The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1914-01-16

any remark serve " Nv
!" !" E. !: !: !" !: !: !:
her turn NJ E.E
But then, Of - NJ N
course, women MI 4
have no sense of N VIM
humor," he an M VIZ
nounced In due = NA1M -
course, letting off q
h inevitable
platitude.
Mrs. Airlie's eyes sparkled with sat
isfaction as she leaned back in her
chair.
I've long wanted to talk upon that
subject" she remarked 1T was nice
of you to lead up to it so soon.''
$50 soon?" echoed her companion
blankly.
Eyes. It was bound to come sooner
or later. Of course"
"why7" demanded the major, hope
lessly puzzled.
Because it's stock masculine re-
mark.
Come now, I think IT'S generally
admitted" he returned with tolerant
smile.
"You mean it's generally asserted.
and that's a very different thing" re-
turned Mrs. Airlie, with spirit.
Mrs. Airlie's expression az she CLAN
ced at him was inscrutable. She was
a charming woman. even il she did
intend for her own satisfaction to con-
tinue the train OF thought which his
guileless remark had started. you
must let me talk about It," she urged.
with her prettiest smile, because
you've really interested me in the sub
ject now"
And the major succumbed patiently
and assumed an attentive attitude.
Let me see, where was II" con-
tinued Mrs. Airiie. "Oh. yesl Well.
now that sense Of humor isn't con-
sidered unfeminine. women have gone
as usual to the other extreme. Just as
they tear themselves to pieces over
hockey and football, and all the other
horrid games they play.
Surely q sense or humor IL less
dangerous than hockey7" inquired her
guest, whose views were CONSERVE
tive. -
Tn moderauon--yes But women
are never moderate. They are taking
TO hunor madly. sayneely, inhuman-
~. III becoming with them . sort Of
dry-rot. that's eating up their brains
and their hearts. It's q fashion. .
craze. . pose--and very bad one"
"What horrible state of things"
mprmuyed the major. Aw
Mr.. Airiie laughed. @Pjeass 1t mo
exasgefnte,Y} she exclaimed. III.
must b . women. III. hard Chat I
mayn't dor simple thing like thati
I'm not taking about the ordinary ev-
ery-day woman. Of course. She has no
sense 81 humor. and never, hsd.. But
then.; NEITHER has the crdin.fy ever,
day man = ts ~ S l 4 ~ y
"You Gee. I'm sehsms Of ssyious-
ness. men flnd place. They. too. are
taken seriously. and that from every
point OF view 10 90 advisable. Men
don't like to be taken humorousiy. n
annoys them. Their sense Of hurnor
very wisely stops short at them
selves" r
Major Burke looked at her suspi-
ciously. Il believe you've got itir he
exclaimed. aiiudins thus fearfully to
the new disease.
How can you be SO unkind?" She
protested meekly. I'm speaking about
clever women" H
Again he gave her an uneasy
glance. but before he could collect his
thoughts he discovered that she was
talking about Jane Austen. ensaa
Its the Jane Austen type OF mind
that's being cultivated BY the clever
women nowadays." she said. "A dry,
witty, Unconditional way Of looking at
liRe lathe correct thing. deals arc
childish. enthusiasms absurd. love Z
| folly az which 10 sneer. why. it's Gre
Attpg . new type tof face she de-
clArsd. "L0ok round: look at some
OF the women in this very room.-th
women who have passed their first
youth. There's new sort OF monty
q hooking. ironical mouth. There are
new eyes-hard. bright amused eyes.
The very way they walk. the very
way they carry their hesds-"
Il know what you mean" inter
posed the major. intelligently. "snd |
quite agree. hate that kind OF thing.
Give me gentle. sympathetic woman.
don't care twopence about her
brains"
Precisely" said Mrs. Airlie.
That's the trouble. But II she's got
them?" Her eyes once more travelled
round the smoking-room. "Poor wo-
mani" she suddenly exclaimed. II
dare say a sense OF humor helps her
through better than any other sort OF
armor after all. She's quite right. It's
the best way" she added decisively.
leaving the major gasping He had
yet to learn that woman's logic is as
conspicuous as her sense OF humor.