The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-23
By RUTH GRAHAM

comes a year older / shall build a high
wall around my estate. He shall
never go beyond the wall and no
woman shall come Within it."
"And my daughter, Vera" said
Madam Varenska, "shall never see a
man. 1 too will build a 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 going?" asked Paul.
ITO get away from you. My mother
tells me that boys are monsters"
Are you a girl?"
yes
my father says girls are devils"
DO you believe him?"
at don't know. 1 wish to see for
myself. Stay where you are and I
will get some wood together from
which / can mount to you"
Having built a pile he mounted to a
place beside her and they looked at
each other curiously. Paul took a
comb from her hair and her locks fell
on her shoulders. She passed her
hand over his face that had a soft
down on 1t.
what a funny place for hair to
grow" she said.
"What do you let your hair grow
like that for?" was his reply. 81
should think it would be In your way"
$50 it would if l didn't do it up and
keep 1t done up"
81 don't see anything vicious about
you" He put his finger on her lips
to see If she would bite II. When she
did not he added: 81 couldn't do that
with some dogs. You can't be as
vicious as a beast anyway"
She took hold of his hand and
pressed 1t against her lips.
"Wherein 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 a girls mouth is
poison. She speaks only to deceive"
Mother tells me that a man can
never speak the truth"
"Those two statements are diamet-
rically opposed; aren't theyr'
"We must both be wicked"
az don't feel conscious of being
wicked; do your
mo"
care you going to tell your mother
you met meT"
"Are you going to tell your father
you met me?"
"No."
perhaps that is what they call
w~ickedness. 1 didn't know before that
wickedness was so nice"
She ran her fingers through his
hair. This brought their faces near
together and their lips met.
IF your lips are wicked" he said,
Gas father declares they are, may
Satan possess me from this moment"
"And l wish never to be good
again."
The dialogue lasted till the day was
fading when they agreed that their
parents had been mistaken. She took
him home with her to convince her
mother that there vas a boy who If
he was wicked she-the girl-was
wicked too. When the mother saw
them coming hand in hand she
groaned.
Mother" said Vera, you have al
ways told me to beware of a mans
lips, that they are poisonous. This
ones are not. l have tried them with
mine"
Heavens I" cried the mother.
"Hers are as sweet as the perfume
of the rose" said Paul.
"Are you Lavinsky's son?" asked the
widow.
"Yes.'
"vera, go into that room and wait
until l come"
She showed her daughter into a roo
and locked the door. In an hour she
returned with Lavinsky and a priest.
Father" said Paul, II have met a
girl. There is no poison in her lips.
They are delicious"
The widow let Vera out of the roo
In which she had locked her. The
boy and the girl were made to stand
up side by side, the priest asked them
a lot of questions they did not under
stand to which they answered Yes
ana he pronounced them man and
wife.
what have you done to us?" asked
both the youngsters at once.
Taken the wickedness out of you.
waS thp rpDiy.