Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 280, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1912 — WOMEN IN GENERAL [ARTICLE]

WOMEN IN GENERAL

One Woman Taught to discriminate Between Real Love and Sham.

By A. MARIA CRAWFORD.

"Many a man fails to marry because he is afraid of being refused by the one woman he wants,” asserted Bob Thorne, for ten years the most desirable bachelor in the town. “You assume to grant, then,” interposed Mabel St. John from the other side of the dinner table, “that old bachelors, like old maids, seldom find themselves in their relative conditions in life from choice." “Exactly so.” “A man must take the initiative in such cases and I think one is a coward who sees his happiness and then through fear, refuses to make an effort to obtain it Moreover, he may be a thief, for if the woman cares, fee robs her, too, of possible happiness.” “You’re wrong about that, Mabel, my dear,” declared Larry Briscoe. “Women have ways and means of letting a man know if they care for him, seriously, I mean.” “Not the old-fashioned gentlewoman, Larry!” Anne Rogers’ voice was low but arrestive. Everybody turned to look at her. She was the most sought after woman in the town. Opportunity had succeeded opportunity for her to make a brilliant marriage but she had* refused them, one after the other, and her friends, interested, wondered why. J "I spoke of women in general, Anne, not of an exception like you. I am glad that you are so delightfully oldfashioned in your ideas of the niceties of life.” "I did not mean to be personal,” went on Anne. “There are many women, the majority of them, I believe, Who are modest enough to desire besought rather than to throw themselves headlong in a man’s arms.” “By what method, Anne,” asked Bob Thorne, “may a man pursue the right way and yet save his pride in case she doesn’t want him?" “Hear! Hear!” cried Larry laughing. “The great Bob has explained the mystery of his state of single blessedness. He is particular about saving the Thorne pride. Who is the woman? Let’s all guess! His face will, answer when we strike the right name.” But Bob Thorne had himself well in hand. It is not easy to take an experienced man of the world unawares. “All right,” he returned amiably. "Who is she and why have I never proposed?”

“You admit then that there is a particular she?” “I admit nothing. Such a disclosure was nominated in the bond. Proceed, Larry! Stretch me on the rack and see me squirm.” “It’B some woman of a royal family whom you have met abroad,” ventured one. “Lady Eleanor something in London about four years ago/ I remember the gossip reached me in Paris.” “No,” interrupted Larry, “it’s that little young thing that came visiting your sister last winter. I mind me well how you took on a swagger in those days. Nothing like an innocent baby face to catch an old fellow like you.” “His expression has not changed. Now for my supposition! I say that it is Fay the dashingwidow. It takes experience to snare the wary. Your turn, Anne!” “May I ask a question first, please?” “Certainly.” “Would you want a woman who could forget her own' pride to save yours—a woman who could offer herself to you?” “No, I don’t think I would, Anne," Bob slowly. “Anne’s playing for time. I say it is Anne herself who has caught and held the gifted Mr. Thorne,” said Mabel St. John. “You will all admit that he is changing color at last. Bob Thorne tried to laugh but failed miserably. , Anne saw his face whiten under the summer tan. Her head went a trifle higher. “Not I, Mabel," she turned to the girl on her left, “for everybody knows that had Bob asked me, I would have married him. Now you have solved my mystery in place of his. Let us proceed with our salad. It’s lovely and tempting, isq’t it?” Anne avoided Bob’s eyes when after liqueur and cigars, the men came into the drawing-room where the women were having cofTee. “Anne, they tell me you are going abroad to study again. You’re much too clever as you are. Say you’re not going,” pleaded Larry. “We miss you terribly when you’re gone.” “You are a comforting sort of friend, Larry.” “Do you sail Boon?” Bob Thorne flicked the ashes carefully from his cigar. “Yes, the first of the month.” Anne rose and went toward her hostess, her slender, rounded figure charmingly garbed in sapphire with overdress of black chiffon. There were diamonds as her throat and breast and she looked a priestess of a summer night, all starlight and blue, so Larry whißpered to a neighbor. She was leaving for a late musicals and when she had spoken to her hostess and turned away, she found Bob Thorne before her. , # “I am going to the Hamilton’s musicals May I take your*

When they were outside in the big deserted street, Thorne suggested that they walk to the entertainment. * “It is a lovely night,” agreed Anne. "Suppose we do!" ~ “Anne,” said Thorne when they had walked along in silence for a little way, “do you remember that summer six years ago when jrou came here to live?” “Yes. You were very good to me in those days,” answered the woman quietly. “I was young and you taught me much about life that otherwise I mußt have learned by experience, bitter perhaps.” “What did I teach you?” “The most helpful lesson was to discriminate between real love and sham. There were many men pbout me. The knowledge that some cared •for my money which I might lose, some for my so-called beauty which must fade, warned me to stop and ponder—who loved Anne.”, “And you found?” “Nobody. I daresay I have grown hard to please like my teacher.” “It’s three years since I have been to see you, Anne. I have missed you.” “Yes, you never came back after you heard Duncan trying to make love to me. Why?” “Don’t you know?” “How could I?” “Instinct. It answers a woman as reason answers a man.” “Why didn’t you come again? I am going to my doctor cousin in Vienna. I will be gone for months, perhaps years.”. “Are you not well, Anne?” “No,” said Anne softly, “I am not well. A case of nerves, they tell me here. I don’t want to pose as an invalld so I let people believe, if they will, that I am going to study again.” “I am sorry. You knew that Mabel was right tonight when she said that the one woman for me is you. I believed that ion loved Duncan —” “Oh, Bob, you couldn’t have believed that. You simply couldn’t." “You saved my pride at the expense of your own at the table. I love you for It more than ever. Marry me, dear, and let me take you abroad and see yqu get well? Is It possible, Anne?” “You said you did not want a woman who would sacrifice her pride even for you. What reason have you—” “There is no reason in love. Will you marry me?” “Why did you stpp coming to see me?” “I loved yoii and I thought you loved Duncan. Anne, give me the right to care for you always and always.” he added tenderly. "I want you to take care of me always and always. Do you know why I tried to save you from teasing tongues tonight? For love of you. A woman may say she is modest and old-fashioned, but she will shield the man she loves, no matter what the cost to her.” , “And what,” -asked Thorne, “is the only way to get the woman you love?” “Just talm her,” laughed Anne as Thorne kissed her under cover of the friendly dark. (Copyright, 1912, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)