The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-05-21
20

Il am bound to succeed, she said
and turned to go. The waltz had
ceased in the room below, and a rustic.
of skirts and a ripple of tongues had
taken its place.
-Eva-Once-the last time. perhaps"
She turned again, laughing.
Quick" she said; some one will
come"
\ woman may forget many things.
but no woman ever forgetS the first
time a lovers arm was around herIvaist
and a lovers lips upon her own. And
as Eva sat in the corner of 4 thirtl-class
carriage in the London train next morn
ing, looking forward TO the career be
fore her, the remembrance of th,. sur-
port of Allan's arm persisted in oh
truding itself Having got what sb.
wanted she had already began TO doubt
if she wanted " hat she had got For a
career, after all, is a rather lonesome
sort of d thing.
Such small success as may come TO
the inexperienced girl upon her first
incursion into literature came To Eva.
She lived sparinCly. worked hard, and
never made the mistake of refusing in
vitations on the ground of work She
staid up a little later or got up a little
earlier instead. y weekly column on
Health and Beauty" placed at her dis
posal 10y the youthful editor Of a new
woman's paper, who had met her al the
Writers club and thought her pretty.
paid her weekly bill at the boarding
house Her stories found frequent ac-
ceptance and occasional yycl-am, in the
minor periodicals, and happy m,..ting
with an editor at dinner panty paved
the way t. her appearance in a widely
read magazine. By the end of the year
Eva NorTiETton had got 80 far towards
the realization of her ambition hat " hen
people heard Ler name mentioned the
wriElSiei their brows and tried Ia re-
member y here they had heard IL before
At home. Cf course. her fame WAS great
The Iap,rs in which she wrote ciicu-
lated freely in the town, her stories
were discussed At afternoon teas. and
townfo!l. were glad to think that they
participated Ia some extent IN the lit
erary work of the century.
All this time Eva was horribly lone
". She knew plenty OF Icople and
liked them; they were kind To her
some of them because they liked her for
herself, others because they saw that
she was marked for ultimate success
Having advanced "A certain distance
along the road She had longed TO travel
she could Judge better whittier IL would
lead her. 1t would lead her To a place
in the newspaper paragraphs. to q place
on the book stalls. TO place in the
photographers windows. and To a
place at Baywater or South Kcnsing-
ton. This. then, must be ;h- end , + the
rk k..
And how she hated the fight, \ fight
wherein victory would bring her no
nearer to the actualities OF life: for she
had come To- learn in the years struggle
that our social system by no means
places women on an equality with men.
and that whereas men can buy the GOV
cted fruit of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil by the pottle women
must buy the tree outright. and pay
cash 1t was a terrible affair. And
the most unfair thing about the whole
business was that. while sUcccSS was
almost within her grasp. success was
not what she wanted. There l. no fun
in living your own life when that is
precisely the life you do not want to
lead
1t was not as though Allan Craig had
never kissed Eva Norrington.
She opened the letter-cutting the
envelope with her nail scissors. For
some distinction must Ice made be.
tween your first love letter and yuur
bootmaker's bill. She felt like one
Who has held his breath 10 feel what
suffocation Is like The letter was
long Eva read quickly at first. then
slowly, knitting her brows As shs.
turned the pages, and came at last To
the signature: Ever your friend. Al
Ian Craig"
The letter lay for some minutes in
Eva's lap. while she looked vaguely
round her room.
He is afraid Of spelling my career
my success has put an insuperable bar
rier between us she murmure-i- The
phrases of the letter had burned them
selves into her brain. 20. Allan, I
wish ! could tell you-or do YOU want
To near2'
Five years passed before she saw Al
Ian Craig again. and then the meeting
was UnCNpected-at the exit Of he the
ater where Eva had gone To see the
hundredth performance of her play.
Allan was obviously proud 90 knowing
her. and introduced his wife. 10 whom
she gave graceful recognition II WAS
raining and Allan offered 10 see Eva To
= cab. They stood for a moment on the
steps to the entrance
Yes said Allan. IN answer To Eva's
polite question. all = going well We
have a little daughter-Eva-my wife's
name. curiously enough"
He stood by the hanson aS she en-
tered. guarding her dress from the
wheel. A. she turned To give the al
dress. he said:
Il ought to congratulate YOU on your
success. II is very sweet to me. You
know -you-oNe il all to me. Are you
grateful?"
''Yes; I owe il to you,' she said. lean
ing forward as the apron closed upon
her. and the attendant constable grey.
impatient. Come and see me-Tues-
days
u can't think why I should be so
silly" said Eva to herself, as she
stuffed her handkerchief back into her
pocket and felt for her latch-keV. when
the cab drew up before the hall door
of her fat in Black and
White.
Aromatic Baths-
Baths in which herbs and spices are
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lin, Vienna. and other large cities |
abroad. In Paris. at the newest bathing |