Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 255, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1913 — SHE SCOFFED AT LOVE [ARTICLE]

SHE SCOFFED AT LOVE

".Love!” she scoffed as they walked along the path beneath the shadows. '“'“Whereupon he suddenly made a gesture of infinite corroboration. „ “I hate the word!” she sniffed. “Love!” he gently scoffed, urgently scoffs the echo. “Love!” she cried. "Every one always begins talking of love. Oh, if there were only no such thing U love, how much happier we would be! If we could only love each other like children !” “Ah yes!” he echoed In a low vibrating tone of ecstasy, “Like children!” And u she looked at him through the gloom with a maximum of wonder and a modicum of disbelief, he made a polished gesture and continued— “Ah, yes! Like children! It hu always been my wish and my ambition to love like children! -What joy to see them at their Juvenile sports. Ah, they are the happy days! So young! So innocent! So free from every care!” And as she peeped around to see his face in the darkness a pussywillow drew a velvet finger underneath her chin and, when she Jumped back with a start of alarm, he caught her grasping hand. “Like children!” he murmured. “Like children!” And when she tried to draw her hand away he started swinging It Instead. “Like children!” he gayly repeated. “Ah, that has been my Ideal all my life! Like children! But, alas!” and of sadness swept his tones. ”1 have not found any one to share my thoughts till sew. Till now! Ah, how happy we’ll We will laugh at care together like children —you and I. Like children, remember! Always like children!” And silently then they walked along together, hand In hand, and If she gave his hand an occasional answering squeeze, at least It was only perhaps in an Infantine sort of way. “I cut my finger this morning,” he smiled at last. “See? Right hero. I was shaving and the razor slipped. Right here. Can you see it?” “Take It away,” she cried, holding her head back. And in the wheedling, falsetto of. childhood—“Tlsb It!” he implored, ’“Tisa it and make it well!” ”I*ll do no such thing!” she cried with spirit. “Like children!” he meaningly repeated to her. “Like children, now!” “Don’t be silly,” she laughed. "Like children!” he whlsped. “Bomember what you said! ” "Don’t be silly!” she smiled. “Like children!” he repeated. “Come!” “Don’t be silly!” she breathed. “There! Now let’s walk on!” “But I cut my lip, too!” he eagerly whispered, holding her hand as she started forward. "Right here! Can you see?” _ "No, I can’t!” she faintly protested. “And I don’t believe you did, either!” “You’re not loking!” he reproached her through the darkness. *Now! Can’t you see ?*’ And as he bent his head a little nearer, and a little nearer and a little nearer, still bolding her hand—like children—while the crickets all stopped ehfrping and- the katydids held their breath for very breathlessness. a faint chirp floated upward to the listening ear of night, followed but never quite overtaken by a fainter child-like ejaculation—-"Why-y-y-y-y-y-y-y, Mr. Go bang!” —New York Sun.