Grinnell College - Cyclone Yearbook (Grinnell, IA)

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SCENE III. Sixth avenue, High and Elm streetsvmoonlight--several couples seen walk- ing slowly-Miss Woolson and Willetts in foreground. Miss W. Centhusiasticallyy. What a perfectly charming night. Don't you love moonlight, Mr. Willetts? WILLETTS. No, I love y- MISS W. tinterposing hastily with a determination to keep the conversation under controlj. You have made such a study of astronomy, Mr. Willetts, I suppose the midnight heavens are an open book to you. WILLETTS tfalling into the trapj. Oh, I suppose I know 'a little something about them. g MISS W. tfeeding' his vanityj. Oh, you are too modest. I have always heard that you were exceptionally well informed. You have established a great reputation, Mr. Willetts, perhaps you Clidn't know it. WILLETTS Qtrying to think of something modest to opposey. Well-er-l- I MISS W. Cskillfully keeping the conversation in her own handsy Now to me the most elementary excursion into that science was quite Sllmtlltillt. For one thing, the instruments are all so pain- fully delicate. I was simply scared into tits every time I was re- quired to enter the room where the equatorial was. I expected the thing would go off, it looks exactly like a gun and tconhdentiallyj it will take argument to convince me that it isntt loaded.- CWilletts laughs immoderately.j MISS W. ttalking against timey. Itls a shame for you to laugh at my ignorance, Mr. Willetts. You ought to pity it. And then there are all of those little what you call 'ems-verniers, isn't it? to read. I wonder you have any eyesight left. And I suppose sextants and siderial clocks and binary systems have no terrors for you, and that you stand in no terror of sun spots or chronographs or electrical disturbances. tShe rattles on with an exuberance of spirit that comes with the knowledge that she is within two blocks of homey. And I suppose you would walk right up to the mouth of a dynamometer or face a transit or a solar plexus. WILLETTS Cstill laughingy. Oh, I say, aren't you getting your terms slightly mixed? MISS W. Qlightlyy. Perhaps. I have my scientific terms all thrown together in a confused heap in my mental loft. I get up there every once in a while and sort them all over. Mr. Willetts Cconhdentiallyy, what is the law of attraction existing between those two bodies just ahead of us? It can't be inversely as the square of the distance, can it? for you see there isn't any distance. And are they terrestial or celestial bodies? WILLETTS. Well,that's Rodney and Miss Bowen, so one of them at least is a heavenly body, or as near heaven as she will be likely to get for some time. MISS W. treprovingly, but with laughtery. Oh, Mr. Willetts, Ididn't suspect you of cynicism. She must have been showing her claws. --W-

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low, I'll in love. rding to y. HIS nose she iodney? ent data allantry! I Crowd Vhy, it'S and we ' Smith, eans the ith's the Iolson iS ot be on MISS W. Crecoilingj. Oh, I never wrote like that. Besides, it isnit on my card-see? CShe presents her own.j I leave it to Mr. Thorndyke. I BROWN. Iappeal to Rodney as the only disinterested man in the crowd. CThey laugh. At this remark Miss Woolson turns and looks pointedly at Rodney.5 RODNEY Cavoiding her glancej. It is the second number only that is under dispute? CHORUS. Yes, the second. RODNEY. No other claim questioned? CHORUS. No. All others settled. Not one, etc. ' RODNEY Clooking keenly around the circlej. You'll abide by my decision? CHORUS. Yes, we promise we'll stand by you, Jack. I RODNEY Cstill resisting the appeal in Wiss Woolson's eyesb. In my opinion the second belongs to-Che pauses till the crowd be- comes quietj Arbuthnot, as the only one who hasn't put in a claim. QI-le meets Miss W.'s eyes full for the Hrst time and with some defiance. General clamor follows the decision. Aw, Rod- ney, too bad! Threw away his own chance, etc., above which Miss Woolson's tone is heard, clear-cut and cold.5 MISS W. A Daniel come to judgment. QShe sweeps a pro- found courtesy and a withering glance at Rodney, smiles at Ar- buthnot and lays her hand on his arm.J Well, Mr. Arbuthnot, Jove's Hat has gone forth. We must bow to the inevitable. ARBUTHNOT qradiantlyj. For once the inevitable is kind. QThey walk away. Music strikes up once more. The gentlemen seek other partners for the second number.J WILLETTS fbowing before Miss Bowen, and offering armj. Well, Miss Bowen, shall we try to console each other? I ' - f-- , ,.e-,. ff in A A l .fi - AZ f f'f',fg4 1' KMA, Z - , X ,gf 1 .ri . ' J'-f'f'l'J ' .Ili vw. 'fur' it I it XT' ,.,. . -., 'MI ln ,,.' S. E I w X I ii 4,,,?.l Iffghm, ,N f f 'I X X51 is .. gfyiivllii I X ' '7 if I I I ,fl I Mwdtwfdif, f ,tit I r' I f f fyfyfbffyymy. If ji, N f., . ...I lm f ,. fy Iv ff ,ff fyizlgjwft, 'I--sy 12' 'i , ff X .xg 3512, I . A. f f if X ,aff I I ufdaf It I ' R- ' I Xi, MISS B ltartlyy. Speak for yourself, Mr. Nilletts. I wasn't conscious of needing consoling. WILLETTS Qstammeringl, Oh, I-er-now-I beg pardon. No offense intended. QCurtain falls on his embarrassmenty C- -..- , . --,M 1,12 fm ' 5-' ' ' , -.....-. ., 1

