Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-28
BARRIERS BRUSHED AWAY.
A Story of the Opera and the Leap
Year.

After ALL" she said, why should we
should we stupidity go about concealing
our real. feelings from each other and
making pretenses that each of us
know are insincere?"
There is no reason why we should"
the young man replied
Then let us begin from this moment
to be perfectly frank. We have known
each other long enough to brush away
i the barriers which society insists on
placing between men and women. Why
should we limit ourselves to talking
about stupid books or making foolish
remarks about tiresome musical per-
formances?
Il am ready to break away from con-
ventionality right now. Go ahead and
brush away a barrier or two. I'll help
If YOU need assistance. What one do
YOU propose to tackle first?"
Let me see. Well, suppose we begin
by ceasing to Miss and Mister each
other? You call me Helen and I'll call
you Tom
"All right, Helen. Let's not go to the
performance of II Trovatore next
Thursday night. I don't care much for
it, and I'm dead sure that could have
lot more fun with the money if l
spent it in some other way"
VERY well. But you have your tick
cts, haven't you?"
81 can return them and get my mon
ey back"
"Of course, if it would not be pleas
ant for you to attend the opera with
me shall be glad to release you from
the obligation"
"Glad? Remember that we have de-
clded to put formality aside and be
frank with each other"
well, at least I should not find 1t
pleasant to go if l knew that 1t bored
you to accompany me-"
go on, Helen; that isn't being half
frank Admit that you want me to
take you so that 1 will not have
chance to take any other girl
| Mr. Ferguson, you are
:.Now, Helen, you are dropping back
behind the barriers of conventionality.
You were going to call me Tom, you
know"
But You are eXasperating."
"Tll try not to be. Come on, now,
Tell me candidly why you want to go
to the opera. You intimated moment
ago that you were not interested in
musical performances"
81 don't see why it is necessary to
harp on that. There are other things
we can talk about, aren't there?"
Yes, plenty of them; but we ought
to have that settled first. 1t makes
you glad to snuggle up beside me in a
theatre, doesn't it?"
You have no right to talk that way
to me-"
But we are to be free from the re-
strictiOns of conventionality."
Even if we are, we can still be res
pectful to each other"
| Certainly. 1t isn't disrespectful TO
say what 1 just said, is it?"
1T is hardly the thing a gentleman
would be expected to say to lady"
But a man might say it to his wife,
mightn't he?"
"a man might say lots Of things to
his wife that it wouldn't be proper for
you to say to me-"
"Oh, no-not if we are going to brush
away the barriers you referred to a lit
tie while ago. We can't be frank if we
are going to limit frankness." =
But 1 didn't mean that exactly
What did you mean, Helen?"
why, that-that it seemed foolish
for us to be so formal"
I'm other words, you wanted me to
speak right out and tell you I loved
you, if did, eh?"
| You may consider yourself released
from the engagement for next Thurs
day evening. l have no wish to ac-
company you to the opera"
you had, in fact, got rather tired OF
waiting for me to say something that
would relieve your anxiety concerning
my purpose in calling on you, hadn't
you, Helen?"
you will oblige me by calling me
Miss Fancher if you must mention my
name"
Don't be offended, Helen. am only
trying to be informal. Come, now, ad-
nit that you have been thinking Of me
great deal lately"
IF you were capable Of understand
ing how disagreeable you are making
yourself you would, I am sure, take
your hat and CO."
Remember this is leap year.
What of it?"
IF you send me away tonight with
out giving me the right to hope that
may in the near future say to you
whatever any gentleman may say to
his wife l shall never return"
Tom do you really mean it?"
"Of course mean it. Helen
I'm so glad" she said as she put her
arms around his neck, that we decid-
ed to brush the barriers away."-S. E.
Kiser in the Chicago Record Herald.
FLAGLER'S GREAT WORK.