New Year Resolves.

Opunake Times, Volume XXI, Issue 750, 23 June 1905, Page 4

New Year Resolves.

SOfc^E: Thb snug boudoir of Mrs. Eichabd Malton. She and her sister, Miss mlllicent eosenbadm, are discovered dressed eor a.dance which is shortly xo take place. the chjesxs max begin .1 XO ARRIVE ANX MOMENT. Mrs. Malton : Gome? Of course he'll come. Dick and he have been chums since they were at college. Besides he knows you're to be here. Now consider you refused him a year ago when he was merely a younger son without prospects. You liked him Millicent: Always—always—for himseif. Mrs. Malton : But his share of the proposed bargain Millicent : Don't put it like that. He never thought of my money; I nevor thought of his position. We hadn't an idea or ambition in common—that decided me. We talked it out so wisely; I showed him love would never counterbalance such differences of conviction He, with his ancestry, was a Socialist and an Athiest and other horrid things ; I, though nothing but the daughter of a diamond merchant, had the deepest respect for religion and ever} thing old and conservative. We had endless points of difference ; I was rather New a year ago, and that jarred on him, though you wouldn't think an Athiest was likely to care. But he said he got his theological ideas from his father and his ideal of women from his mother. Mrs. Malton : Well, the end of it was that you refused him, and he went to shoot big game. I wonder what unlucky lovers will do when all the big game's shot? He left a mere younger son; he came back the heir of a great estate. It ought to make a difference. Millicent: His brother's death alters his prospects, not his disposition. Mrs. Malton: You never know—it's evidently altered yours. Millicent : We were too conscientious, that's all—both of us. I see now we might have made a happy match. Mrs. Malton : Humbug yourself, my dear child, if you can ; but don't imagine you're humbugging me. He wasn't possible then ; he is now. Millicent: You are so brutal. Mrs. Malton : And you are so disingenuous—even with me. Never mind. (A distant bell rings.) There's the first of them. |t's going to be a great night for me—and you too, I hope. And here's the keys of the orchid-house 1 you know it opens out of the conservatory. The conservatory is a blaze' of Japanese lanterns, but the orchid-house Will be looked up and won't participate in Jhe general revels. He'll ask for an interview if he's still of the same mind, so there you are. (Exeunt.) The orchid-house, dimly lighted by flashes of orange and crimson illumination from the lofty conservatory through which it is approached. The door between is shut, and nothing is visible in orchidhouse from conservatory. A warm atmosphere ; .masses of blossom glimmering dimly through the gloom. A comfortable lounge with bank of orchids behind it. At one end of lounge the red tip of a cigarette which wanders about as the -smoker moves it to and from his mouth; at the other a rustle of drapery and the sigh of a fan. Dance, music, . deadened by distance, sounds through pauses of conversation. The Eeturned Prodigal: Eesponsibility ? Should think so. Frightful. And nothin' to meet it with but natural dignity. Grand place, Oakdene—a great age. Yes—great shock. More at home with tigers than tenants. Millicent: You will have a long time to prepare; The Eeturned Prodigal: Not likely—old boy one leg in the grave. Millicent: Your views, too? ,The Eeturned Prodigal: Ah yes —convictions of a life time—never change. poor old Harry died. I'm not theman. Millicent: I've been thinking so much about views myself lately. Yesterday was New Year's Day, you know. The Eeturned Prodigal: Was it? 0, yes. First January. That's always New Year's Day, isn't it ? What then ? Millicent: It's a very solemn sort of a day for me, because I go over all my odd views every year, and make new resolutions and so on, and see if any of my opinions have shahged. , The Eeturn Prodigal (sifter a moment's sohsideratior): I'r Jove, so do II Awful '.olemn tiistj .»<.»< i'ear. Always make new .-esolutions myself—first January—hundreds )t f 6m. looking into our minds we see if we have det oloped or deteriorated. The Eeturned Prodigal : Good. Look here, I told you all about myself in the past; [ will again, especially as you were so jolly good as to give me this private chat. Millicent: The past is sacred; but I remember your opinions only too well. The Eeturned Prodigal: Developed frightfully since then—abroad. Old country— Asiatio customs—difference between our own and Oriental intelligence—chucked Socialism. Great on subordination now. Millicent: I'm glad indeed. The Eeturned Prodigal : Yes—equality's rot—Nature dead against it—look at the difference in dogs. Among other resolves, made one about Free Breakfasts for Poor—that's all right, eh? Millicent: A beautiful thought. You have changed indeed! The Eeturned Prodigal : Shall go to church, too, when I drop into Oakdene—example—can't hurt you—nothing when you're used to it. Everyone goes. Man's a fool to rely merely on his reason—l was. Millicent: Will you kjep these, resolves ? The Eeturned Prodigal: Eather—awfully determined chap (pointedly)—dogged —masterful—in some things won't take " No " for an answer. (Pause.) Millicent: Such frankness ought to be rewarded. Would you like to hear some of my New Year resolves ? The Eeturned Prodigal: Delight in hearin 1 anything—bet they're beautiful, whatever you've decided to do. Millicent: I'm going to be larger-minded. The Eeturned Prodigal (dropping cigarette and coming nearer): You couldn't be. Millicent: Yes, indeed; I'm prejudiced, narrow, and easily carried away by an idea. Looking back through the year I see, for instance, that feminine Newness is not what it looked like before. The Eeturned Prodigal : Of course, of course! You had much too much heart to be a New woman—always knew you had. Millicent : And you possess too much brain to be anything but Conservative—l Kmehow felt that. The Eeturned Prodigal: And do you still teokon girls shine—publio sphere—platform --advance public morals—franchise—so on ? ■ Millicent: How curious I Another of my New Year resolves is to give up that theory altogether. While you were away several women appeared ; they meant so well and tried so hard—and that was all. The Eeturned Prodigal.: Dear things—so pathetic ; we who have the brains laugh—laugh good naturedly. Let 'em ride bicycles —not hobbies, eh ? Millicent; I'm forgetting all about the time. Where's that key, Mr. Eivers ? Whatever Will my sister say ? The Eeturned Prodigal: There 1 Frightened. Would a New Woman be frightened?

