The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-28

George Bernard Shaw has some
thing interesting to say on the sub
ject.
Goodness, says Shaw, in its
popular British sense of self-denial,
implies that man is vicious by ma
ture. And that supreme goodness is
supreme martyrdom.
THE idea Isn't confined to us
British, you know. It's also an
American notion. Frenchmen
haven't any such conceptions. AS
for the Latin raceS-they believe
that anything that is natural is
good.
II think so myself. It's natural
to want to kiss a pretty girl. 1t is
also natural for a girl to like to be
kissed. Therefore it is good.
1T is supreme nonsense to be-
lieve that anything that is natural
is wicked. Or even that self-denial
is virtue. Those are very pious
notions. But they're most fearfully
dull"
a SHTORETH, like most girls, be-
l. n lieved that cool things usually
were stupid.
And that wildly exciting things
we're more apt than not to be wrong.
1t was, she had found, fairly safe
way to look at life.
nut Cy,ovytI,a V1,a Io I,aV. faa1 child
ish and ignorant. She wished that
it was Monty's arm across her Shout
der. And Monty's lips against her
hair. 1t would be such relief not
to have to be SO dreadfully high
brow.
For months and months Ashto-
reth had been pretending. Ever
since she had gone to work for
Hollis Hart. Pretending to bookish
knowledge and high ideals. And
culture. And wealth. And all sorts
of things.
There was that day she had tried
to make Mr.. Hart think she knew
all about Egyptology and Cleopatra
and scarabs. Well, it hadn't gotten
her far.
Mr.. Hart thought now that she
was just as common and cheap as
Sadie, most likely. Then. of
course, there was Sadie. She was
always trying to impress Sadie . g.
And Mona. Mona thought she had
been to boarding school. Not that
Ashtoreth had directly implied any
such thing. Only Mona picked up
the notion somehow, and it seemed
senseleSs to deny it. Mona thought,
too, that she had read all sorts of
books. Not, Of course, that Ashto-
reth had ever said so.
After all, though, could girl
ever be just herself? With anyone,
that is, who really counted?
Wouldn't it be perfectly insane to
let anyone you cared the least thing
about discover how silly and stupid
you really were?
In her secret heart Ashtoreth be-
lieved that her ignorance would
simply appall anyone who actually
knew anything. Anyone really
clever. Hollis Hart, for instance. Or
Jack Smythe.
1t was, really, a lot easier to be
kissed than to get philosophical
about it.
If they went on talking about
abstract good and evil, Jack would
learn how stupid she was. Whereas,
if she simply let him kiss her, he
would discover her to be altogether
desirable.
He drew her from the rail into
the shadows.
There are two chairs somewhere
over here" he was saying, Il had
the steward place them after din
ner."
He put his arms around her and
held her close.
"You know" he whispered, you've
the softest skin in the world"
Then he kissed her arms and
brushed his lips to her neck, where
her hair curled in little tendrils.
NHAIZIE was awfully old-fash-
IVA toned. Maize always said you
shouldn't give your lips to a man
unless you really and truly loved
MIN and were going to marry him.
But of course Maize didn't know
anything about such kisses as these!
Mothers are so innocent-the poor
dears. Ashtoreth melted softly
in his arms.
In a moment he held her away
from him.
"Damn!" he muttered. There's
somebody in that chair down there.