The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-09-07
THE CARD THAT
TOOK THE TRICK.
BY RUSSELL THoRNE.


.eThe trouble with you. JIM" said
Tom DARBY to his friend James Terry,
$50 far as women are concerned, Is
that you don't understand them"
Il wish some fellow who knows all
about them would establish a school
where men could be taught to man
age women I'd enter for instruction.
You might give me some points If you
would"
"Oh, / don't pretend to know the
subject thoroughly | merely keep In
mind few general feminine charac-
teristics. don't think much of learn
ing theoretically without practice. I'll
tell you what I'll do. There's Mag
gle Worth. friend of mine, whom
think know pretty well. FL intro
duce YOU to her and from time to
time coach you on how you shall act
toward her. How would you like
that?"
First rate"
The introduction was made after
few preliminary general instructions.
such as not TO miss an opportunity to
pay compliment. never to engage in
argument aud always be deferential
Terry did not have much confidence
in being able to learn the subject, but
was anxious to get rid of a certain
faculty he had discerned in himself for
antagonizing the sex. He put his mind
on the subject. reported all that was
going on between himself and the girl
on whom he was practicing to his
friend Darby, and received minute in
structions as to how TO act in each
especially obnoxious to this particular
girl or he was incapable of being
| taught how to make lady's man of
| himself he seemed to fare worse with
| Miss Worth than with any woman he
had ever met. Darby kept suggesting
acts and words unimportant in them
selves, but well calculated to crafty a
woman. They all appeared to irritate
rather than please the person on whom
| they were practiced.
"Just bold on a Bit" said Darby
after Terry had reported the failure
of one of the attentions the coach
had suggested. You keep off for
awhile. and I'll step in and see IL
can find out what's the matter. From
what you tell me, you carry out my
instructions to the letter, and yet they
don't seem to work. I'll get Maggie to
tell me wherein you fall"
A few days later Darby told his
friend that he had better choose anoth-
er subject. Maggie had taken an es-
by's own sister Ruth. Better try her.
Terry seemed quite relieved at the
change and entered upon sharpening
his abilities to please the sex by whet-
ting them on the new subject One
day Terry said to his pupil:
Somehow. ever since introduced
you to Ruth, Maggie has seemed dis
pleased not only with you, but with
me. She says you are weak. vacil-
lating sort of fellow. and my being
a friend of yours shows conclusively
that-well, she puts it birds Of a
| feather flock together"
"Why don't you try some of the de-
vices on her you recommended to
me?D
| 81 will I'll send her the prettiest
| basket Of flowers / can buy and write
her note. | know exactly how to
/ put it. Just you wait"
"A few days later Terry met Miss
Worth walking in the park. She
smiled at him and asked him If he
would show her the way to the grotto.
In his ignorance of how to please a
woman he replied that he hadn't time,
whereupon the girl angrily told him
that be hadn't single gentlemanly
instinct. He gave way at once and
walked hunlbly beside her. Before
parting with him she told him to come
to see her that evening: she had q
/ present for him. He called. and, tax
ing the most beautiful flowers from
those sent her by Darby, she gave
them to him. He took them to Darby
and with wonder in his eyes asked
him what It all meant
swell. I'll be jinged!'' exclaimed the
teacher in woman's management.
,'I'll tell you what. Jim,' he said
presently. while ! have general
knowledge of the characteristics of
women, there's something in this case
that puzzles me. prefer that you
should work the rest of it out by your
! seIf.'
Il don't know how said Terry
lugubrionsIy.
There was an estraHgement from
this time between teacher and pupil.
between Terry and Ruth Darby and
between Ruth Darby and Maggie
Worth. Darby's efforts to make a
| lady's man of his friend had apparent
i IL borne thistIes instead of fruit. One
day Darby went to his friend and said:
Jim, I've just had talk with Ruth.
What do you suppose she says?''
.'WhatY'
.That Maggie Worth is dead in love
with you"
'sWith me..''
.sYes, And 50 is Ruth in love with
you
eGreat Scott! what nnakes you think
Al - asy