Mlllieent: Yet, If I hadn't same of tfo New Woman about me I shouldn't hav( come. The Eeturned Prodigal : You o;ime foi auld lang syne. Jolly rum thing—can'' help thinkin' about year ago. Millicent : We agreed to lot the sacrec past be past and remain friends —always. The Eeturned Prodigal : Yes—owin' t( differences opinion over which had no con trol. But times change and we change witr 'em—all the Latin I know, by the way, and don't know that in Latin. Millicent: You mean our New Year resolutions have—have ? The Eeturned Prodigal: Yes awfullj rum—can't you see with your penetration 5 Seems me almost good enough try over that old talk again—with all these rippin' good resolutions chucked in—eh? I went and brooded and shot after you said "No," and broodin' and shootin' opened my eyes, Natural intelligence oame to rescue. Saw where wrong. Millicent: You take a much nobler survey of life now. The Eeturned Prodigal: I do—so do you. Seems we've made just the very resolutions that fit us run double harness. Think just as much alike now as two peas in a pod—eh ? Millicent: I see what you mean ; I shall certainly watch your career with deep interest knowing these resolves. The Eeturned Piodigal; Well, come and watch it close. Come and polish np my resolutions when begin to get off color. Millicent: What do you mean ? The Eeturned Prodigal (coming close) : What I said a year ago. It's only fair listen because opinions so much modified. But never changed in some respects—love for you just same. Face haunted me—jungle, bungalows—aboard ship—everywhere. You don't say "No " this time ? May I ? Mrs. Malton on retiring finds note upon her dressing-table. It encloses key of orchid house and runs as follows: " Dearest—Have gone to bed. Eather upset. His wonderful nature has blossomed in the desert. He appears entirely changed, and is alive to the great responsibilities of the life which awaits him. Nothing lies between us now. What constancy I I had never been out of his mind I—Your greatly blessed Mtt.t.x."