The Washington herald., 1908-03-29

the door OF the Bachelor Girls studio
and stood stock still on the threshold
what are you doing?'
The Bachelor Girl carefully wrapped +;
blue silk kimona round a japanese ros,
jar and tucked them into the corner O.
her trunk.
Packing" she replied calmly, as sh,
stuck in a wad Of tissue paper TO holC
the thing firmly throwing down tn,
gantlet, surrendering TO Fate, giving VI
my latchkey and my profession, and m,
my little bluff. Mr.. Porter I'm goins
home TO mother" And she swallowed {
rising choke in her throat as she stopped
over the conglomerate heap Of frock.
and hats and bric-a-brac in the middl,
OF the floor.
The Mere Man rubbed his hand acros.
his forehead in bewilderment and sanI
into the nearest chair.
But" he protested weakly. 7 though
you were determined to be independent
and"
4 was" interrupted the Bachelor Cir
sadly. with a little shake Of her head
But independence is such Disappointing
thing"
WHAT"
It's all right" responded the Bachelor
Girl If you've got an order for a
picture. and your rent paid. and some
body TO talk TO, and an invitation to
dinner, and a decent frock, and the price
OF a cab fare; but all by itself it's-its
awfully inconvenient." and she forced a
pair Of slippers into a corner of the
trunk with a vicious little lunge It's
perfectly lovely in story books and in
theory, and-and just at first, when you
think it means a so fat and a series
of rarebit suppers. and the admiration
Of the multitude. and a chance TO come
in when you please. and go out when
you like, and work when you feel in
clined-but it doesn't turn out that way
mo" agreed the Mere Man sympa-
thetically, 1T usually turns out a back
hall bedroom, with a gas stove and a
broken wash pitcher, and series OF
. cent table d'hotes. and a cat and a poll
parrot But you haven't come 10 that"
And I'm not going to come TO IT," re-
joined the Bachelor Girl vehemently Il
know when I've got enough-even of a
latch key" and she held that small ar
ticle up by a red string and regarded IT
Teproachfully- "Of course" she added.
tucking the key back in her pocket with
a sigh, there is something awfully aIlur-
ing about being a Bachelor Girl"
There might be- agreed the Mere Man.
lighting cigarette tentatively. If there
were such a thing"
What do you mean. Mr. Porter?"
I mean. explained the Mere Man.
calmly. that the modern Bachelor Girl
Is just a beautiful bluff. She doesn't exist
except IN the magazines and the imagina-
ton. She's as much Of a myth as Santa
Claus and Cupid and tire bogie man. No
body can be a bachelor" he finished.
blowing a smoke ring defantly. who
starts out with the direct intention of get
ting married"
What" The Bachelor Girl dropped the
FUR hat she was stufiing with tissue paper
and sat I'D Indignantly
And continued the Mere Man. quite
unruffied. whether woman goes by the
domestic short cut or the roundabout way.
whether she comes out openly IN frills
and Irritation. or lures YOU on by pre-
tense at lifewOTk and independence.
whether she goes husband hunting in
drawing room or downtown office or
studio. at pink teas. or bohemian suppers.
or during business hours. II all amounts
10 the same thing. No matter how high
her aim in life. il never scars beyond the
altar and the nursery; no matter what
sort Of wagon she bitches to her star. it
always turns out baby carriage"
Do you mean to say" demanded the
Bachelor Girl with real fire in her eve
and wave of pink sash. that all the
unmarried women in the world to-day are
just-just left-overs who couldn't get
husbands and things?'
Il mean TO say replied the Mere Man.
firmly, That all the bachelor girls are
either young things assuming becoming
pose or old maids making the best of an
unbecoming situation; and that there's no
woman living who wouldn't exchange "a
typewriter for a sewing machine. or an
easel for a cradle. or a desk for cook
stove. or an armful Of diplomas for an
armful Of babies or a latchkey for q
nice broad pair of shoulders, if the right
man offered them 10 her. If you don't
believe me, take a lady college professor.
and notice how soon she will drop Greek
and Hebrew for baby talk the minute she
gets a chance: or a lady doctor and cb-
serve how willingly she will stop rolling
pills for the pleasure Of rolling a peran-
thing or somebody TO coddle. and what
she coddles is the greatest thing in the
world to her whether it's a man or
baby or a poll parrot She's got TO have
something TO love and fuss over and
worry about and wait on. whether she
feeds It steak or milk or bird seed II she
can't get a husband or a baby. she'll buy
a Teddy bear. or lap dog, or a cat and
make her art or her profession wait
while she washes its fur and ties a pink
ribbon on H."
WELL protested the Bachelor Girl. sit
ting in the middle of the debris-strewn
floor and clasping her hands around one
knee, there's something so vague and
distant and intangible about an art or a
profession.
You can't tie a pink ribbon round it's
neck acknowledged the Mere Man, Gym
ically.
Nor put your arms around H." added
the Bachelor Girl, "and tell il your Sc
crets, and quarrel with it wnen you feel
cross. and blame il wher things go
wrong, and take it with you when you're
travelling about, and cuddle up TO it when
you're lonely"
You could have done all those things
10 me" began the Mere Man.
Don't, don't" cried the Bachelor Girl,
putting her nands over her eyes
i won't" agreed the Mere Man, sooth-
ingly
Just because I'm down"
And just because I'm down." repeated
the Mere Man, sorrowfully
You The Bachelor Girl took her
hands from her eyes and stared at the
Mere Man.
"Oh, it doesn't matter" he protested.
weariiy. But I merely dropped in to tell
you that another bank has gone up-and
a few more of us with it,
You blessed boyl" exclaimed the
Bachelor Girl. crossing hastily TO his side