The Owosso times., 1916-07-14

| SHio were tOSctueT ue COutluudlly IOl-
lowed her with his eyes, and IL she
permitted any other boy to be devoted
to her Roger was seized at once with
the sulks.
Rosa appeared TO rcciprocate his at
tachment Why, no one could under
stand, because Of the marked differ
ence In them. But we are apt to for
get that opposites attract each other.
Many hoyden has married stiff
necked clergyman who was never
known to smile.
| Roger grew older. while Rosa re-
mained chit. When he was eighteen
and beginning to think Of career
Rosa was still fitting about IN mad
cap style. while her girl friends were
beginning to consider themselves
young ladies'. When Roger gas nine
teen and removing growth Of hair on
his face twice a week Rosa was still
absorbed In trifes. Then he went
away to be educated in his profession,
and Rosa did not see him for several
years.
When at twenty-five Roger returned
90 his native place he found his boyish
love the same half child. half woman
as when lie had paired with her in the
days Of the bunch" with which they
had both trained. A man Of twenty to
twenty-five is likely to covet the So
ciety Of a woman older than himself.
Roger found his little sweetheart still
his little sweetheart, but nothing more.
Her prattle seemed altogether too
childish for man Of his age. On one
occasion upon calling upon her he
found her jumping rope. On another
occasion she was playing tag with boy
Of her own age. While Roger was dis
appointed, he could only set down the
attraction he had felt for her as one of
those first loves which are considered
later to have been ridiculous. He grad
ually came to look upon Rosa as one
who had failed to develop and In time
withdrew from her.
Twenty years after Rosa had begun
to take the antitoxin she still used It.
But there were times when she regret
ted having ever begun it. She was con-
scious Of being a queer mixture. On a
body appearing to be but fifteen she
put clothing appropriate for a woman
OF from twenty to thirty. The friend
OF her youth were married, and thei /.
daughters were now about the age thi
she had been when she ceased to groI
older. In some respects she was fitte
to associate with misses and in oth(
ha
her mind. the latter being an eman
tion from the physical brain, had r
mained the same as they had bee A
twenty years before. But she had livt
thirty-five years. and while physical
she did not become wearied with ha
ing lived that period, the ennui that
to be expected in such case had SC
tied upon her. She had neither love
husband. children nor intimate friends
Experience prevented her enjoyment
those things that pleased her when q
teen. While she retained her freshness
things had not retained their FRESHNESS
for her. She now understood that TIL
were not in themselves delightful. -
had been made so by their novelty.
Nevertheless. she was still young.
She had not seen Roger Ashurst Stree
she was twenty-five. She remembered
him as growing into manhood and
pined for him as he was then. Not only
had he retained his place in her heart,
but she was deprived Of other men to
take his place. Young men attracted
to her through her maidenly beauty
soon grew tired Of her. considering her
insipid.
One evening she was introduced to
not remember ever having seen her be-
fore. Her face was familiar to him.
but he could not place her. He was q
man Of intellect, and prominent. He
seemed pleased with her prattlc. After
a man passes middle life he is attract
ed by women much younger than him.
self. This Is in obedience to the law.
Like is antitoxin for like. Physically he
found in her a girl just budding into
womanhood. Had she talked like
woman Of his own age he would have
tired Of her; as it was. she was re-
freshing to him. When he was en-
gagged with the serious work of life he
had no use for her; when he threw off
care she was like sparkling wine.
pretty play. soothing music.
They met several times in company
without either having heard the 9TH
er's name. Then she learned that he
was Roger Ashurst.
She was at first Mortified at the
change in her youthful lover. but there
was something about him that from
the moment she met him in middle age
reminded her of him as boy. She re-
Trained from telling him who sbe was;
she could not bear to let him know that
his old love had remained chit while
he had developed. But she sought ev-
cry opportunity to be with him and
was pleased that she seemed to rest
him.
One day he said to her: Little girl,
when l was a boy loved a girl about
your age. As l grew older l left her
behind me-that is, while | developed
she did not When I was twenty-five
she seemed frivolous to me. Today
you. the same age she was then. re-