaps-if Harding had been well
enough TO do the rowing. Not that I be-
lieye he's sick enough to amount TO any