The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-01-09
An
lncongruity
BY JOHN GALLAGER, JR.

of Larkins, Larrabee & Lincoln gave
me a letter to him recommending me
for a salaried position in his office. |
was advised to see Mr.. Larkins at his
house, where l would receive more
friendly attention than in his Office
j called about 4 o'clock, expecting to
find him returned from his Office. but
since he had been detained there later
than usual l concluded to wait for
him. | was shown into a large draw
ing room as dimly lighted as those of
most city dwellings. Indeed since it
was winter and the days were short
there was hardly any light at all be-
cause of heavy window drapery.
A door opened into conservatory.
aud while sitting in profound silence
I heard a succession of oaths. There
were two incongruities connected with
the matter. In the first place, the pro
family came from out a profusion of
flowers and, in the second, was spoken
in a woman's musical voice. Further
more, they did not express irritation,
the lady who spoke them seeming to
be simply rolling them out just to
near Ill OtUeE MOEuS, as luey
were uttered there was no meaning to
them.
They soon stopped and were followed
by few notes of song, in the same
sweet voice as the oaths. Then a
young girl came out of the conserva-
tory, passed through the dra wing room,
unconscious of my presence, and,
Oh,
passed out into the hall and upstairs.
/ got view of her as she passed a
gas jet that had just been lighted,
and her face was as innocent of guile
as her tongue was defiled.
l was especially pleased that she did
not see me, for she would doubtless
have been deeply mortified. Mr.. Lar
kins came in presently, and presented
my note of introduction, which was in
strumental in securing for me the
place / coveted. l soon learned that
he had a daughter who was considered
a beautiful girl, and | inferred that she
was the one / had heard uttering pro-
family. l was curious about her, for
could not understand how a refined
ing to oaths uttered by herself.
1 had not been long in the employ Of
Larkins, Larrabee & Lincoln when
Mr.. Larkins invited me to dine at his
house. / accepted gladly and on the
evening appointed appeared at the
house in evening dress and wearing
my best expression. 1t seemed singu-
lar that / should be desirous of i'm
pressing girl who could swear like
an army in Flanders" but such was
the case When introduced to her
found it difficult to repress a smile,
thinking as l did how shocked she
would be did she know that l had
heard her at her worst.
/ can't say that Miss Laura Larkins
was demure young lady, but she
gave one the impression of being very
refined, modest, pure. Indeed, she was
the last person l would have supposed
would indulge in the unladylike habit
of swearing. To tell the truth, there
was something so novel, in such mark
ed contrast, in hearing a lovely girl
with sweet voice uttering profanity
that / wished she would do it again.
But instead her words were well cho-
sen and pure English there was not a
bit of slang, and everything she said
was refined
This Introduction at the house of my
employer resulted in a love affair be-
tween me and Miss Larkins. After
awhile l was made junior member Of
and, being approved by Mr. Larkins as
a son-in-law, | was accepted and duly
engaged. While | had been fascinated
by the incongruity of oaths spoken in a
melodiouS voice, | was at times trou-
bed by this popularity. Might not girl
who would give vent to such eXpletives
have something bad about her inner
self which some day would crop out
to shock me? l wished to tell her that
had heard her swear and hear her
explanation, but could not bring myself
to do so. So l went on, subject to oc-
casiOnal fits of terror lest / would mar
ry one whose devilish nature might
burst forth at any moment
My fiancee was at the time | met her
a college girl. One day l took up in
her house the book of play in which
she had acted as an undergraduate
One part, that of man, was marked
throughout. While reading it l came
upon the very oaths l had heard her
utter Here was an explanation. She
had performed this part.
A moment later when she entered the
room | fired them at her,
"Oh," she said, you have been read
ing the part l played at college. We
girls were expected to leave those
swear words out But we never did at
rehearsal
"Why not?"
why does any girl fancy what she
is supposed to let alone?"
Then / told her of the first time l
saw her-how while l was shocked
was pleased. She said that it was that
/ same shock, that desire to break in
upon forbidden things, that pleased
| girls She also confaSsad that savaraI