The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-02-13
THE POWER
OF.
w O NJ a II .
by Una Hudson.


iliton.
have known Patricia for a very
itrs time. In saying this | do not,
LcNever, wish to insinuate that Pat
"a is burdened with years. On
,he contrary, she is we'll under thirty
ANA looks even younger than she
really Is. But l have watched her
development from lanky girl into
a graceful young woman; SO, surely.
/ am well within the truth when |
lay claim to having known her for a
long time.
THE power Of woman" / said,
apropos of nothing at all, ia very
greatly overrated."
l confess that said this not with
out malice prepense. II is by means
of Just such remarks that have per-
fected In Patricia that spiciness Of
temper so charming In a woman.
] was pelased to observe that she
at once followed my lead.
you are entirely mistaken" she
said, perhaps a trihe more aggress-
lively than the occasion seemed to
warrant. ANY woman can get any
thing she wants from any man If she
only goes about 1t in the right way"
This sounded interesting.
Prove It," | said judicially.
Patricia was all animation. Her
cheeks were pink, her eyes bright.
and she was very, very pretty.
confess an rather susceptible to
beauty In women.
II will" she said determinedly.
Il will decide upon something that
! want you to do, and then | will
make you do It,"
"Of course" l suggested persua-
sively you will tell me what the
something is"
Certainly not" Patricia said
fatty.
But" said. bewildered, 'If I
don't know what 1t 10 you want me
to do how on earth am I to d, it,"
you will do It," Patricia told
me, because you don't know what
it is I want. If you knew, you very
probably wouldn't do It,"
II suppose" I said. discontented-
J.. II shall have to see you a great
,al?"
Its not at all necessary" Pat
-i-ia assured me cheerfully.
Whereupon / Immediately decided
Nat l would call upon her quite
often. 1t seemed only fair to give
her every chance in the world. the
more so that 1t was my private opin-
ion that she had undertaken a large
contract.
1t did not appear to me that Pat
ricia was making any special effort
to induce me to do something"
intimated as much to her. Sho
smiled wisely, and asked II had
made all my appointments.
/ have neglected to state that I
had maanged to secure rather re-
sponsible political position. attached
to which there was considerable
patronage.
thought that remark of Patri-
cia's very tactless and unmistakably
obvious.
my dear GIRL" I said stiffiy, who
is your protege? And which par
ticular post do you wish him to
have? You should have told me at
once. without beating about the bush,
that an appointment was the some
thing you wanted"
Patricia lay back in her chair and
laughed till the tears rolled down
her cheeks.
"You precious old GOOSE" she
said, when she was able to express
herself coherently. Il don't want a
post FOR any one. The thing | want
5s eTclusiyely fer nay own use and
pleasure. But | think" she went
on, ith sudden gravity. that 1t Is
very horrid Of you TO assume that
my ultimate purpose was to work
you for favor for some friend of
mine"
/ apologized, and l told her how
all my pride and pleasure in my re-
Gently acquired position had turned
to bitterness because of the attitude
of my so-called friends in respect to
those same appointments. The num-
Der Of applicants for each place was
positively appalling. And whenever
] was made the recipient of any little
friendly courtesy, had come to be-
lieve that somewhere hanging to II
I would find that odious and ever
lasting request for "1ob."
told her, too. what a Joy 1t was
to know that there was one person
whose friendship for me was entire
ly disinterested. That seemed to
please Patricia. She let me hold her
hand for quite long time when !
bade her good-by. She has very
charming hand, has Patricia. think
1t is what palmist would call q
psychic hand" When you hold II
It sends little warm thrills all over
your body. think I shall try hold.
ing 1t again. That is, of course, II
Patricia will permit me.
| think too that I wil1 cultivatS