The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-10-17
A WONAN'S WOMAN.
a, ALMA SWARTZ.

choice | would discover Il SHf 81 0t~
we'll with members Of her own SrI.
IF were thinking Of marria~e.
,s.,1ied Edith. Il would 20 to the
morber Of the man / thought of mar
rvin~ and ask her if she could reco"-
mend Inn"
could not say whether Edith vas
,npaking ironically or not. ! dropped
The subject
had gone to Florida, where h'iItn
vas spending the winter. to ask her
to ne nv wife. Since We did net re
side in the same place Wheh III nome
| had had no opportunity or knowing
now she stood with any "'F except
myself. Therefore before n"lN!hT h'r
aware of my intentions resolved I"
covprtJv draw forth ihP opinions OF
certain members of her own sex
There were a nuuibpr of girls at the
same hotel with her. and / thought
might gather evidence from them But
after couple of days stay among
them it seemed TO me that Edith ell
ther kept herself voluntarily aloof
I from them or had been left out OF
their little coterie. ! soon became good
friends With them and proceeded to
eIu..idate the matter. What was my
surprise to discover that not one Of
them would speak well OF her, and
! many Of them spoke i'll of her.
This was a shock. | had supposed
that rood opinions Of one who seemed
| TO me TO be 50 deserving OF them
! would come merely for the asking.
! But no. If were to sum up her
| character upon the evidence Of those
who must know her. rather than mar
ry her it would be better for ne that
| had never been born. One declared
! thai sine was vain, another selfish. an
other nutruthfu. Indeed, every one
attributed to her some fault. Not
! willing TO condemn her without
hearing. ] asked her why she did not
make companions Of the other young
| ladies in the hotel
oh she replied disdainfully.
They've got W mutual admiration
society and have no use for any girl
except themselves"
The reply was not satisfactory.
was bitterly disappointed. The only
thing for me to do was to go back
north and drop Edith from my mind.
But she was attractive to me-very at
tractive She WAS pretty and engag-
ing. / didn't wish to give her up.
made up my mind. however. to be true
to the principle had Pnunciated to
Edith herself at the beginning of this
story. packed my trunk and paid my
bill AT the hotel. Then did what men
Iarp constantly doing when they apply
principles to their love affairs. | sub
ordinated my Judgment to my inclina-
ton Here were six girls. some OF
whom refused to speak we'll Of Edith,
while the rest condemned her, Her
own testimony in her own behalf
would ON principles Of evidence be
worthless Nevcrt heIpss. on The even
ing before my departure | walked With
her into an orange grove and asked
he's. how she had come 10 aDtagonize
SO many girls of her own age.
Her reply vas that if declined to
consider her superior to every one of
= them she Hdu W. i'i' 'H'i ".o'T I'' ~
; acquaintance.
confess / was taken aback by this
illogical method OF handling the sub
iprt. Take the evidence OF one against
= six If were to make the most I'M
}, purtant decision of my life on such evil
p; dence. heaven help me. called her
It attention to the fact that all these
II Young ladies were her peers and their
r concurrence in condenning her was
not to be put aside 10y her bare asser-
ton. She replied that if our ac-
, uuaintance were to continue it must be
upon the condition she had stated.
J We walked back to the hotel in 81
lpnce and at parting Edith didn't
even look at me. went to my room
and wrestled with myself. That night
slept but little and the next morning
awoke with a languid feeling. not only
of body, but of mind All day strug
gled to prevent myself from marrying
- girl condemned by her associates.
y went to the railroad station. but saw
TX the train leave without me. Edith
when | met her on the tennis cour1
id took no notice of me. She seemed tC
Of have forgotten me over the net. Ii
the afternoon when she appeared
III beautifully appareled and with ross
- in her hair, raised the white flag.
asked her to walk with me in thu
orange grove Once there ! told be-
that if all the saints in heaven con
demned her ] would feel honored t
II kiss the hem of her garment.
e You told me-" she replied, that l
q you meditated marriage you wou'
+ discover if the girl of your chole
If stood well with her own sex. Io'
st know what the girls here think IT me.
1t They are unworthy to express al
~ opinion of you"
D She laughed
y Il admit stammcred. "that ] haF
III gone back on my principle i'"rhap
10 | have been fool, but can't help 1t.
ID Yes, you have been very ~'nP't