A Rejected Bachelor's Revenge
" Matilda," said I, " I am sorely tempted to say sotnething in all frankness " - I paused. "Well," murmured Matilda, in tho loweat of voices, after a silence oí several minutes " A burnt child dreads the fire," I replied. " To be rcfused twice by the same woman would be a desperate wound to a man's vanity. Have you forgotten, Mür tilda, here, in this very room, two years ago, how you replied to noy offer ? I remember your very words : ' You are Euch a niuffl ' " " Oh ! I never said Ihat. Oh, no! At least, surely - surely, I never could Lave fsaid anything so rude. Well, yes - I believe - I reeolleet I did so, but " . She luid her hand ou my arm vrith a gesture full of coquetry, and shot a glance at me from under her long eyelashes whieh he intended and probably believed tobe irresistible, fis she added, ''Iré tract thi'Hi ; you are no longer the saine man. You are quite changed, you know. You are uot a muff now ! " "You are right," I replied, "I aniño longer tho same man Will you listen to me without laughing?" Tdere was little need for thia request. Matilda's manner presented a very decided contrast to her demeanor of two years ago. Her shoulderfi did not now shake with sup pressed mirth. She fat like a statue; all affectation, all conventionnlity for the time forgotten, utterly absorbed in tlie words which fell from my lips. ' Miss. Mansbane, two years ago, when I was pure and good, you rejected the iioblegt offer which can be made to a woman - he offer of a sincere, faithful heart. - You were. not satisfied with simply rejecting - you treated me with ridicule and scorn. I was then - yes, I say it myself -■a man whom a virtuous woman might ïave been prnud to accept. I was unDolluted, and I - loved you! I believed n you ! I would have cherished you ! I gaw my type of female excellenco in you! You were right. I was indeed 'a muff' then. What am I now ? I havo gown my wild oats, as the world calis it. Do you know what that implies? It ineans that I have degraded inyself in my own esteeni, lost my robe of purity, nud with it my beautiful illugions respecting your ex. ííow I can re echo Byron's lament - No more - no more - oh ! never more on me The freshness of the heart shall fall like dew.' But the dissípatíon into which men are perinitted to plunge with iinpunity is a fitting - a necessary preparation to enable us to sink to that depi-avity of the mind and heart which can make us worship women like you. Start not. I have taken my degrees in vice. J hare sullied niy soul. and sosiety - good, yirtuous, pliarisaioal society - instead of spurning, opens har arms and welcomes the roue - It is tiuch women as you, who, wearing the mask of hypocritical prudery, are the ruin of men ; who hold out a premium to gin, who admire us for our errors, Jïut you shall not have the satisfaotioo of knowing that you have utterly ruined me. I loathe and despise a society which caresses me because I have forfeited my own self esteeni. Henceforth I quit old assoeiations, and rtturn to rational life. Ferhaps soine day I may again become worthy of' the lope of a good woman. - Miss Mansbane, I wish you a good jnorning." Matilda Jane regarded me with a look of rage, in which all feminine dignity, eunning and graee, were forgotten. For once I saw her without artífice, and heard her speak with sincerity as she hissed out the words, " You have behaved shamefully, and I hate you ! " " Thank you," I replied : " I shall quit this room w'th a much better opinión of mygelf than I had when I entered it." And I withdrew. Whether Matilda Jane appreciated the practical lesson I had giyen her - whether u was her pride alune which was wounded, or if her conscience had been touched, I know not. Women have the power of concealing their sentiments better than mea. I do not think my ojd flame will coquette anybody else in a ; liurry,
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Old News
Michigan Argus