The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-04-19
A successful
Experiment
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and walked down the leaf-strewn path
10 the other bench. where the eiri was
sitting.
would you ike TO Try an expert
mentf" he asked quietly, standing with
hat In hand before her.
She looked at him for a moment
unsmiling. her expression neither In
vitlng nor repelling.
"Pernapa." she said at length.
He sank into the scat beside her.
1T II something I have often wanted
20 Try" he said slowly. Here are We
two. perfec; strangers in a city Of ave
millions. and never likely TO see each
other again after we leave this chance
meeting place. We have sat here for
half an hour. each pretending TO read.
or 20 watch the squirrels. or the falling
leaves. or the misty golden sunshine
out there on the Geld. but each ex-
aiming and %appraising ths other when
the other wasn't looking.
snow. this IL the experiment; We
have each gained a strong nrSt I'm
preston OF the other. Let M, with alb
solutely frankness. tell each other
what those impressions are. Let ua
do what friends cannot do-speak
without reservations. made for fear Of
hurting each others feelings"
She sat without speaking for a mo
ment after he had finished. gazing
thoughtfuily out az the warm cxpanse
Of autumn.tinted park.
~But whyf" she asked at last. Il
am not sure that Burns was right.
Perhaps II Ia Just az well that va can't
. ourselves a. others see u.s."
THAT" he said. makes Il an expert
ment Il will be a new experience. I
want TO know exactly how ! look In
the eyes OF n stranger. however much
the knowledge may hurt Have you
ever felt that wayf'
yea" she said. Il have. Everyone
does. l think"
"wsIl, IN tell you. II you will do as
much for me-"
Again she hesitated and sat silently
watching a gray squirrel that untrou.
bled BY circumstances. was busy
burying n nut
~weli." she said finally. "you nrst."
The fact that ! came over here and
proposed this experiment to you at all
shows that l thought you a sensible
url." he began slowly. "You lmpress-
ed me as being neither a prude nor a
nirt. You are pretty-I don't need 10
tell you thnt-but Il has not spoiled
you. You r rather thoughtful and
studious, and you have a genuine feel
Ing for the beauties Of nature-some-
thing which too many girls just pre-
tend 10 have. You are not above, I
believe. taking an interest In babies
and embroidery. although you know
what IA going 20 about you In the
world and read something besides the
voman'S page In the newspapers. You
don't work for your living. and your
home IL n OF the comfortable houses
In the Seventies. You bee a good deal
Of the society side Of life. but you keep
BEAUTIFULLY busy AZ serious things. You
r probably a s~uffragist In a quiet
way. and you are also Interested In
some form OF social OF philanthropls
work. which you % not treat as an
heroicnlly assumed duty. And"
He was interrupted by the girls low
laughter. "Why not say that l have
all the good qualities, and be done with
itf' she asked. rYour impression Il
certainly not very accurate. Let's 20,
II ! al do better.
"You, Il seems TO me. have many Of
the excellent qualities that you arr
a~ctributing 20 me. You are nothing Of
a sport but are a rather serious
minded young man. somewhat TO,
much given 10 introspection. You ar,
not bad looking. and you Impress m,
as having a good deal OF common sense
You are about twenty-five. and you arr
n Of our rising young professiona
men-an architect. perhaps. or an en-
nneer OF some sort. You read a goOs
deal, and. when Il comes 10 newSpa
pers. something besides the sporting
pages. You are rather domestic by ma
ture. and you have a sense Of humor
You also live iE 10 Of the bette
homes In the Seventies or the Eight
les. and you are a confirmed New
Yorker. There. how IL that for a snap
shot p~ortraitf'
He did not answer AZ once. and the.
both sat silently for a few minutes
Presently he said gioomily:
MY experiment has failed. In
afraid"
@of course" she assented gently
"If was bound 10. II shows OF hOv
little worth a nrst impression Is. ans
way. You wondered II the defects thu
you see In yourself were apparent Z
others. and you are half disappolnteI
that they are not, for you do not iik
the idea OF wearing a mask. Isn't tina
1T"
yes"
"And yet you must have known. "a
cept In moments Of self-depreciatior
that you make a favorable FIRST In
preston; and I know that / do. cor
ceited AZ that may sound"
sAil right" He Strengthened up nd