Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1909-02-17
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A Fair Exchange.


graduated at n young ladies' finishing
school; no was about to be graduated
into the United States cavalry. She
had learned to write an essay. She
didn't need to learn to write a love
letter. She was born that way, just as
n poet is born, not made. He had
learned analytical geometry, comic sec
lions and all that He didn't need to
learn to talk soft to a girl; he breathed
the spirit of spoon" In with the West
Point air. The atmosphere there has
been so long laden with It that it's Inn
pregnated-that is, In June, when the
roses bloom. They were dawdling IN
Irritation walk.
What an odd necklace" he remark
ed. glancing at a circlet OF finger rings
fastened together by gold links she
wore about her neck-"each ring diff
ferentr
1.-The donors were all different too"
"What do you mean by the donors?"
Each ring was given me by
IAN accepted suitor?"
"Well"-
Don't deny It. Rather tell me about
them"
1.-The rings or the suitors2'
Both"
''Well, this turquoise cluster was
given me by flaxen haired, blue eyed
boy when l was fifteen. He said he
was desperately In love with me. and
he was-for a month. This marquise
solitaire got from young planter in
Georgia. He tried to ride over a preci-
pice later on, but his horse baked.
This gypsy set pearl was from a pro-
fessor. lie was an old fellow, thirty
one at least. He taught Scandinavian
or Egyptian literature or something of
the sort. He'd never been anywhere,
but he could talk so beautifully about
the places he hadn't seen that he'd
make you wish to go there. A doctor
gave me this sapphire. He had beer
all over the world, but you'd never
know II. lie couldn't say boo to a
goose. used to say to him, My friend
the professor could go through China
town and make you believe he'd been
at PelSin when the allied forces en-
tered; you would make marionette
squabble out Of the battle of Gettys-
burg"
'I'll bet the doctor knew lot more
than the professor"
mot for women"
"Well, go on with this string of
bleeding hearts"
''The man who gave me this ruby
was splendid-young like us. He was
so fierce. Are you an angler?"
mo. What's that got to do with it?"
"Then you won't understand. My
ruby lover splashed about, darling this
way and that way, one day treating
me with sovereign contempt, the next
with anger, till thought I'd never
land him"
And did your"
"There's the ring to show"
"How about the fellow who gave
you the opal?"
"Oh, that furnished me with a dead
easy thing in the breaking. was
afraid he'd interfere with the diamond
between sapphires. and l had to cut
him short. told him he'd broken my
heart, for I never could marry a man
who'd given me an opal-nothing but
unhappiness could possibly result from
such a union. But now tell me about
your book Of beauty. Your chum stole
1t for me yesterday out Of your room"
1.-The rascalr'
1--WE brought it with me to return it
to you. There's No. 1, this black
haired, black eyed girl. She'd be pretty
/ If she hadn't such a homely mouth
and pug nose. How long were you
engaged to herr"
"Oh, these girls aren't girls I've been
engaged to. They're girls who have
refused me. l only thought 1 loved
them. never really knew what love
was till now"
when did it strike your"
"Just after guard mount yesterday
morning. l was marching Off the old
guard, and 1 saw a group of girls
among the lockers on. One face among
them made me tremble. 1 recognized
my belle dame sans merci.'"
"You talk just like the professor
What does belle dame sans merci
meanT
He stopped and gazed at her with all
the fervor of his handsome eyes. but
with an expression Of despair in them
beautiful one without mercy" he re-
piled.
She turned and looked down through
an opening in the trees on the Hud
son, evidently to conceal deep emo
ton.
"Oh, if 1 could only trust your she
said in broken tones. you, the only
one of all Ny punishment is more
than can bear"
II swear
at has come at last, but to mocl
mel Let go my handF'
Her bidding was obeyed suddenly
so suddenly that she was surprised. Al
the same time the wooer exclaimed
somewhat irrelevantly, Great Scott~
whats the matterT
"Ohicer-and we're of limitsl'
An officer with several ladies' passed
The cadet feced, drew himself up stiff
as a ramrod and brought his fore
finger to his cap like a dummy worked
by wires.
That night when the pair parted {
ring set with twin diamonds-a family
heirloom-passed into the necklace
and her photograph passed into hi
book of beauty.