Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-11-21
Taking the Wicked
ness Out Of Them
By RUTH GRAHAM
'09yrishi lslT. western Newspaper Uni0a-l

opposite sex.
MY son." said Lavinsky, shall
never see woman. Before he be-
comes a year older shall build high
wall around my estate. BE shall
never 60 beyond the wall and no
woman shall come within it."
"And my daughter, Vera" said
Madam Varenska, shall never see a
man. too viii build wall around
my estate to keep her away from
your detestable sex"
These two people carried out their
plans so well that until Paul was
eighteen years old he had seen only
those of his own sex. Then one day,
tired of his captivity, he tunneled I'M
der the wall that held him and went
wandering. When he had gone some
distance he came TO another wall on
which sat Vera varenska. Paul stared
and wondered. Vera looked down at
Paul and wondered likewise.
"What are your" asked the girl.
"a boy" was the reply.
Vera crossed herself and started TO
get down from the wall. 'Where are
you goingi" asked Paul.
''To get away from you. My mother
tells me that boys are monsters"
"Are you girl?"
sYes.''
my father says girls arc devils"
do you believe him?"
81 don't know. wish 70 see for
myself. Stay where you are and
win get some wood together from
which / can mount 10 YOU"
Having built pile he mounted to
place beside her and they looked at
each other curiously. Paul took q
comb from her hair ana her locks fell
on her shoulders. She passed her
hand over his face that had a soft
down on It,
"What funny place FOR hair to
grow" she said.
"What do you let your hair grow
like that forf' was his reply. 81
should think it would be in your way"
so ii would if / didn't do 1t up and
keep it done up"
81 don't see anything vicious about
you" He put his finger on her lips
to see il she would bite il. When she
did not he added: Il couldn't do that
with some dogs. You can't be as
vicious as beast anyway"
She took hold Of his hand and
pressed 1t against her lips.
"Vherein lies the deviltry in your
he asked at is surely not In your
lips; and yet father has told me that
what comes out Of girls mouth is
poison She speaks only 10 deceive"
"Mother tells me that man can
never speak the truth"
Those two statements arc dIamet-
rieally opposed; aren't they7"
"IVe must both be wicked"
4 don't feel conscious of being
wicked; DO you9"
mo"
care you going TO tell yorr mother
sou met meT'
care you going TO tell your father
you met me?"
"No."
aPcrhaps that is what they call
wickedness. I didn't know before that
wiekedness was so nice
She ran her fingers through his
hair This brought their faces near
toeetner and their lins met.
II your lips arc wicked" he said,
SIS father declares they are, may
ST. tsn possess me from this moment"
sAsd wish never TO be good
again
The dialogue lasted Till the day was
iading when they agreed that their
parents had been mistaken. She took
him home with her 10 convince her
rother that there was boy who If
be was wicked she--the girl--was
wicked too. When the mother saw
them coming hand in hand she
gsaned.
Mother said Vera, ''you have al
ways told me to beware OF n mans
lips, that they are poisonous. This
ones are not. / have tried them with
mine"
"Heavensl" cried the mother.
Hers are as sweet as tho perfume
of the rose said Paul.
"Are you LayInsky's sonf7 asked the
widow.
Eyes"
"yera, go into that room and wait
until / come"
She showed her daughter into a room
and locked the door. In an hour she
returned with Lavinsky and priest.
Father" said Paul, Il have met a
girl. There is no poison in her lips.
They are delicious"
The widow let Vera out Of the room
in which she had locked her. The
boy and the girl were made to stand
up side by side. the priest asked thcm
a lot of questions they did not under
stand TO which they answc-es Yes
and nc pronounce Item Han sud
wife
what have you 81 t- as@efi
both the y0an
~Takea Zee $50.
WAS fh,s frfiv