The Washington herald., 1907-03-31
Neutrality-suspicious. Taking
By Helen Rowland, Author Of The Digressions
of Polly" Honeymoon Conversations" &c.

girl. who. out OF sheer pity. dances with
him or allows him to cali, isn't a siren
trying TO lure him from his happy home
And the worst OF 1t all is that it is the
right girl she breaks him OF from every
time"
-Nonsense!' declared. Nobody on
earth can break a man of from the giri
he loves. unless
No" rejolned Kitty scathlngly, "but a
determined mother can make it so IN
pleasant for that girl that the gin will
break 1t on herself II she has an ounce
Of pride. Ard, besides. no mans mother
ever waited long enough for her son 70
fan in love before beginning 20 mother
in-law.' She takes time BY the fcrelock
and her son by the coat tails the moment
he is old enough to enter a ballroom or to
feel q glimmeF OF interest ia the opposite
sex She can scent a love affair or a
! Irritation as quickly as hunting dog does
a rabbit The sight Of a pretty girls
photograph on her sons dressing table
sends her into paroxysms Of fright. Every
time she kisses him, she sni1s at his
coat lapels in mortal fear that she will
detect the odor of yiolets or peau q Es-
pagne. She watches the clock and listens
for his footsteps whenever he stays out
/ after helf-past 10. She drives him 10
subterfuges and lies by her eternal ques-
( ti0nings, and warns him against design
ing women, until he shudders al the
! thought Of matrimOny. She remembers
all the little tricks she praeticed when
she herself was young. and explains them
70 him IN their most revolving details,
{ d.
as he would upon cold poison. Somehow,
I the little gods only know how, the mo-
ment he stops calling promiscuously and
! cuts the list in his engagement book down
to one address, she finds II out, and from
/ that moment she regards her son as d
doomed man, the victim Of q malicious,
designing. scheming woman"
But, 4 protested, If you aren't ma
/ Ifcious-
I beg your pardon, Mr.. Curtisr'
And haven't any designs. I con-
unued. couldn't you convince her, or
propitiate her. Or"
Gould you convince a Iunacy com
mission that you weren't insane by
/ signing an afidavit to that efIect?' in
quired Kitty bitterly. Gould you con
vince a judge that you weren't guilty
Of theft with the stolen goods at your
heels? Could you propitiate a Honess
whose cub had followed you out OF the
[ jungle2 Whatever you do you convict
! yourself Snub the man, and his mother
/ VIII declare you are only trying to whet
{ his passion by indifference, or that you
are hurt because he isn't more attentive.
/ Be pleasant to him, and she viii vow
you are pursuing him. Try to make her
/ love you, and you viii end by making
I her hate you and talk about you as
/ that woman who attempted 10 ensnare
! my son by making NE sofa pillows and
I sending me flowers Ignore her, and
I she viii think you are afraid Of her.
/ Fight her openly, and she viii tear your
good name TO tatters- Be charming.
and she viii dub you fast; sweet, and
she will call you fnsipid; cleber. and
she viii say you know too much in
! tone that win make cold shudders run
up and down her sons spine. And
/ then, when she has driven you to des-
/ peration or TO throwing the man over.
she viii put her arms tenderly round
his neck and scothingly assure him
/ that she always knew you were that
/ kind of woman and warned him
! against you. anyhow"
/ "Whe-eewr I exclaimed. And I
/ never realiZed--
/ "Of course you didn't broke in
I
! late-until his mother has managed 20
/ separate him from every nice, whole
| some, self respecting girl who might
! have made him happy. Or"
Perfectly wretehed.' I suggested.
/ and until he has become a grouchy
/ old bachelor" continued Kitty. spltefully.
''or in a mad fit of revolt has run away
with the cook or a chorus girl or some
creature depraved enough toto fight the
embryo motheT-in-law with her own
weapons. and then-and then
There's the devil to pay'' said shud-
deringly.
And everybody is beautifully nlser-
able; and the mother-in-lsw rails at
! Providence in one breath and cries
/ triumphantly in the next told you sol' 2"
! finished Kitty. waving her chetelaine
/ dramatically.
Now I understand I exclaimed, turn
/ ing on Kitty with a look Of enlighten-
ment.
Understand what?" inquired Kitty,
/ looking up at me in surprise through the
| refractory curl
why my mother hates you so"
Does she?" glrgled Kitty delightedly.
she calls you That woman. I ex-
planned.
How niceH cried Kitty.
And warns me against YOU"
'Oh,"
And when mans mother hates you,"
I proceeded, ITS a sure sign
''Well?" kitty smiled encOurag gingly.
THAT the man
Doesn't broke IN Kitty quickly.
Loves YOU" / said softly.
Il don't believe in signs said Kitty.
with toss Of her head. And, besides,
have made up my mind"
Already" ] asked in astonishment.
TO marry"
What"
"A nice lone orphan" said Kitty, as
she turned suddenly into side street
and mounted a flight OF brownstone
steps.
Kitty I cried. This is my house.
You aren't going in---''
I am going, said Kitty. ito call on
your mother"
Then my mother is your
Il didn't say sol" cried Kitty. turning
rosy to her ears.
Kitty" I whispered softly. 'I could
almost kiss
How dare you. Mr.. Curtis"