Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-12-28
The Origin Of
Love
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

Dut uol hHih AhC ICd'SS NSiV III
colors, some still on the trees, but most
of them on the ground.
Beatrice Thorne and Edgar Swift
were walking on this variegated car
pet. They had both graduated from
college the previous June and their
heads were over1Owing with knowl-
edge-that modern knowledge which
tells us that we are conglomeration
of molecules; that we are fortresses
against incursi0ns of bacteria; that
our brains are sort of Photographic
laboratory containing myriads Of
plates.
"Do you believe" asked Beatrice.
that life is indigenous to the earthY'
"Sir William Hamilton Edgar re.
piled, Suggested that it came from
a neighboring planet, A pretty con-
celt, that of the vital principle waited
from Venus to earth as the wind car
ries pollen from flower TO flower"
If this dialogue were to continue in
the scientific clouds mention of the
planet Venus was unfortunate. While
the scientific couple were talking of
the vital principle they were really
thinking of the love principle.
DO you believe love" asked Bea-
trice. "ls an entity or simply the re
suit Of chemical action within us?"
81 cannot see why love should be
different, basically considered. from
hate. Two plants, the one containing
poison, the other capable of produc.
ing curative properties, are built on the
same fundamental principle"
The couple had passed from under
trees into an open space. An inclosed
field blocked their way. Edgar help
ed Beatrice over the fence, and they
were crossing the field when she asked
this profound question. Being absorb.
ed in themselves they did not see
bull, who stood looking at them with
evident interest They had nearly
reached the fence on the other side of
the inclosure when the bull began
slow trot toward them.
Edgar. glancing aside, saw the beast
coming Selling Beatrice by the arm,
he hurried her to the fence. Before
they could reach 1t she collapsed, and,
taking her in his arms, he carried her
to it and had only time to drop her
on the other side and get over himself
when the bulls horns perforated his
coattall and held him suspended across
the uppermost rail- Fortunately the
cloth did not hold. and the man drop.
ped beside the girl
While the bull was paving the ground
on the other side Of the fence Edgar
held Beatrice in his arms, his eyes bent
on her face. She opened hers and look
ed up into his. The bull stopped paw
ing and, evidently satisfied with being
left supreme in his domain, walked
away.
"Are you hurt, dearestT asked Ed
gar. =
mo. Oh, Edgar, what narrow,
frightful escape!'
His hands were clasped under her
shoulders; therefore his face was not
far distant from hers. She closed her
eyes, and, considering that she was not
hurt, he construed this to be the grant.
ing Of an opportunity to take kiss,
which favor he accepted, This recalled
her to her surroundings, and she sat
up. while he said great deal to her
In which the word love figured fire.
quently, but not scientifically. Then
there was cluster Of kisses, after
which they arose, and Beatrice, lean
ing on his arm. they walked slowly
onward Coming to large fiat stone
that formed convenient seat, they
sat down The place was elevated,
and they could see the bull quietly nib
bling at the grass The man, having
been satisfied with the quantum Of un-
scientific love he had Quaffed, turned
again to its consideration as princi-
pie.
"Let me see," he said; "where were
WEI"
The girl showed the feminine nature
by relegating the origin of love to the
winds. Love itself was more interest
ing to her.
"Oh, Edgar she said, "how noble 1t
was of you to save mel You could
easily have escaped by leaving me to
my fate. Suppose the bull had gored
you?"
She shuddered and chung to him. He
took rp his coattai and looked at the
rents in it.
81 wonder what it was" he said
thoughtfully, that prompted me TO
risk my own life to save yours
BY way OF reply she felt for his
hand, took it lovingly in hers and
snuggled up closer to him.
And herein comes one of the many
differences between the man and the
woman. Swift had received an edu-
cation In scientific branches that he
was capable of building upon until he
might discover that love affinity is the
same as chemical affinity and desig-
nate it in some such terms as Nj VIZ,
or one part man two parts woman
just as water is expressed as II ".
But Beatrice, who had also been thus
educated. having once experienced