Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-08-26

Iva HeSl ldltu. one WIS MIL III
elined to give in to that extent. A.isl
had mistaken her hesitation.
mo" he said. There shall be NJ
selfshness in my love for you. vii
wait year from tonight, and then, i
London is no 60, you know there vii
always lie me. You can't expect me Il
pray for your success, can your
Eva, placed on her mettie, looked
him in the face.
Il am bound to succeed" she said
and turned Ia go. The waltz had
ceased in the room below, and rustic
of skirts and ripple of tongues bad
taken its place.
"Eva,-once-the last time, perhaps.
She turned again, laughing.
"Quick!" she said; "some one viii
come"
a woman may forget many things,
but no woman ever forgets the first
time a lovers arm was around her waist
and a lovers lips upon her own. And
as Eva sat in the corner of q third-class
carriage in the London train next morn
ing. looking forward 10 the career be
fore her the remembrance of the sup
port of Allan's arm persisted in OBJ
truding itself Having got what she
wanted she had already begun to doubt
if she wanted what she had got. Tor q
career, after an, is a rather lonesome
sort OF a thing.
Such small success as may come to
the inexperienced girl upon her first
incursiou into literature came TO Eva.
She lived sparingly, 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 little
earlier instead. a weekly column on
Health and Beauty" placed at her dis
posal by the youthful editor of 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 welcome in the
minor periodicals. and happy meeting
with an editor at a dinner party paved
the way TO her appearance in widely
read magazine. BY the end Of the year
Eva Norrington had got so far towards
realization of her ambition thatwhen
people heard her name mentioned they
wriniled their brows and tried TO re-
member where they had heard il before.
AZ home. Of course, her fame was great.
The papers in which she wrote circu-
lated freely in the town, her stories
were discussed at afternoon teas, and
townfolk were glad TO think that they
participated 70 some extent in the lit
erary work Of the century.
All this time Eva was horribly lone
Is. She knew plenty Of people 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 itwould !
lead her. 1t would lesd her TO place |
in the newspaper paragraphs, TO place |
on the book stalls, TO a place in the
photographers windows, and TO a |
place at Buywater or South Kensing- |
ton. This, then. must be the end CT the |
struggle and the turmoil Of the fight.
And how she hated the fight! a fight
wherein victory would bring her no
nearer TO the actualities of life; for she
lad come TO learn in the years struggle
hat our social system by no means
llaces women on an equality with men.
md that whereas men can buy the COW
ted fruit of the tree of knowledge of
rood and evil by the polite, women
must buy the tree outright, and pay
ash. IL was a terrible affair. And
he most unfair thing about the whole
business was that, while success was
lmost within her grasp, success was
lot what she wanted. There is no fun
n living your own life when that is
recisely the life you do not want to
cad.
1t was not as though Allan Craig had
ever kissed Eva Norrington.
She opened the letter-cutting the
avelope with her nail scissors. For
ONE distinction must be made be-
veen your first love letter and your
bill. She felt like one
no has held his breath TO feel what
lffocation is like. The letter was
ing. Eva read quickly at first, then
owly, knitting her brows as she
lrned the pages. and came at last TO
ne signature: Ever your friend, Al
N Craig"
The letter lay for some minutes in
vas lap, while she looked vaguely
,und her room.
He is afraid of spelling my career
y success has put an insuperable bar
er between us" she murmured. The
lrases of the letter had burned them
Ives into her brain. 80, Allan!
ISL l could tell you-or do you want
near?"
Five years passed before she saw Al
n Craig again, and then the meeting
as unexpected-lt the exit of the the