The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-22

And a. young fellow who's heen
engineering In Alaska since he
quit college-all kinds Of racy ex.
periences to tell. I never heard
30 much spontaneous briIliance in
my life. It was q treat.
There was big editor from
some Eastern magazine. He's out
there on q visit. Interested In
Ia"
Family: ''You mean he's in love
with her? They're engaged?"
"Oh. no-he's old-about fifty.
I mean he's excited about her
poetry. Thinks she has q big
''she writesf OH didn't
know that"
"Well-she hasn't done much
with 1t. yet. She won q prize last
week. She's done some good stuff.
! only read q couple"
Watching him feverishly but
with a soft. gracious smile:
Gifted: isn't she? And beautiful.
''Yes-and not . trace OF CON.
ceit. Doesn't seem to think her
self at all wonderful. That's
rather unusual, isn't it?''
He said all this as though h0
were talking to his mother or
to any dear old lady whose heart
has long ceased its storm.
Why she even asked my opin-
ion as though ] were an In
And aren't your Why, I
thought you ana poetry 'were
well like it--that's an"
$50 It was all wondrous, I take
1T" She spoke with unnatural
quiet. This no didn't observe.
Eyes. It was! You begin to
stop. look and listen after an eve
ming like that. It makes YOU
want to clip on your spurs~
And suddenly, with q little guIp
at her throat, she laughed. She
touched his arm. "Clip on your
spurs. Barry. and gallop away
from your poor. untutored idiot.
Oh-and you would7''
The color died In his cheeks.
He looked down. As he did this.
she had a queer feeling that ne
had forgotten her: that he had
been talking on in this joyous
stimulation az though to his own
thoughts. And he was now re-
called by her voice to her form
next to his.
He said abruptly: Don't say a
thing like that! Why should
She laughed. She ran her fin.
gers along his arm. She said:
WeIl-and what else? They said.
Come again and stay longer, did
He shrugged. wen, natural-
ly--" he had finished his a0.
count. Heifwouldn't add to it.
But when they were dancing
and he held her 90 that she feif
his heart thump, she murmured.
her lips brushing an instant along
his chin: "Barry-iook down now.
Barry-oh, feel So
"WhaH--"
That you don't love me-
"No-that's not It, You're an.
Sly that went, Chickie-"
"Oh, I'm not"
Then you're sorry sn1oyed II.
You don't want that"
She was silent, knowingthis was
true.
He went on. moodiry: 'swhy? I
can't figure that. It's the first
time I've met crowd like that in
years. I'd almost forgotten such
people lived. They're the only
ones worth while. And you blame
me for enjoying them. Don't
your"
She X ept her eyes lowered.
They were singing. A tear
dropped against his shoulder.
When she didn't answer he in.
sisted: "Well-you do! That's
plain! You begrudge me the
pleasure I had"
''No-how can you say II? I
don't begrudge you anything-oh:
anything" Her fingers trembled
on his. "You know that, don't
your"
sOftened. he drew her: yes
OF course But why do you feel
90, then? You're not sorry I like
it--but what?"
A faint laugh: ~ don't know.
except what you said about going
to seed this last year and then
about clipping ON your spurs
oh, all that
She raised her eyes, moist-shin.
1ng-smiled. He looked at them a
long while. Then he said: "I
won't go again, ChfcIsie.''
Really--you mean that?"
Yes
Lightness in her thoughts. The
evening glowed.
But that night, kicking of her
pumps, she sat motionless on the
bed. She remembered the look
on his face when he said .I won't
go again."
And now It troubled her. So
quiet his eyes WERE
She said suddenly: 'sBut he'd
nike to go again-Oh. he wants
When finally she slept his eyes
returned In her dreams--then his
race. He said: you begrIidge
me pleasurel You want to hold
me back A LOOK Of anger
straightened the young. impetuous
mouth.
She was unhappy until she saw
nm the next day; until she found
him buoyant and careless again.
He brought her q book: "'Here,
frail-read thisI Since you will
drag me to lectures, let's know
what they're about!
It was "Plato's Republic"
She said. dismaye6: "Oh, we'll
well, don't care If you don't
want to go to those lectures. 4
won't drag you"
He answered, breezily: ''Why
not? Now that we'd started
you loved it-didn't you say that?'
Yes"
But the Tuesday night when
ANan.na -. u