Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-28
CHAPTER XIII.
Varium ct Mutabile.

Hughie continued during the next few
weeks to study the character Of the fe-
male sex as exemplified by his ward.
Miss Joan Gaymer, and some facts In nat
ural history were brought to his notice
which had not hitherto occurred to him.
In her relations with her male belong
ings a woman does not expect much. Ger
tainly not Justice. nor reason, nor COM
mon sense. That which she chiefly de-
sres-so those who know inform us-is
admiration. and, If possible. kindness.
though the latter is not essential. The
one thing she cannot brook is neglect.
Attention of some kind she must have.
Satisfy her soul with this and she will
remain all you desire her to remain-toute
femme-something for lonely mankind to
thank God for. Stint her. and there is a
danger that she will drift into the ranks
Of that rather pathetic third sex. born Of
higher education and feminine superfiu-
ity, which today stands apart from Its
fellow creatures and loudly proclaims its
loathing for the Insecurity of man and
it's contempt for the effeminacy OF wom-
cast away the rapier Of the one without
! being able to lift or handle the bludgeon
of the other.
Not that Miss Joan Gaymer ran any
such risk: She was. indeed. toute femme.
and stood secure from the prospect Of be-
ing cut of from her natural provender.
Her chief danger was that of a surfeit.
She possessed a more than usually healthy
appetite for admiration, and there was
never wanting supply of persons
chiefly OF her own sex, be 1t said-tO pro-
claim the fact that in her case the line
between appetite and gluttony was very
finely drawn, indeed. There was some
truth. 1t is to be feared. in the accusa-
ton. for Joan was undoubtedly exh.. biting
symptoms at this time Of a species Of
mental indigestion-what the French call
tete montee and the Americans "swelled
head''-induced by an undiluted diet Of
sort Of thing grows with eating. and Joan.
like her mother before her. was beginning
to think too much OF those who supplied
her with the meat her soul loved and too
little of those who did not. And as those
who did not were chiefly those who had
her welfare most nearly at heart. she was
deprived for the time being Of a good
deal Of the solid sustenance Of real friend
ship.
She was a curious mixture of worldly
wisdom and naivete, and was frankly in
terested in herself She was undisguised-
ly anxious to know what people thought
Of her. and made no attempt to conceal
her pleasure when she found herself "a
success" On the other hand. she pre-
sumed q great deal too much on the pa
thence ard loyalty OF her following. She
was always capti0us. frequently inconsid-
have been respectfully brought up, was
desperately anxious to be considered
rather wicked.
These facts the slow-moving brain Of
Hughie Marrable absorbed one by one.
and he felt vaguely unhappy on the girls
account. though he could not find it in his
heart to blame her. joey. he felt. was
merely making full use Of her oppor-
tunities. Within her small kingdom. and
for her brief term. she held authority as
absolute as that. say. Of secretary Of
state, nor was she fettered by any Pc
dantic scruples. such as might haye ham,
ercising the same: and Hughie, who was
something OF IN autocrat himself. could
not but admit that his ward was acting