The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-31


remarks about reviving nature at the
start of this story have place in 1t.
Julia was not as talkative as usual.
David's automobile was a recent ac-
quisition, and-71e was new enough on
the job of running 1t to necessitate
his giving close attention to the
work in hand.
They stopped for luncheon at
cosy hotel in small town in the
Naugatuck Valley. They prevailed
upon the landlord to give them
table in the open air on the veranda.
This certainly is better than hav-
ing luncheon with lot of talky wo-
men," said Julia as they sat down.
"0ne thing is certain" she went on.
Those women have a full opportun-
ity to talk about me, or about us, If
you will"
why about us?" asked David.
Because you and /, David, my
dear, are a very fruitful subject of
conversation. They can't understand
our friendship"
81 wonder if we do said David,
half TO himself.
What do you mean?"
what qualities in each of us have
attracted the other as they have?" he
said. would we be such good
friends IL we were not of opposite
sex? AS we came along this morning
| was thinking along some such line
when | wasn't trying to avoid run
ming over dogs and children. Do you
like children, Julia?"
Eyes and no." said Julia, thought
fully, unlike most women | don't
go into ecstacies whenever see a
baby. Babies are all alike to me
| when they are very young. | sup
pose If had one of my own | would
think differently, but other peoples
| children don't interest me until they
| grow up"
And them" put in David. 1t may
be he was encouraging her TO go on.
| Well" said Julia, when they
show signs of intelligence all child
ren are interesting. ! like to see
see child grow up unaided by par
entail inhuences-that is get all its
impressions of nature and OF life ma
turally, as the first man must have
done. | wonder what views of life
the man or woman who just growed
would have"
Probably wouldn't fit our modern
ideas Of civilization at all" said Da-
vid.
"Of course not" said Julia: that
would be all the more interesting"
I'VE never talked of children be-
fruitful topic"
Julia was silent. The warm breath
of spring was sweeping very gently
over her. She wore no hat, and hel
hair, which had been disturbed some
what by the trip in the automobile
forehead. She had her eyes almost
closed and there was a suggestion o.
blush on her cheek.
David was as calm as a mountain
lake. And as deep too, most likely
1t did not seem possible that a mar
who called Julia a friend could lool
at her so calmly while nature was
awake all about.
81 wonder" he said in the tone o
man who is trying to solve prob
lem, "if we have got the real mean
ing of life. Could we be such gooC
friends If one OF us, for example, wal
bound to some one else by the con
ventional bond OF marriage? w
have abjured nonsense such as love
making, but one see II all about us
Il suppose my talking this way Il
contrary to our agreement" he wen
on, looking at her for some sign o
disapproval. But she sat still, eye
nearly closed, and gave no indication
of what was going on within he
mind.
Marriage is not for u.s." he re
sumed. And why isn't It? Is ther
anything lacking in either of us
Have we thought ourselves beyond il
or haven't we thought ourselves III
to 1t? Or isn't it matter OF though
at all?
. These questions have been float
ing around in my head and | can
say that | have answered them. Hav
| you anything to offer on the subject?
"Oh, | don't know what to say,
J said Julia, breaking her reverie sud
denly and standing up. She shot on
/ her arms as II in protest agains
something she didn't understand.
: feel like doing something idiotic to
: day. Let's be sensible
/ The waiter came Just then with a
! installment of the luncheon and Juli
! sat down suddenly
"Why, we've only just started I
. eat" she said nervously, "and | ha
forgotten it. And l am so hungr!
5 too"
! David served her in silence and tn
1 meal was concluded with the meres
commonplaces of talk. Afterwar
4 they adjourned to a more seclude
5 part of the veranda and David lit
. pipe. He offered Julia a cigarette
| Guess you may smoke here, Julia
( he said. There's nobody around /