The herald., 1911-08-31
HIS MANLY
BEAUTY
By WALTER EMMONS BROOKS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

were yards just deep enough LOT
clotheslines and then the rears OF
other houses.
One day while looking out of my
window l saw a girl sitting pensively
at window of a house across the
yards. She was doing something with
her hands which I inferred to be knit
ting, though 1t was done beneath the
sill, so that / could not be sure. She
was looking down pensively, but
whether her eyes were bent Oh her
work could not tell. was struck
with her regular features and, above
all, with an expression Of sadness
that seemed inappropriate to young
face.
1t doesn't require much to set
young mans fancy flying, though by
this ! do not mean to belittle the pic
ture TO which ! have referred. | saw
her about the same time every day and
| fell to dreaming about her. The fuel
of love is Imagination. A youngster Is
attracted to a girl not for what she
| is, but for what his fancy paints her.
And girls are still more apt to endOw
a man with noble qualities and love
him for them.
1t was in the summer time. and
when ] came home from business ev-
cry day at 6 1t was still very light, and
every day at that hour l saw the girl
opposite sitting in the same position
Since | stood right up before my own
window 1t was impossible that she
should not have been aware Of my
presence there. Occasionally she
would turn her face outward, but
could not see that her eyes ever rested
upon me. But i remembered that
pure girl would not gaze upon a stran-
ger-certainly not when he was look
ing at her.
Every day on entering my room after
nv return from business l dressed for
the evening, making myself appear as
attractive as possible. then threw
open the shutters with as much clatter
as possible that might attract the at
tention Of the girl opposite. Hearing
the sound, she would turn her face In
my direction, but only momentarily
and without any look of recognition
This / put down to her native mod
esty and purity. But remembered
that there was a young man opposite.
and 1t occurred to me that II she con-
sidered that young man especially
good looking she might fall In love
with him, for this was not only my
theoretical basis Of love at that time,
but / saw no other way Of attracting
her.
| / spent some time discovering the
young lady's name. then wrote her a
note couched in as manly and respect
full terms as / knew how. l had no
thought Of making Roadway by what
wrote. but l must open communica-
ton. and in doing so l wished to give
the girl an opinion of me cOmmen-
surate with the admiration. If any.
that she had for my personal appear
ance
To make long story short, recq,v-
ed a courteous reply to my note. the
young lady stating that. though she
could not consent to q correspondence
with a stranger, in case l could find
means of making myself known to
her through a mutual friend or other
wise, should my position and character
prove satisfactory, she would be hap
by to have me call upon her
The day l received this note spent
some time before my mirror wonder
ing that the girl should have found
such attractiveness in 1t as to call
forth so favorable a reply. set my
wits to work to discover some mutual
friend to introduce me; but. having
recently come to the city stranger,
l knew very few people. Finally
wrote another note to the girl l ad'
mired, stating the case and asking
permission to furnish references.
To this l received a reply that she
would not receive calls for few weeks
but If after the expiration Of that
time / was Of the same mind p she
would be happy to receive me.
Those weeks were the longest of my
life. From Sunday to Sunday seemed
like from month to month. After
three Sundays had passed l dispatch
ed a note asking If l might be per
mitted to call. l received a reply Civ
ing the desired permission that day
week.
When after the sending up of my
card Miss Markley came into the
room where l awaited her what es
pecially noticed was that she looked
at me as though she had never seeI
me before and was curious to know
what sort of a looking fellow ! was
Having received me with a fai
amount Of cordially, we seated our
selves, and she said:
81 will explain why l put you of
so long. 1t was necessary. / hat
learned who you are, and the della!
was not because the report ha,
of. you. for 1t was very fattering
The truth Is that ! was born blind
Until a couple of weeks ago ha
never seen any object 1t was recent
ly decided by several oculists In cour
sci that an operation should be pei
formed on my eyes with a view t
opening up world to me. That Opera
tion has heen eminentlv successfu