Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1913-01-30
SAINT garg's Beacon.
An
lncongruity
BY JOHN GALLAGER. JR-

After my admission to the bar a
friend Of Mr.. Larkins, of the law firm
of Larkins, Larrabee & Lincoln, gave
me a letter to him recommending me
for a salaried position in his office. l
was advised to see Mr.. Larkins at his
house. where | would receive more
friendly attention than In his Office.
/ called about 4 o'clock, expecting to
find him returned from his office, but
since he had been detained there later
than usual / concluded to wait for
him was shown into a large draw
ing room as dimly lighted as those Of
most city dwellings. Indeed, since 1t
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 O succession of oaths. There
were two incongruities connected with
the matter. In the first place, the pro-
family came from out profusion or
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
hear them. In other words. as they
were uttered there was no meaning to
them.
They soon stopped and were followed
by a few notes Of song, in the same
40 Ihnn a
young girl came out of the conserya-
tory, passed through the drawing room.
unconscious of my presence, and.
swearing like a trooper as she went
passed out into the hall ans upstairs.
/ got a view Of her as she passed
gas jet that had Just been lighted,
and her face was as innocent or guile
as her tongue was deiiIed,
was especially pleased that she did
not see me, for she would doubtless
have been deeply mortified. Mr.. Lar
lins came in presently, and / presented
my note Of Introduction, which was in
strumental IN securing for me the
place / coveted soon learned that
he had daughter who was considered
n beautiful girl. and | inferred that she
was the one | had heard uttering pro
family. | was curious about her, for /
could not understand how a refined
woman could have a fancy for listen
ing to oaths uttered by herself.
had not been long In the employ Of
Larkins. Larrabec & Lincoln when
Mr.. Iarlins invited me to dine at mis-
house ! accepted gladly and on the
evening appointed appeared at the
house I'm evening dress and wearing
my best expression. II seemed slngu'
lar that ] should be DESTROYS OF im-
pressing q girl who could swear like
- : s-44l--AS... I-Lanllers. but such-was
the case When introduced TO her
found 1t difficult to repress smile,
thinking as / did how shocked she
would be did she know that bad
heard her NJ her worst
| cant say that Miss Laura I.arkins
was demure young lady but she
gave one the impression Of being very
refined, modest, pure Indeed. she was
the last person 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, iu hearing lovely girl
with q sweet voice uttering profanity
that / wished she would do IL 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 love affair lie
tween me and Miss Larkins. After
awhile was made a Junior member OF
the law firm where | was employed.
ana. hripg approved by MIR Larkins as
soniu-Hw, ! was accepted and duly
engaged While had been fascinated
by the incougfulty Of oaths spoken in u
mel0diGuS voice was ~ times trou
bled by this pecuInrity. Might not girl
who would give vent 10 such expletlve,
have something bad about her inner
self which some day would crop out
to shock me- ! wished to tell her that
! hud heard her swear aud hear hei
explanation. but could not bring myself
70 do so So | went on. subject to oc
of terror lest | would mar
TnUSe devillsh nature might
Tth az any moment
inncee was mt the time ] met her
Shege girl one day took up In
er house the book of a play in which
she had acted as an undergraduate
One part, that Of man. was marked
throughout While reading 1t came
upon the very oaths bad heard her
utter. Here was an explanation. She
bSd performed this part.
a moment later when she entered the
toom 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 out But we never did at
rehearsal"
why notT"
why does any girl fancy what she
Is supposed to let aloneT"
Then tod her Of the first time |
saw her-how while | was shocked I
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, unrepressed by authority. were
In the habit Of rolling out the oaths
] had heard her use just for the pleas.
ure Of doing something they had no
business to Go AS for herself. she
played the part Of the man who did