The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-08-15
Ho te -|6,e
Shared Him.
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we were SILtl0S Ill tue dEUOE uuucL
the grapes, which were quite ripe. We
plucked and ate a number of huge
lunches; then she asked what we
should do next ooh, know" and she
ran into the house and brought out
book. On the left page were number
of printed questions; on the right,
swers. 1t was impossible to determine
which were the more stupid, the ques-
tons or the answers that had been
written in it. The book was about
half filled, the writer's having been
both masculine and feminine.
I ran my eye down the column Of
questions, such as what is your ia
vorite color? Your favorite proverb?
Your age?' When I came to the last
I paused and asked If the women an
swered that question. She said only
one had, but she didn't count; she was
a practical creature and earned her
own living. I went on down the list.
| 'Ts life worth living?" Think Of that
to be answered by people from sixteen
to twenty-six, as most of those who
had filled in the answers were. what
| is your present thought" I paused
again and began to write, '"That the
man Who She stopped me.
Don't write anything disagreeable.
I won't have my book spoiled"
I had intended to write, '"The man
who got up this book did so for idiots
and to fill his pocket at their expense"
| Instead l wrote, 1.-THE man who is
asked to write in this book should feel
highly complimented."
That's very nice," she said. II
know how cynical you are, and /
feared you were going to put in some
thing horrid.'
My second thought was that I had
narrowly escaped making an ass Of
myself.
l went on down the list and paused
at "What is your ambition?' These
questions were goading me to ruin,
and again l came near making slip.
1 started in to write ITO drink all the
champagne there is in the world" but
] caught myself when / had written
ITO drink" and finished "dew from
| your sweet lips" I had no sooner
written this, which | had considered
a high flown compliment, when / real
lied that it was tantamount to decla-
ration She was locking over my
shoulder, and to get glimpse Of her
face 1 turned my head. My beard
came In contact with the almost invisi-
| BILE down ON her cheek.
"Oh" she exclaimed.
Excuse me-" l said.
The glimpse I got satisfied me that
! 1 had stepped. off the river bottom and
must swim. was startled at the dis
covery, had never been before beyond
my depth and an Indifferent swimmer
at thats Still confess had been pad
ding around the girl who was about to
well, to drown me. She says I'm
cynical, and suppose / am, though
am somewhat excusable in this in
stance, for the word drown" carries
out my smile. I struck out wildly.
'That won't do" said, Gin book to
be seen by any and every body. They
might think-I meanwhile it's true
its-shali scratch it out?"
"Ohw
This was no reply to my question,
but it expressed lot. Others may not
understand what 1t meant, but did.
was ratified. 1 made a dash for the
next question and read aloud. "Do you
consider marriage failure?"
/ wanted to write as felt. 81 wish
knew which 1t will be for me II I
settle this matter now" but Of course
I couldn't write that. so L temporized.
and a man who temporizes with the
girl he courts il lost-that is. IL mar
riage Is failure. wrote, ut depends
upon whether one gets a good wife,"
It's q wonder she didn't laugh when
she saw what I had written, but she
didn't. This was q serious business.
sDOn't you think that one sided
view to take OF itr' she said In a soft
voice.
"UDon my wort1t' exclaimed. I was
getting more and moro ratified every
moment. ''I'll fx it." and wrote on
"but In this CASE I stopped again.
what caseT' she asked in the same
soft tome
"Why, the case we were talking
weren't we talking about a case1 So
we, weren't. How stupidw
.Ohw
What convenient word and how q
girl can use It! I've since tried it my
self. but without the slightest effect.
Think Of man using it and with
out the softnsss Of voice.. the surprise
/ in the eyes, the injured look about the
mouth. One migbt as well expect a
woman to produce an effect by the use
of a swear word. And yet this girl was
sharing me with 1t.
"You seem to think" I began and
paused. Yes, she thought, sand she had
right to think, but what was about
to say wouldn't help matters. She
didn't Sav UOhVS r wished Sho xro,1Id