Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-26
A Woman S
Affair
By F. A. MTTcHEL.

The women artists of Berlin every
two years get up ball in which only
women are allowed. Not a single man
is admitted. A large number of the
women, however, don male attire. and
1t is an imitation of mems attentions
to the fair sex on the part of these
female men that occasions the chief
diversion of the evening
Now, in Berlin lived a young man
named Kerstner-Herman Kerstner--
who was scribbler. He wrote stories
sitting in his window overlooking the
garden at the back of the house. while
a girl painted pictures at another win
dow at the back of another house on
the other end of the same garden.
Louisa Beninger painted for the love
of art: Kerstner wrote for bread and
butter.
1t was Just as natural for these two
to come into communication as for the
grass to grow. 1t was not long be-
fore a system of telegraphy was es-
tablished between them, and the mes
sages that came over the wires were
those usual between lovers. Gladly
would the young man have gone to see
the fraulein. but she, not being permit
ted to meet any one of whom her par
ents did not approve. did not ask him.
One day the girl telegraphed that
she was going to the artist women's
est,o 10. oil 20
go alone; her mother would go with
her.
An idea occurred to Herman. If he
could go to the ball impersonating
woman in mans dress he could clasp
his Louisa to him in the dance instead
of looking at her from distance.
This he telegraphed her and observed
that after she received his message
she did a great deal Of thinking, Then
she got up and went away from the
window, and when she returned she
dropped something white on to the
ground below The day was fading.
and as soon as it was dark Herman
went out of a door opening into the
garden, jumped over fence and. I'M
der I.ouisa's window. picked up
ticket. Going back to his home he
looked at it by lamplight. 1t read:
Admit FrauIein Louisa Meninger to the
artist women's fete.
Hernan's heart danced with delight
He was ready to take any risk. There
were but few hairs on his face, and
his cheeks were red as two Jacquemi-
not roses His mouth was delicate.
and he wore lady's No. 6 kid glove.
Appropriating costume of his sis
tiers. on the night of the ball he went
there in a carriage and was admitted
on Fraulein Meninger's ticket. Hav-
ing gained an entrance, the room was
free to him. He looked about him till
he saw her with her mother. then
went boldly up to her. SO long as he
was supposed to be woman the field
was perfectly clear to him He and
Louisa ran away where they might be
free to talk together without being
overheard
Now. if Herman Kerstner had been
older or less in love-at any rate, had
had his wits about him-he would have
seen the improperly of thus going
where only women were expected. or.
having knowingly incurred the conse-
quences. he would have been every
moment on his guard. Instead Of this,
he led the fraulein away to a window
seat. pulled the curtains in front of
them and proceeded to make love with
out considering that If not seen be
might at least be heard. As his ardor
waxed stronger his voice grew louder.
A couple of girls passing heard. lis
tened and, going to the manager of
the ball. told that man was present.
There is a certain faculty peculiar
to women-the faculty of listening TO
two speakers at once-that must have
been possessed to a marked degree by
Fraulein Louisa. for she not only heard
Herman making love TO her; but, her
eyes and ears being open. she was cog
infant that the two girls had gone of
to inform on her lover. She threw up
the sash and by means of light shawl
she carried let him down from the win
dow. which was on the second story,
to the ground. Then she closed the
window and was walking unconcern-
edly across the foor. where she saw
the managers hurrying to the retreat
from which she and her lover had just
escaped.
Confident that. having been sitting in
the dark, she had not been seen and
realizing that there is safety in a bold
'front.' she followed in the wake Of the
outraged managers. and when they
pulled aside the curtains, expecting to
find a victim. or, rather. the victims.
and We're disappointed. she Joined in
the babel Of inquiries as to what was
the matter.
The girls who had furnished the in
formation were firm in their belief
that they had heard lovemaking
which could have come only from a
man. Imitation lovemaking was com
mon in the bathrooms, and the mana