The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-02-11
CHAPTER TX.

What slaves these weak women are to
those miserable clay idols they have set
ND only to fall down before and worship
Alteration is the main part of a woman's
love. How they still revere these worth
less images, despite the daily proof they
have as to what miserable potter's ware
they are composed of. But they 60 on.
even when bruised and beaten. still firmly
believing in their old romantic ideal. Oh.
yes. women will shut their eyes to many
things sooner than give up that drea m
of their girlhood. They would sooner re-
main blind than awake to find themselves
utterly bankrupt, and their account far
overflow at Cupid and Company's. A
woman will forgive the man she loves ev-
erything except Inconsistency, and only
cling the closer to him through crime or
trouble But there must never have arts
en- a doubt in her mind that she is not
still sole mistress of his heart: and with
all his faults, Harold Denison had never
brought the tears to his wife's eyes in this
wise
But am wandering far away from the
mistress Of Glinn. still musing on her
unwelcome task. Like her, / am 10th to
begin. though the miserable story must be
told, for the furtherance Of this narrative.
1t is stealing the bloom off the girlhood
of such maiden as Maude when you first
break to her that she is put up to auc-
ton as yeritably as if she stood in the
Constantinople slave market. The Turk
has suppressed it: but in the West the
trade goes on merrily, and Lord Penzance
finds il quite as much as he can do to
rectify the mistakes that occur from ig-
noring natural feeling in the contract
matrimonial.
"Maude, DEAR" at last observes Mrs.
Denison, whom did you like best of all
your partners at the minister ball?"
Like best, ~ and Maude's great grew
eyes opened wide as she uncoiled herself
from the sofa upon which she lounged.
inten. ON the latest novel Nude had fur
nished. What makes you ask that,
mother?"
Never mind, Tell me-"
well, l don't know: / never thought
about il. Gus Brisden was nice, and
Charlie Tollamache-he's dragoon of
some kind, you know-he was great fun,
and valsed very well. Then there was
Mr.. Handley, not very young. but / got
on very well with him. l think. though,
l liked dancing with Gren best: he can
valse-and then we had such laughing
over other people; but he got sulky to-
wards the finish, I'm sure | don't know
why. I'm very fond of Gren, you know,
mother. but he bullies me and can be
very nasty at times, and the finish OF
that ball happened to be one of those
times. l don't know why" continued the
girl, medtatively, unless il was my dane
ins with that Mr.. Pearman; what could
that matter to him"
And did you and Gren parts on bad
terms?"
No; l came down and gave him his
coffee before be went away, and he
kissed me-and so we parted friends"
/ think, had l been Granville Rose, |
should have preferred Maude being a lit
tie more reticent about the kiss. Still
the slight hesitation in her speech, the
slight flush that crossed her cheek as she
alluded to it, were favorable signs to an
astute' observer. He had kissed her as
his cousin all his life-why should the
recollection make her blush and hesitate
now? Young people situated in this way
may like each other for years; the ex-
plosion of some aesthetic force suddenly
awakes love. More often than not the
train is lit through the precautions taken
70 prevent il. The doctrine of separation
in high favor among chaperones, buI
they often forget that when using ii
with view TO a contrary result.
But you don't say anything about
Mr.. Pearman, Maude; did you like himY
well, he was pleasant and amusing
enough. i only had one quadrille with
him, you know. But Gren scolded sc
about my dancing with him at all; and
said he wasn't FORM or bad FORM OIL
something or other-meaning. in short
that l ought not to have stood up with
him. If he wasn't fit to be danced with
| mother, why did they introduce him to
| mel" and Maude raised her pretty eye
brows. as il she had propounded a regu-
lar poser.
II see no reason in the world. lie
not one of the old county families. bu'
his father is very rich, and he will take
his place, ere many years are over, in
the county. 1t depends. of course. a good
deal upon how he marries. Suppose he
fancied you, now, Maude-we are very
poor. you know-what would you say to
| it?'
I,-Mother, dear, what makes you esk
such question? I'm sure 1 don't know
Glinn is happy home enough for Inc al
present PIT | don't think, if | did mar.
~, / should like there to be any doubt
about my husband being gentleman; and
they-that is. mean Gren-didn't seem
% think he was"