The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-08
OVER THE TEA URN.

He saton the edge of his chair and stared
at her miserably over the top of his teacup.
1.-THE popularity of the teakettle and the
chatting dish in good society seems to me
graceful recognition by women Of the
charm that heuseWifely cares still have for
them. The kitchen is so attractive that
even the drawing room cannot dispense
with its graces. A woman who is barred
out of her kitchen by French chef will
still cling to the privilege of using her
chatting dish, and in her case it is beautiful
and significant that it should be 50, butt
He hesitated moment.
''Well?'' asked she politely.
81 don't see what, from that point of
view, you are doing with teakettle. You
have injured all that it stands for. You
have found something better than the do
mestic life
tThatis nonsense - responded the wom-
an of genius Grossly, for her work had not
gone well that day. Personally adore
domestic life. In general it adds the ele-
ment of grace to the life and of gracious
ness to the woman when she takes up that
form of existence not because it is the only
form, but because it is the sweetest of all -
''Those are very pretty views-very pref
ty,'' he remarked gloomily, ''but have
not observed that you practiced them. It
isn't of any particular avail for salvation
to assent with ones intellect to any ortho-
dox doctrine while ones actions are still
hereto. You have refused the things that
are the best of all. -
'sWho said had refused them?" she de-
manded iInpatiently. "You wouldn't have
me marry the wrong man just to show
that my views upon the woman question
were conservative, would you?'
"That is an easy thing to say, but you
know you will never find the right one."
She looked at nina curious, measured,
wondering gaze. There was scorn in it,
but was it all scornP ''No, she said slow
", II am not emancipated enough for
that. I intend to let him find me, even
though we play at hide and seek together
all our days"
''Do you mean-would you really lis
temp p
1t was half an hour later before it o.
CURED to him that all this was violating
precedent.
''Do you suppose you can be happy?'' he
implored, and then he brought up the sub
ject of the books in which the married
woman of genius had always been miser-
able. He refrained, however, from speak
ing of those households which had fallen
under his observation in which the hus-
band of the genius had been dissatisfied
with the cooking Of the beefsteak.
"Oh, books said she, with an infinite
scorn. Haven't you noticed that people
write best about things of which they
know absolutely nothing? Do you really
mean to say that you have been Influenced
in this by books?"
He nodded silently. "And so you
thought did not care, and would not
marry you, dear?'
81 thought so. Yes.
An adorable smile bent her lips. "Don't
you think you were rather hasty, not to
say unkind, in adopting so completely the
generalization that the artist rejects-love
and with it life2''
4oT
Of your work. he cried. you seemed to
think art the one thing in the world. Ev-
cry word fell like clod on a coffin"
why should I not speak of art with
fervor? I feel it all, and you had not Of
fered me any career which preferred. -
"Ah, but do you, will you always prefer
itS 1t is not as If you were merely talent
ed, you know, to give up
''Give up? But intend to give up moth
ing! am afraid you are little stupid. -
would you mind explaining the situa-
ton to me?' he asked humbly.
''That is very easy" she said composed
~. 81 simply don't intend to be unequal
to the combination of love and art. -
The luminous brilliancy of this solution
kept him SILENT while she went on:
'Those women you read about, you
know, were under the disadvantage of not
being modern when they tried to do things.
They were working against tremendous
b0Ou20 perhaps Invisible pressure Inc
world wasn't adjusted SO as to help them
and make the solution of their problems
easy. They felt that horrible weight-the
pressure Of the disapproval of the universe
and could not stand out against it. One
has a deliciously buoyant sensation-the
Lord is on eur side feeling-that is in it
self a guarantee of success. Then, you
know, we have better health and fewer
nerves than women used to have and that
makes a difference -
"But suppose, he persisted, 'fjust sup
pose that you were to fail What thenp'
lone is willing to pay certain price for
the best things she admitted slowly, Elf
the goods are delivered. It is possible that
happiness might be a very bad bargain,
even though paid for it with art
''Ah, darling he began. But she went
on: but 1 shall not have to do it I
shall have my cake and eat it too
He looked at her with an expression of
admiration which almost hid his funda-
mental skepticisn.
''You are" he said, with sudden iIlu-
mination, 81 something more advanced than
modern. You are she of whom we have
heard-the coming woman
She looked down at the pink palm which
he had held fast in his own through all her
self possessed eloquence, and suddenly
wave of color rose and swept across her
face.
''Ah, not" she said softly. But he heard
her. whether 1 succeed in combining
love and art or not it seems to me have
arr N