The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-05

slowed. and the last trooper had sprung
jingling to the deck. the transport
pulled out into the Seheldt. and 1
turned away through the throng of
promenaders. and found a little table
on the terrace. just outside of the pretty
cafe. And as / sat down, 1 became
aware of a giIt at the next table-a girl
all in white-the most ravishingly and
distractingly pretty girl that 1 had ever
seen. In the agitation of the moment
| forgot that / was a woman hater, l
forgot my name, my fortune, my aunt.
and the Crimson Diamond-all these L
forgot in a purely human impulse to see
clearly; and to that end I removed my
monocle from my left eye. Some mo-
ments later I came to myself and fee
bly, replaced 1t. 1t was too late; the
mischief was done l was not aware at
first of the exact state of my feelings
for had never been in love-but did
know that at her request 1 would have
been proud to stand on my head, or turn
flip-f1ap into the Scheldt
l did not stare at her, but | managed
TO see her most of the time when her
eyes were in another direction. / found
myself drinking something which a
waiter brought presumably upon an or
der which 1 did not remember having
given Later / noticed that il was a
ulIilh WHICH the OElSldIlS call
american gfog," but I swallowed it
and lighted cigarette. AS the fragrant
cloud rose in the air, a voice, which
recognized with a chill, broke into my
dream of enchantment. Could he have
been there all the while-there sitting
beside that vision in white? His hat
was off and the ocean breeZes whis-
pered about his bald head. His frayed
coat tails were folded carefully over his
knees, and between the thumb and fore
finger of his left hand he balanced a
bad cigar. He looked at me In mildly
cheerful way, and said, 81 know now"
know what?" 1 asked, thinking it
better to humor him, for l was con-
WINGED that he was mad.
81 know why cats bite
This was startling / hadn't the
vaguest idea what to say.
81 know why" he repeated; "can you
guess why?" There was a covert tone
of triumph in his voice and he smiled
| encoura cement. Come, try and guess, .
he urged.
| was uneasy, but told him with stiff
civiIity that l was unequal to prob
lens.
Listen. young man." he con-
tinued, folding his coat tails close
ly about his legs-'try to
reason it out; Why should cats bite?
/
Don't you know? | do"
/ He looked at me anxiously.
You take no interest in this prob
lem?" he demanded.
"Oh, yes"
"Then why do you not ask me why%'
he said, looking vaguely disappointed.
WELL I said in desperation, why
do cats bite?-hang it ail!' 1 thought,
tits like a burnt cork show, and I'm
! Aog ho
Then ne smiled gently Young man,
he said, eats bite because they fed on
fCat-nip. l have reasoned il out"
I stared at him in blank astonish-
ment. Was this benevolent looking old
party poking fun at me? Was ne pay
ing me UP for the mornings snub ?
Was he a malignant and revengeful old
party, or was he merely feeble-minded
Who might he be? What was he do
ing here in Antwerp-what was he
doing nowi-for the bald one had turn
ed Familiarity to the beautiful girl in
white
Elsie" ne said, do you feel chilly?"
The girl shook hershead.
Not in the least, papa"
Good Lord" l thought-'her IA
theri'
4 have been to the Zoo today" an
nounced the bald one, turning toward
me.
"Ah, indeed, observed-"er-I trust
you enjoyed it."
Il have been contemplating the
apes" he continued, dreamily. Eyes,
| contemplating the apes"
I said nothing. but tried to look in
! terested.
Yes, the apes" he murmured, fixing
his mild eyes on me. Then he leaned
toward me confidentialIy and whis-
pered; "can you tell me what mon
key thinks?''
Il can not" / replied, sharply
All" he sighed, sinking back in his
chair. and patting the slender hand OF
the girl beside him, 'ah, who can tel
what monkey thinks?" His gentle
face lulled my suspicious, and I re-
piled very gravely: who can tel
whether they think at all?"
True, true. Who can tell whether
they think at all; and if they do think
ah, who can tell what they Think"
! But" / began, eff you can't tel
| whether they think at all. what's the
use of trying to conjecture what they
| would think if they did Think"
He raised his hand in depreciation
"Ah, 1t is exactly that which is of such
| absorbing interest, exactly that! 1t is
the abstruseness of the proposition
profoundly the brain of the thinking
world. The question is of vital and
instant Importance. Possibly you have
already formed an opinion"
! l admitted that 1 had thought but
little on the subject.
II doubt" he continued swathins
his knees in his coat tails-'I doubt
| whether you have given much atten-
ton to the subject lately discussed by
the Boston Dodo Society of Pytha-
gorean Research"
Il am not sure" / said politely, thai
l recall that particular discussion. May
I asw what was the question brought
up?"
1.-The Felis Domesticus question"
"Ah, that must indeed be interesting,
And-er-what may be the Felis Do
| do
'Domesticus-not Dodo. Felis Do
mesticus. the common or garden cat"
Indeed" ! nurmured.
You are not listening" he said.
/ only half heard him; / could MOI
turn my eyes from her face.
| Cat" shouted the bald one, and
almost leaped from my chair Are vol
deaf?" he inquired, sympathetically.
'No-oh, nor I replied, eoloring with
confusion; you were-pardon me-yoI
were-er-speaking of the Dodo. Elk.
traOrdinary bird that"
IT was not discussing the Dodo." h
sighed-'T was speaking of cats"
"Of course" / said.
| 1.-THE 0ueStiOn IS he continued