The San Francisco call., 1913-09-04
| Understand You

TIE felt SO happy that he wanted
II to take the whole world into
. = his arms. Last night happiness
had come to him. wonderful, inde-
scribable happiness. SURPRISING all
belief, showering upon him all its
blessings, wrapping him in such a
splendor of light that he was almost
dazzled by its brightness.
He had met with his first success
as poet and playwright For the
first time he had felt the intoxicating
charm of the storming. roaring ap-
plause of the hundred headed audi
ence. Yes. life is beautiful, espe-
cially when you are young and strong
and full of passionate longings and
desires. Then ii is quite impossible
to stay inside the close, stuffy rooms !;
then you must rush out into the
streets and look into the eyes and
souls OF other people.
So he took his young fame out for
| walk. confident that his new friend
Fortune. would give him new proof
of her benevolence. a proof which of
| course should be connected with some
young and lovely maiden
And there were maidens enough in
the streets, for it was the month of
May. the month of Iongings and de-
sires for love.
But strangely enough, he was not
attracted by any of these fair.
straight, slender beauties though yes
terday he admired them one and all
Suddenly the young poet stopped as
II hypnotized, for on the other side
of the street she was coming toward
him-the fairy princess of his fairest
dreams, vision of feminine beauty.
grace and strength. The blood began
to rush through his veins and he re-
NAMED where he stood. rooted to the
spot.
Then he picked up all his courage.
ana a moment later he was at her
Side Forgive my audacity, but
The young girl looked at him, not
encouragingly. and still not reproach-
fully, with a strange, helpless express
sion In her eyes and an embarrassed
movement of her hands. The young
man still mumbled a few common
place compliments. but no sign of I'M
derstanding came into the young
| lady's eyes.
Then 1t occurred to the poet that
she was perhaps a foreigner who did
not understand German and he was
surprised that he had not discovered
that right away.
Her very features and figure ought
to have told him that she was no
German, but undoubtedly Parisienne,
charming, chic and graceful as she
was. 1t was too stupid that he had
not seen that at first glance. Thank
God he knew her language. He ad-
dressed her in French.
| She smiled, a faint. pitiful smile and
shrugged her shoulders to indicate
that she had not understood him.
n.-A L. Il
him in his own native tongue:
Don't try to find any more subjects
of conversation. for I should not un-
derstand you. If you want anything,
you will have to say II very loudly
| into my ear, for 1 am almost deaf.
| So that was why. The young man
was dumfounded. All his confidence
of victory had left him and he felt
something he had never known be-
fore.
Then he collected his wits. What
was he TO do? Should he shout his
wish into her ear? No, that would
could be told only In the softest
whisper, and silent and discouraged
he walked along at her side.
The streets with their crowds and
noises lay far behind them and the
mighty trees of the Tiergarten formed
green dome over their heads. Then
he looked at her deeply and tenderly,
with eyes so full of fervent, passion
ate alteration that 1t ran like red hot
lava through her young body.
And now she smiled, a tender. happy
smile. and, trembling with delight, her
lips whispered: Yes. understand
you"
Hand in hand they walked back to
the city.