The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1913-03-06
An
lncong grulty
By JOHN GALLAGER. JR.

house where would receive more
friendly attention than in his o'hce'
] called about o'clock. expecting 10
find him returned from his office. but
since he had been detained there Ia'er
than usual / concluded to walt for
him. was shown into 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 a conservatory
and 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 Il profusion or
flowers and. in the second. was spoken
in q 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
hear them. In other words, as they
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
young girl came out Of the conserva-
tory, passed through the drawing room,
unconscious of my presence, and,
swearing like trooper as she went.
passed out into the hall and upstairs.
I got a view of her as she passed
gas Jet that had just been lighted,
and her face was as innocent Of guile
as her tongue was defled.
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 III
strumental in securing for me the
place l coveted. soon learned that
he had daughter who was considered
a beautiful girl, and inferred that she
was the one had heard uttering pro-
family I was curious about her, for l
could not understand how refined
woman could have a fancy for listen
ing to oaths uttered by herself.
l had not been long In the employ Of
Larkins, I.arrabee & Lincoln when
Mr.. Larkins invited me to dine at his
house I accepted gladly and on the
evening appointed appeared ut the
house in evening dress and wearing
my best expression. 1t seemed singu-
lar that I should be desirous Of i'm
pressing a girl who could swear like
an army in Flanders bur Sach was
the case. When introduced to her
found it difficult TO reprc.'S 4 smile,
thinking as | did how shocked she
would be did she know that | had
heard her at her worst.
l can't say that Miss Laura Larlins
was q 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 lovely girl
with sweet voice Utterng profanity
that l wished she would do it again.
But instead her words were well cho
sen aud pure English, there was not
bit Of slang. and everything she said
was refined.
This introduction at the house Of my
employer resulted in a love affair Ee-
tween me and Miss Larkins. After
awhile was made junior member Of
the law firm where was employed,
and, being approved by Mr.. Lark!ns as
a son-in-law, I was accepted and duly
engaged While had been fascinated
by the incongruity Of oaths spoken in
melodious voice, was at times trou-
bled by this popularity. Might not girl
who would give vent to such expietives
have something bad about her inner
self which some day would crop out
to shock me? wished to tell her that
I had heard her swear and hear her
explanation, but could not bring myself
to do so. So I went on, subject to &C.
casional fits Of terror lest would mar
ry one whose devilish nature might
burst forth at any moment,
My fancee was at the time met her
college girl. One day took up in
her house the book Of play in which
she had acted as an undergraduate
One part, that of a man, was marked
throughout. While reading it l came
upon the very oaths had heard her
utter. Here was an explanation She
had performed this part.
y moment later when she entered the
room fired them at her.
oh" she said. you have been read
ing the part played at college. We
girls were expected to leave those
swear words ont. But we never did at
rehearsal"
"Why not?"
why does any girl fancy what she
is supposed to let alone?"
Then l told her of the first time
saw her-how while 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 confessed that several
Of the girls who took part in the
play. unrepnessed by authority. were
in the habit of rolling out the oaths
I had heard her use just for the pleas
ure of doing something they had no
business to do. AS for herself, she
played the part Of the man who did
the swearing.
asked her to do it just once more
and after that never to do it again.