The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-21
The Characters

HELEN. an ancient lady with modern
MENELAos. her husband while she stayed
at home.
HERMIoNE, her daughter and severest
critic.
oEEsTEs her neP5 6 sao9S enough svs to
billions.
ETEONEUS, gate-keeper by calling; phil
osopher BY Instinct: moralist by observa-
ApRAsTE. handmaidsn. and friend ID to
CHARITAS, the lady next door,
DAdASTOR, a boy who strayed from the
family doorstep.
"Oh, come now, Menelaos, this
talk of sheltered life and limo
cence of youth is rather strong"
said Eteoneus. Didn't I tell you
when you came home that Hermit
one was full CT new ideas, and didn't
you pretend that you liked new
ideas yourself?
THAT was Hermione's last chance
for the sheltered life, and it was
probably too late then. Your notion
of@her mind is generation behind
time. grew up in the rough days,
which you can remember too, If you
try.
"You think Hermione belongs to
the next period, when the children
were found in cabbages. She doesn't
Her generation are approaching the
roughness again from the intellec-
tual and moral point Of view, and
with a sense of duty. It's not
healthy and 1 don't like 1t.
"a healthy person would know
what sex is for; it's not a subject
for meditation. Do you realize how
I came to be discussing such mat
tiers with your sheltered daughterP
She brought it on herself, speaking
of Pyrrhus--she said he was per-
feet brute with women.
"She was quite sure that men
usually are bad at heart and seduce
women. She evidently had given a
lot of thought to the problem, and
believed all the modern fictions.
Wherever she got those ideas, she
certainly did not get them from
me-"
ct wonder If my wife has been
putting these ideas into the cniio
headi"
ST don't think your wife would tell
her that Pyrrhus is brute" SAID
Eteoneus. IF she told her what I've
lust said to you, she's almost the
first woman ever heard of who
COULD be honest on that subject
But Hermione and I had talks
about Orestes, as you remember, be-
fore you came home, and she was
beginning to have these ideas then
It's too late in the world for the
kind of innocence you're wishing
for, Menelaos.
Everybody wants to know every
thing-to talk about it, anyway. Be-
sides, If Hermione didn't pick up the
tendency for herself, she'd get II
from Orestes. u told you he was a
bad influence"
IT detect a flaw in your logic,
said Menelaos. IF it's all right fol
you to talk frankly to a young girl
why isn't it correct for Orestes tc
be- just as frank on the same
themes? You o'lght to like Orestes
he's a man after your own heart.
IT don't like him at ALL" said
Eteoneus. when I talk to Hermione
or to any one else, try to say what
I've learned from experience
There's an element of life in it, ]
hope.
That's what shocked Hermione. II
I talk about women, because I've
been pretty intimate with a lot OF
them, Hermione thinks me wicked
but if Orestes with no experience al
all goes over the same ground, Her
mione thinks him wise. HumbugI
MARK my words, Menelaos
Orestes has a dirty mind, and he's
a dangerous character. I admit he's
Strait-laced-it comes to the same
thing. His kind want to talk about
everything, but not to know about
1t. If man is living like a saint
and has thoughts of a saint, I'll say
he's a saint.
"But if ne's brooding ON idea.
which have no connection with hi.
life, I don't trust his life, in the
long run. The great thing is to bt
all of a piece. I'm suspicious O
Orestes, and of Charitas, and
might as well say, of your daugh
ter"