The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-30
The FASCINATION OF
FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
BY HENRY 8. splcER.


business involved some correspondence
with olive oil merchants in Italy, /
concluded 70 learn the Italian Ian
guage IN order TO be able to write
those In their own tongue from whom
we bought oil. inquired Of friend
fer a teacher. He told me that he
could recommend one. young WON
an, native of Italy, but there must
be one condition attached to her giving
me lcssons-I must promise not to
make love to her. Somewhat surprised
that such promise should be exacted,
I asked reason for It, but received
no satisfactory reply. AS had no
intention Of making love to any one.
readily agreed to the terms. It is only
too true, however, that such a promise
was very inconslderate on my part, for
several episodes IN the past had demon
strated my extreme susceptibility 70
the Goddess Love and her subtleties.
But my word bad been given and in
ell the yerities l was placed upon my
honor.
Miss (er, rather, signorinal Aboni
turned out 70 be a teacher ID the New
York public schools. She was about
twenty-five years old. with the dark
hair and eyes prevalent among her
countrymen and, unlike most italian
women, possessed very sweet voice
No language is musical when rapidly
spoken and In rough voice but rs
Miss Aboni spoke Italian to me slowly
and softly it was very melliauous.
New, verify believe that If It had
not been for the promise had made
] might have taken lessons Of Miss
Aboni for an indefinite tine without
danger 70 my bachelorhood should
not have thought OF making love to
her. But all the while she was IN
strueting me my mind, instead OF be-
Ing on the italian language. was on
the question. why was ] pledged not
to make love to my teaeherg" That
we wish to do what we are forbidden
TO do Is curious psychological condi-
ton for which I cannot account
can more readily understand why one
should dislike to do what he is com
PEELED to do. and yet this condition Is
by 40 means so universal as the other
However this may be, was soon
seized with an uncomfortable desire to
make love to my teacher resisted
Ill | had been some time under her
tutelage. then made a break
The pain expressed 10 Der face told
me that bad 10 some way hurt her,
and a sudden sensation Of shame told
me thar had dishonored myself
stammered an apology, promising not
to break my word again. a condition
like that laid down by the poet when
be says II Is weakness to be wroth
with weakness" The poor girl could
only accept the apology and hope that
I would be stronger h future.
But ] was tampering with a passion
and the passions usually master con.
science. The only safe way ont Of the
matter was to acknowledge myself
beaten IN the tirst encounter and avoid
4 second by ceasing TO take LESSONS
Of Miss Aboni This course occurred
10 me. but persuaded myself thar 1t
would be more manly to conquer my
self than to ingoriously run away. l
continued to receive instruction. but
There had come d feeling Of constraint
between me and my teacher ! went
on conquering myself. as / persuaded
myself was doing. listening to the
melodlous Italian sentences as they
glided from my teachers lips Then,
too. we frequently read from the same
book, and this compelled us to sit side
BY side, dangerous position for those
who are forbidden to be lovers.
One day while thus hooking over the
came page / suddenly found my hand
resting on my teachers waist / can
only assert that ! did not put It there;
Il put itself there. Then another I'M
fortunate circumstance led to fatal
step Feeling a tress softly Craze my
cheek. with my hand-the hand not on
her waist-I turned her face to mine
and kissed her on the lips
shall never forget the shudder that
passed over her frame. | knew at
once that / had done something terri 1
bic. But terrible things cannot usual /
" be undone. Whatever it was, it
must stand. One thing was certain-I |
had given nay word and broken 1t.
Il am beneath contempt I cried.
eNo. | have made a mistake"
"What mistaken"
aInstead Of exacting promise
should have taken you into my con-
ndence But you were a stranger to
me. and II You told"
.fWell, If / told. what theny
Il would lose my position; we would |
sfarver
awe9 Who are weg'
81 and my husband Married women
are not permitted to teach in the pub
liz schools Of New York Ny marriage |
has been kept a secret"
The announcement that she was a
wife fell ike a load On my heart
what had started IN a desire to break /
In upon forbidden ground had resulted I
ia a passionate love.
The husband Of her who passed m
der her maiden name was an invalid /
and supported BY his wife did not /
sec her after the denouement for three
years. Then, learning Of her husbands
death. i renewed the acquaintance, not (
for the purpose Of taking lessons, but (
to offer her my heart and hand. an I
oner which was accepted.
notwithstanding that ! would not !
now exchange my wife for throne 7 I
etiiI maintain that she would not now 4
be nv wife had not given s promise