The Parker post., 1917-12-29
Much Ado
About Nothing
BY F. A. Mitchell
Copyright 1917. Western Newspaper Union.

Phyllis and l had recently become
fellow and was inclined to discuss
how we were going to live. Would we
keep house or board? If we kept
house where was the furniture to
come from? There were plenty of
such matters to talk over, but Phyllis
did not seem inclined to discuss them
With her the question of how we'll
loved her, would / always love her,
nad I ever loved any one else, engaged
her thoughts. At any rate this was
what she was continually. harping on.
Since she would not discuss prac-
| teal matters / was forced to talk
about what considered trifies though
| they were very delicious trifies, mas
| much as all my assurances to her were
re-enfOrced by kisses. One day when
the kisses were plentiful I said to
Phyllis:
"Have you ever been kissed by a
man before?"
"Certainly not"
"That's very lovely" I replied with
| another kiss.
"Have you ever kissed a girl be-
fOre?" she asked.
The innocent creature.
II cannot tell lie," I said. II
have"
She looked a trifle disappointed.
IA long time agoY
81 am sorry to say 1 kissed a girl
| within a week."
was holding her hand, she with
drew it as if mine were q hot coal.
| expected to see tear in her eve,
but did not. She was hurt but she
was also offended. There was lust
enough man in her to keep back the
tears.
"Forgive me-" I replied. eff you
should see those pouting lips, you
would not blame me-"
II knew it," she said with heav-
ing breast. "I have all along feared
that in such matters you are not trust
worthy"
ut is my only fault"
"Your only fault! 1t is the worst
fault man can have; that is one his
wife or fiancee would consider his
worst"
"The temptation was very great"
pleaded.
There was an awful silence for some
time, then she said in tone of bitter
disappointment:
II should think that you would not
care to kiss girl who would permit
you to kiss her, unless you were en-
gagged to her."
'That's the girls lookout, not mine.
If she don't mind DON'T
"But by kissing her you influenced
her."
"On the contrary she influenced
me-"
"You mean that it was all her fault.
That's just like a man; he is always
ready to throw all the blame on the
woman
II solemnly aver that I was not
thinking of kissing her. She put up
her lips to be kissed and-we1l, l just
kissed them. l couldn't help it,"
Without word Phyllis rose and left
the room. / called to her to come
back; that I had an explanation to
make; but she paid no attention to
me. Her mind was in that peculiar
state of girl who has just become
engaged, ready to take fright at the
slightest appearance of unfaithfulness
to her on the part of her betrothed.
[ think that more engagements would
hold II the parties were separated the
day after the betrothal and kept apart
without correspondence-till the
wedding. 10
There was nothing I could do-at
least for the present-to undo the dam.
age l had done. Phyllis had left me,
deaf to my recall, and would not come
back. I cursed myself for fool. I
was to go away on business trip
FOR the firm I was with early the next
morning, and would have no oppor-
tunity to plead for forgiveness. While
was away Phyllis might do some
thing to separate us forever. I thought
OF going to my employer and asking
permission to delay my departure,
But what reason could I give him?
That had had spat with my sweet
heart and wanted an opportunity to
make it up before 1t became any
worse? Likely he would have accept
ed the reason, but I did not propose
to give such one. I took train the
next morning. -
I could have written Phyllis an ex-
planatfon, but 1 feared that on cold
paper she would not believe it. was
only to be gone week and concluded
that the safest plan was to let the
matter rest till my return.
I confess that 1t was week of
anxiety for me, and it must have been
one Of misery to Phyllis. On reach
ing home I wrote her a note saying
that the girl I had kissed would 20
with me the next evening at seven
o'clock to plead my cause with her. 7