The Washington herald., 1907-05-05
BY HELEN ROWLAND.

u sent for you" said Kitty. dropping
her trowel and Strengthening her garden
hat as she caught sight of me coming
down the gravel walk. ito talk over
sonething very important"
Anything Is important. 1 returned
calamity. as she extended the fingers Of
her gardening glove and led the way to-
ward the summer house. which can
make You send for me-
Kitty turned suddenly and squlnted at
me through the meshes Of her hat.
How nicely you say that. she re-
marked. i wonder where men learn
how"
How to-what?" I inquired.
Toto lie, so pleasantly.
And harmlessly.' I added. quickly.
''Yes, said Kitty. spreading her ruff
fled skirts on the rustic bench Of the
summer house. That's what l wanted
10 talk to you about"
About Hes?" asked in shocked
amazement, depositlng my hat on the
railing and sitting where I could get a
good view Of Kitty IN her latest Maud
Muller pose.
mo" she corrected, tugglng at the nm
gers OF her tiny earth-stained glove,
about the truth and whether to tell u"
And how TO tell it?'' l interpOlated-
Yes. and how 10 avoid telling IT, -
added Kitty thoughtfuliy. You see,
there's a man
'Oh. II he's a man. broke in hastily,
why bother about telling him anything?
That's what I thought" agreed Kitty.
approvingIy. But mama thought
rs he-mama's MANI" asked, bluntly.
He isn't anybody's man, Mr. Curtis, "
returned Kitty. gravely- And that's the
point You see. mama thinks he is get
ting foolish-I mean SCI fous.
It's the same thing, 1 murmured' re-
assuringly.
"About-wen about me; and as I'm
not-not-"
Getting toolish?' inquired. helpfulIy.
Kitty nodded.
Mama thinks ought 10 discourage his
his
His attentions o.
no his intentions" corrected Kitty,
Win a. AtIhDuA SAESiEs 1atN Ntit-AtA9
ought to tell him the truth"
Il see" l said. lighting a cigarette
thoughtfuIly. "Er-what has he told
you?" I inquired, casually.
Kitty jumped.
Nothing. Mr. Curtis!" she stammered
hastily. THAT is. nothing except-ex-
eept a lot Of nonsense. she added, with
a blush.
Then" / said decisively. why not
eondne your conversation to nonsense
It's very p.ea=ent.'
yes, but 1t isn't the TRUTH retorted
Kitty. virtuOusly.
Certainly not" I agreed. because II
II were. It probably would not be very
pleasant. Think Of the horrible things we
would have 70 say 20 one another II We
always insisted on being truthful. 1
would have 70 tell you, for instance. that
i know that your nose is a snub and
that your hair doesn't curl naturally,
and
That's nothing cried Kitty, flaming
Indignantly. ito what I would have 10
tell YOU.
Just imagine" 1 continued. calmly.
greeting g pretty girl to whom you are
introduced by saying: I'm charmed 10
know you, Miss Brown, and you seem
rather jolly, but I've a lurking suspicion
that your hair is touched up, and / hear
that your father has lost most Of his money
in speculation: and, therefore, while I'm
willing to be decent 10 you. ] don't want
10 leave you under the impression that
I'm going 10 be serious. because you
wouldn't do as wife Al all. And be-
sides, I'm not a marrying man.. Or say
ing 10 a nice chap whom you have Just
met: OF course Mr. Smith. you can sit
here on the di n and talk 10 me, bu,
please don't ask to call, because mother
considers you totally ineligible, and !
don't ike the shape Of your nose or the
color Of your ueckue or the set Of your
coat, and. anyway, I've heard some
things about your past career that are
simply shocking and
s.Oh. for goodness sakeH' interrupted
Kitty. impatiently, pulling a thorn of
rose vine in her petulance. what are you
talking about? We don't tell the truth TO
people whom we don't know.
No" l sighed. we wait until we do
know them
And until we have become intimate
and friendly" interpolated Kitty.
married, or desperately fond OF one an
other OF have got them at our mercy In
some way. and then we rub il in. The
saddest thing about married life is the
opportunity it gives two Otherwise agree
able people for telling each other the dis
agreeable truth A woman will 90 on
for years allowing a man 10 think that
she regards him as a model OF strength
and beauty. and possessed Of all the
heroic virtues and the very day after
they are married she will begin crusade
against his collars. and inform him that
smoking q pipe makes him unkissable,
and that be ought 10 pad his should
ers-
and that she never liked the way he
parted his hair" gurgled Kitty.
And that his manners are unfit for 4
parIor," I added.
And man" TeJoined Kitty promptly,
will spend months making a girl believe
he thinks her Venus. and two weeks
after the wedding he Will begin tweaking
her about the way her nose turns up, and
badgering her about the At Of the back
OF her frock, and asking her why she
doesn't wear becoming hats. like some
other woman who lives down the
block
And suggesting that she keep her shoes
polished and put on a trihe less rouge.
I put IN.
And sew some buttons on her gloves,
and have her complexion treated" added
Kitty.
And then" I finished. dramatically.
the little game is up
What game?" inquired Kitty, suspici-
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