Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-04
BY Jane Mclean

The girl stepped into the canoe
and settling herself among the cush-
ions, looked lazily across at the boy
as he pushed away from the shore.
Such an absurd boy, she thought to
herself, who would persist in treat
ing her like a piece of Dresden china
when she could paddle canoe as
well as he could. And yet she liked
him rather well. 1t amused her to
be told that her eyes were noticeably
blue and that she was conceited all
in one breath. Boys are funny when
they're very young.
Well" said the boy, ARE you
sorry you came, or have you decid-
ed to be nice2"
I'm always nice" the girl an
swered uncompromisingly - some
times nicer than others. I'm really
very nice to-day"
why wouldn't you dance with me
last night?' the boy returned abrupt
ly. His manner showed plainly that
he was serious, very serious, and her
half-mocking manner hurt him.
The girl raised her eyebrows in
pretended surprise at his tone. 81
did" she retorted.
'Twice!" he exclaimed scornfully.
We'll, you can't expect me to
prance around all evening with a
young race horse, when I'm suppos-
ed to be up here resting"
He laughed shortly and then lean
ed forward to look closer into the
amused blue eyes opposite.
Il don't suppose I'll ever know
YOU" he said grimly - you'll take
care of that"
The girl drew back. why discuss
personalities? she parried, although
there was a touch of discomfort in
her manner.
Il brought you out to discuss per-
fsonalities," he said stubbornly. Il
love you!"
For a moment wide, startled blue
eyes looked into serious gray ones;
then she laughed quavering little
laugh.
Children shouldn't play with
fire." she began; then she nesitated
charmingly. He had been such a nice
playmate-why must he spoil it all?
She liked him, but she did not love
him. He was only a boy, she argued
TO herself repeatedly.
Seriously, boy" she said after a
moments silence, ARE you trying TO
make love to me? You mustn't say
another word. l don't believe you
know what love means"
They padded through an open
on the boys blonde hair. If she had
not been so sure that he was anus
ing himself, she would have thought
that he was suffering.
What do you think love means?"
he said gravely.
The girl was more certain of her
ground now. Love-" she laughed
triumphantly, 'is that set of sensa-
tions which finding their way
the afferent nerves, stimu-
late certain gang1ionic centers of
the occipital portion of the brain,
and extend upward through the
higher areas of cerebral conscious
ness. There" she finished breath
lessly. "I wasn't sure 1 could re-
member it. but it must be so, we
studied it in psychology at college"
The boy didn't even smile. He
padded silently under a tree that
hung rather low over the water, and
then turned the canoe skillfully
around.
will you let me paddle back?"
why bother?" he said shortly.
You won't spoil me at any rate"
she said slowly. s'Most people do
you know, why don't you try"
She was trying to keep. the con-
versation in lighter channels away
from the danger of deep water. She
was light and frivolous herself,
afraid to look into the deeper. chan
nels of her womanhood for fear of
what she might find there. Things
were so pleasant as they were now,
and responsibility terrified her, and
this talk of love, lately the bow had