Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-08-19

ouS 0SCSuSU " uO IUS6CWS ndE
Stranger Had Taken a Place at the
Table.
u stranger had taken place at the
table.
Jed served us, and the dinner was
excellent. Although the ladies' had
only a glass Of sherry each. was Of.
fered variety Of liquors. My habit
is abstemious except upon rare occa.
sions. but was so embarrassed by
Miss Sidney's boredom that l took two
glasses Of champagne. and they made
HE more tolerable dinner companion
1t was some champagne stimulated re-
mark on feminism which caused Miss
Sidney to stare at me as If l were an
animal which. being smooth skinned.
suddenly had grown coat Of fur.
She stared for an instant and then
laughed. She was quite frank. Size
had been bored; she had become in.
terested. could see that she dis
tressed her mother. Mrs. Sidney, any
one could know. held to conventions
SIS the salvation of life; Miss Sidney
'is! nos.
's'''' SIDNEY was very attractive
girl. ] guessed her age to be twenty
three. ! also guessed that candor and
honesty were outstanding points In her
disposition. Her youth and her beauty
were magnetic, and must confess that
my romanticism was touched instantly.
had seen just enough of Mr.. Sidney
to understand how this girl could be
the daughter of Mrs. Sidney.
BY the time dinner was over we had
found pleasant agreement In ideas
and taste. Twas il an ecstacy, full of
the sensation which comes to a diff.
dent man. unaccustomed to women.
when he dares to think for the first
time that he has been interesting to a
young and beautiful girl. 1t Is one Of
the Elysian emotions. We grow old
and bald. and women are adventures
dismissed from our lives. We know
we 90 not interest them. We do not
think of interesting them. We become
pantalooned lay-fgures too scared of
scandal or too confirmed in proprtety
to break out of the narrowed way
There Is an age which comes to man.
condition in which he finds himself.
to which he submits if he have any
morals. and when ii comes and when
he submits. the gates are closed upon
fanciful. romantic adventures. If he
has been fortunate. he is content. He
sits at the west window. and his pros
pect is the sunset. He no longer asks
the great question of youth: could I
make that girl like lne?'
To me, after that first dinner with
Mrs Sidney and her daughter the
ecstacy was romantic folly. Isobel
had captured me. my sense, my IA.
tionaIity. my judgment. my mind. fancy
and emotions. Beauty and youth alone
are enough to do this for an imaginn.
tive young man, and when attractive
aspects of character are back of beauty
and youth. and when the young man
looks forward to probability of tina,
conquering circumstance. propinquity
he may be excused If his Feet lightly
touch the floor. YVES captured and
knew it after that first dinner-knew
it, and both loved and dreaded it, /
was about to make a fool of myself
and be at once a happy and miser-
able fool.
In the exalted state Of egoistic emo
tons which l have outlined. I went to
Mr.. Sid1ey's room after dinner and sal
with him for two hours. I began to
appreciate how charningly his life was
decorated. A really rare subtlety of
art WAS used to bring warm color
into this indomitable but feeble mans
winter of life. / did not fully appre-
ciatc until later what thought and care
lay behind the unstudied comforts and
sensations Hartley house offered.
Mr.. Sidney was white haired and
very gracious. His manner was a
warm eordiality. 1t was not precise.
1t was robust, but it was be1ignant.
Later saw how his presence pervaded
the place.
We had a cheerful talk. What he
said suggested to me that my world
could not have been more than hun
dred years old at the most, and that
his included the period of inorganic
evolution in which the period of or.
ganic evolution is but a pin prick.
Youth is startled by such conceptions
of life, but had an interesting even
ing.
Before said good night, Jed came
myth two bottles Of wine. He stood
and looked at me unpleasantly. ]
arose to go. and Mr.. Sidney said:
II think we shall like each other.
At least, hope you will be comfort.
able. even happy. And don't be dis
tressed about the wine. don't drink
it any more. Jed drinks it, and en-.
joy seeing him do it."
- Z
A whippoorwill was reiterant in the
woods at night, AID its call came from
dark recesses odorous and mystic
riously yelled. Having said good night
to Mr.. Sidney. had gone to my room
with book from the library. The
night was fresh, understanding and
cool. l had read for several hours
when I heard the cut holt in my door