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man's hard eyes looked upon her with a half…con…
cealed derision that urged her to the use of the sharp…
est arrow in her beauty's quiver。
One afternoon she leaned far over the sill； and she
did not challenge and torment him as usual。
〃Candy man；〃 said she； 〃stand up and look into
my eyes。〃
He stood up and looked into her eyes； with his
harsh laugh like the sawing of wood。 He took out
his pipe； fumbled with it； and put it back into big
pocket with a trembling band。
〃That will do；〃 said Mademoiselle； with a slow
smile。 〃I must go now to my masseuse。 Good…
evening。〃
The next evening at seven the candy man came and
rested his cart under the window。 But was it the
candy man？ His clothes were a bright new check。
His necktie was a flaming red； adorned by a glit…
tering horseshoe pin； almost life…size。 His shoes were
polished； the tan of his cheeks had paled his hands
had been washed。 The window was empty； and he
waited under it with his nose upward； like a hound
hoping for a bone。
Mademoiselle came； with Sidonie carrying her load
of hair。 She looked at the candy man and smiled a
slow smile that faded away into ennui。 Instantly she
knew that the game was bagged； and so quickly
she wearied of the chase。 She began to talk to
Sidonie。
〃Been a fine day；〃 said the candy man； hollowly。
〃First time in a month I've felt first…class。 Hit it
up down old Madison； hollering out like I useter。
Think it'll rain to…morrow？〃
Mademoiselle laid two round arms on the cushion
on the window…sill； and a dimpled chin upon them。
〃Candy man；〃 said she； softly； 〃do you not
love me？ 〃
The candy man stood up and leaned against the
brick wall。
〃Lady；〃 said be； chokingly； 〃I've got 800 saved
up。 Did I say you wasn't beautiful？ Take it every
bit of it and buy a collar for your dog with it。〃
A sound as of a hundred silvery bells tinkled in the
room of Mademoiselle。 The laughter filled the alley
and trickled back into the court； as strange a thing to
enter there as sunlight itself。 Mademoiselle was
amused。 Sidonie； a wise echo； added a sepulchral but
faithful contralto。 The laughter of the two seemed
at last to penetrate the candy man。 He fumbled
with his horseshoe pin。 At length Mademoiselle； ex…
hausted； turned her flushed； beautiful face to the win…
dow。
〃Candy man；〃 said she； 〃go away。 When I
laugh Sidonie pulls my hair。 I can but laugh while
you remain there。〃
〃Here is a note for Mademoiselle；〃 said Fe1ice；
coming to the window in the room。
〃There is no justice；〃 said the candy man； lift…
ing the handle of his cart and moving away。
Three yards he moved； and stopped。 Loud shriek
after shriek came from the window of Mademoiselle。
Quickly he ran back。 He heard a body thumping
upon the floor and a sound as though heels beat alter…
nately upon it。
〃What is it？〃 be called。
Sidonie's severe head came into the window。
〃Mademoiselle is overcome by bad news；〃 she said。
〃One whom she loved with all her soul has gone
you may have beard of him he is Monsieur Ives。
He sails across the ocean to…morrow。 Oh； you men！〃
SQUARING THE CIRCLE
At the hazard of wearying you this tale of vehe…
ment emotions must be prefaced by a discourse on
geometry。
Nature moves in circles； Art in straight lines。
The natural is rounded； the artificial is made up
of angles。 A man lost in the snow wanders； in spite
of himself； in perfect circles； the city man's feet；
denaturalized by rectangular streets and floors； carry
him ever away from himself。
The round eyes of childhood typify innocence；
the narrowed line of the flirt's optic proves the in…
vasion of art。 The horizontal mouth is the mark of
determined cunning； who has not read Nature's most
spontaneous lyric in lips rounded for the candid kiss？
Beauty is Nature in perfection； circularity is its
chief attribute。 Behold the full moon； the enchant…
ing golf ball； the domes of splendid temples； the
huckleberry pie； the wedding ring； the circus ring；
the ring for the waiter； and the 〃round〃 of drinks。
On the other hand； straight lines show that Na…
ture has been deflected。 Imagine Venus's girdle
transformed into a 〃straight front〃！
When we begin to move in straight lines and turn
sharp corners our natures begin to change。 The
consequence is that Nature； being more adaptive than
Art； tries to conform to its sterner regulations。 The
result is often a rather curious product for in…
stance： A prize chrysanthemum； wood alcohol whis…
key； a Republican Missouri； cauliflower au gratin；
and a New Yorker；
Nature is lost quickest in a big city。 The cause
is geometrical； not moral。 The straight lines of its
streets and architecture； the rectangularity of its
laws and social customs； the undeviating pavements；
the hard； severe； depressing； uncompromising rules
of all its ways even of its recreation and sports
coldly exhibit a sneering defiance of the curved line
of Nature。
Wherefore； it may be said that the big city has
demonstrated the problem of squaring the circle。
And it may be added that this mathematical intro…
duction precedes an account of the fate of a Kentucky
feud that was imported to the city that has a habit
of making its importations conform to its angles。
The feud began in the Cumberland Mountains be…
tween the Folwell and the Harkness families。 The
first victim of the homespun vendetta was a 'possum
dog belonging to Bill Harkness。 The Harkness
family evened up this dire loss by laying out the
chief of the Folwell clan。 The Folwells were prompt
at repartee。 They oiled up their squirrel rifles and
made it feasible for Bill Harkness to follow his dog
to a land where the 'possums come down when treed
without the stroke of an ax。
The feud flourished for forty years。 Harknesses
were shot at the plough； through their lamp…lit cabin
windows； coming from camp…meeting； asleep； in duello；
sober and otherwise； singly and in family groups；
prepared and unprepared。 Folwells had the
branches of their family tree lopped off in similar
ways； as the traditions of their country prescribed
and authorized。
By and by the pruning left but a single member
of each family。 And then Cal Harkness； probably
reasoning that further pursuance of the controversy
would give a too decided personal flavor to the feud；
suddenly disappeared from the relieved Cumberlands；
baulking the avenging hand of Sam； the ultimate op…
posing Folwell。
A year afterward Sam Folwell learned that his
hereditary； unsuppressed enemy was living in New
York City。 Sam turned over the big iron wash…pot
in the yard； scraped off some of the soot； which he
mixed with lard and shined his boots with the com…
pound。 He put on his store clothes of butternut
dyed black； a white shirt and collar； and pa