Graham guardian., 1919-02-14
A Successful
Experiment
IN
BY GoRToN cARRurH
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)

ne put HIS pHper dSlue dDIuptlyp rOS'
and walked down the leaf-strewn patl
to the other bench, where the girl wa
sitting.
"Would you like to try an expert
ment?" he asked quietly. standing will
hat In hand before her.
She looked at him for a momen
unsmiling, her expression neither In
viting nor repelling.
Perhaps" she said ut length.
He sank into the seat beside her
ut is something have often wantet
to try" he said slowly. Here are W,
two, perfect strangers in a city of fv,
millions, and never likely to see eacf
other again after we leave this chance
meeting place. We have sat here fol
half an hour, each pretending to read
" to watch the squirrels, or the falling
leaves. or the misty golden sunshine
out there on the field, but each ex
amining and appraising the other whsr
the other wasn't looking.
"Now, this Is the experiment: We
have each gained 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, mhde for fear OF
hurting each others feelings"
She sat without speaking for q mo.
ment after he had finished, gazing
thoughtfully out at the warm expanse
Of autumn-tinted park.
"But why?" she asked at last. 81
am not sure that Burns was right.
Perhaps 1t Is just as well that we can't
see ourselves as others see u.s."
THAT" he said. makes 1t an expert.
mcnt. 1t Will be new experience.
want to know exactly how I look In
the eyes of stranger, however much
the knowledge may hurt. Have you
ever felt that wayr
"Yes." she said. II have. Everyone
does, think"
"Well, I'll tell you, If you will do as
much for me-"
Again she hesitated and sat silently
watching gray squirrel that untrou-
bled by self-consciousness, was busy
burying nut.
"Well," she said finally, "you first"
"The fact that I'came over here and
proposed this experiment to you at all
shows that thought you sensible
girl" he began slowly. "You impress
ed me as being neither a prude nor a
firt. You are pretty-I 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, I
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 good deal
of the society side of life, but you keep
healthfully busy at serious things. You
are probably suffragist In a quiet
way, and you are also interested In
some form Of social or phllanthropic
work, which you do not treat as an
heroically assumed duty. And"
He was interrupted by the girls low
laughter. "Why not say that / have
all the good qualities, and be done with
it?" she asked. "Your Impression is
certainly not very accurate. Let's see
II l can do better.
"You, 1t seems to me, have many of
the excellent qualities that you are
to me. You are nothing Of
a sport but are rather serious
minded youngr man, somewhat too
much given to introspection. You are
not bad looking, and you impress me
aShaving 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 a good
deal, and, when 1t comes to newspa-
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 hetter
homes In the Seventies or the Eight.
les, and you are confirmed New
Yorker. There, how is that for snap
shot portraitT
He did not answer at once, and they
both sat silently for a few minutes.
Presently he said gloonily:
"My experiment has failed, I'm
afraid"
"Of course" she assented gently.
ut was bound to. II shows Of how
little worth first impression is, any.
way. You wondered II 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
he idea Of wearing mask. Isn't that
II"
"Yes."
"And yet you must have known, ex.
,ept In moments of self-depreclation
hat you make favorable first i'm.
preston; and know that I do, con.
,eited as that may sound"
"All right" He Strengthened up alb
.uptly. "Then we come to the second
,art of this experiment. We will now
ell just how badly each Of us is mis-.
AIKEN"
"Well--" she hesitated. I'VE can
ry 1t, but that also is a pretty hard
hing to do"
Listen to me first," he answered,
while I tell you what poor Judge Of
haracter at first glance you are. I
nay have a sense of humor, but Il