The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-08-15
A Successful
Experiment
@~<D
BY GoRToN cARRUTH
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)

"Would yoI like TO try an expert
ment?" he asked quietly, standing with
hat in hand before her.
She looked at him for a moment
unsmlllng, her expression neither in
vitlng nor repelling.
Perhaps" she said at length.
He sank into the seat beside her.
"It is something have often wanted
to try" he said slowly. Here are we
two. perfect strangers in q city Of five
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 to watch the squirrels, or the falling
leaves, or the misty golden sunshine
out there on the field, but each ex-
aiming and appraisng the other when
the other wasn't looking.
"Now, this is the experiment: We
have each gained a strong first i'm
preston of the other. Let us, with alb
solutely frankness, tell each other
what those impressions are. Let us
do what friends cannot do-speak
without reservations, made for fear Of
hurting each others feelings"
She sat without speaking for mo-
ment after he had finished, gazing
thoughtfully out at the warm expanse
Of autumn-tlnted park.
"But why?" she asked at last 81
am not sure that Burns was right.
Perhaps it is just as well that we can't
see ourselves as others see u.s."
'That," he said, ''makes it an expert
ment. 1t will be new experience. l
want to know exactly how look In
the eyes Of stranger, however much
the knowledge may hurt Have you
ever felt that way?"
yes" she said, 81 have. Everyone
does, / think"
"Well, I'll tell you, If you will do as
much for me-"
Again she hesitated and sat silently
watching a gray squirrel that untrou-
bled by self-consciousness, was busy
burying nut.
SWELL" she said finally, "you first"
1.-THE fact that came over here and
proposed this experiment to you at all
shows that l thought you a sensible
girl" he began slowly. "You Impress
ed me as being neither a prude nor a
ilirt. You are pretty don't need to
tell you that-but 1t has not spoiled
you. You are 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 to have. You are not above, /
believe, taking an interest In babies
and embroidery, although you know
what IS going on about you in the
world and read something besides the
wOman's page in the newspapers. You
don't work for your living, and your
home is one of the comfortable houses
in the Seventies. You see a good deal
of the society side of life, but you keep
BEAUTIFULLY busy at serious things. You
are probably sutfragist In Il quiet
way, and you are also interested in
some form of social or philanthrOpic
work, which you do not treat as an
herolcally assumed duty. And"
He was Interrupted by the girls low
laughter. "Why not say that 1 have
all the good qualities, and be done with
tn" she asked. "Your impression Is
certainly not very accurate. Let's see
if can do better.
you, it seems to me, have many Of
the excellent qualities that you are
attrbuting to me. You are nothing of
sport but are a rather serious
minded young man, somewhat too
much given to introspectlon. You are
not bad looking, and you impress me
as having good deal of common sense.
You are about twenty-five, and you are
one Of our rising young professional
men-an architect, perhaps, or an en-
gineer of some sort. You read good
pers, something besides the sporting
pages. You are rather domestic by ma
ture, and you have sense of humor.
You also live In one Of the better
homes in the Seventies or the Eight
les, and you are a confirmed New
Yorker. There, how is that for snap
shot portraitP"
He did not answer at once, and they
both sat silently for few minutes.
Presently he said gloomily:
my experiment has failed, I'm
afraid"
"Of course" she assented gently.
ut was bound TO. 1t shows of how
little worth first impression Is, any
way. You wondered If the defects that
you see In yourself were apparent to
others, and you are half disappointed
that they are not, for you do not like
the idea of wearing a mask. Isn't that
it2"
"Yes."
"And yet you must have Known, ex-
cept In moments of self-depreciadon
that you make n favorable first Inn
preston; and l know that do, con-
celted as that may sound"
"All right" He Strengthened up alb
ruptly. "Then we come to the second
part Of this experiment. We will now
tell Just how badly each of us is mis-
taken"
well" she hesitated. 1--WE can
try 1t, but that also is a pretty hard
thing to do"
Listen TO me first" he answered,
while tell you what poor judge of
character Mt first glance you are. I
may have sense OF humor, but II
doesn't work very well. am gloomy,
and an, -onIdly developing