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augh then 't it? ipose 's for 'aphs ,ce of locks Iouth your ns all get up 'illetts tween is the tance. j them likely illetts, .owing WILLETTS. She has, she sharpened them on me this evening. QThey both laugh.3 QAfter a pause, musinglyj Rodney is a bright fellow. - MISS W. Yes? One would judge it from the company he affects. WILLETTS Cgood naturedlyy. Oh, you mustn't always judge a fellow by the girl he takes. MISS W. tcurtlyj. Oh, thank you. There's nothing equivocal in that remark. WILLETTS Cstammeringj. Oh, now, you know-I beg your pardon. No offense intended. QRuefullyj You always catch a fellow up so, Miss Woolson. MISS W. fl.aughS wickedlyl. WILLETTS Qreminiscently after another pausej. Rodney said something awfully clever about you yesterday. MISS W. Indeed? Qicilyy. WILLETTS. Why don't you ever encourage a man to go on? MISS W. A man ought not to need any encouragement. But, well, it I must tassuming a sprightly vivacityj-indeed? What clever thing did Mr. Rodney honor himself by saying about me, Mr. Willetts? There, is that better? WILLETTS. Intinitely. But I don't believe I'll tell you after all. MISS W. Cresentfullyj. That is like a man after a woman has humbled herself. WILLETTS. Humble, you! I like that term in that connection. 12 Besides you know a repeated remark falls flat after so many pre- liminaries. I MISS W. Qcoldlyb. Oh well, as you please. 'WILLETTS Qrelentingj. Oh well, Isuppose I may as well tell since it has gone so far. We were coming down street together yesterday, and saw Arbuthnot leaving your door. He looked de- jected somehow. Henderson remarked upon it and then Said, 'tThere ought to be an inscription over Miss Woolson's door 'Leave hope behind, all ye who enter here , Qlaughs unrestrainedlyj. MISS W. Qwith suspicionj. Did Mr. Rodney say that, or is it a pleasing fabrication of your own, Mr. Willetts? WILLETTS. Oh Rodney said it all right. It bears his mark if you knew him. I never say anything clever. There's nothing cynical about me. MISS W. twith ironyj. No? WILLETTS. There you go again! No. CAfter a moment's pause, struck with a brilliant thought.J It's a pity you don't,like Rodney. You would make such a good match. MISS W. What discrimination you have, Mr. Willetts. But why didn't you make it span. I wouldn't hesitate at a sporting term in such a connection if I were you. WILLETTS. Oh I beg your pardon, Miss Woolson. Now you are offended. You know I- MISS W. tlightlyj. Oh I am not offended, at least not irreme- diably. But you say you regret that I do not like Mr. Rodney. 3...