* * *

The littlest girl is a little women. No boy knows this--and precious
few grown up men. Thus

Many a grown up man plays with a girl, then finds himself in love with
her. As to the girl---

Always the girl knows whether the play is leading: she probably chooses
the game.

* * *

Very late in life does a man learn the truth (and significance) of that
ancient proverb that Kissing goes by Favour. For

The masculine mind is the slave of Law and Justice:

Aphrodite never heard of Law or Justice: she was born at sea. That is to
say,

Few are the men who at some time in their lives have not wondered at the
vagaries of girlish complaisance: the foolish, the ne'er-do-well, the
bully, the careless, the cruel,--it is to these often that a girls'
caress is given. And,

Curiously enough, that is, curiously enough as it seems to purblind
law-loving man,--should the favored one be openly convicted, that
alters not one whit his statue with the girl; for,