The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-08-18
FOLLY OF WOMAN.

quite seriously, my GEAR betlE, /
do" Mrs. Allonby smiled languidly
from among her sofa cushions. and
drew the fur rug thrown over her
closer, with an involuntary SILVER
"But-but ought you TO go?' Betty
HOLLYWOOD murmured d.fiidently. She
was only 20: Eve Allonby represented
TO her girlish enthusiasm the sum Of
all femi nine perfection; in impugning
her IDOLS wisdom she felt hersei! peril
ously near committing sacrilege. Re
member. on Monday you could scarcely
lift your head from. your pillow"
And today is Thursday and I an
virtually quite well | cant consent 20
be made an invalid Of any longer, what
ever you and Doctor Carmichael may
say"
Il shouldn't have imagined" Betty
said ruefully. that you would have
cared so very much
About one of Eleanor Orde-l .auris-
tons brushes? Oh. il that only we're
in question, I'd willingly stay at home,
But there is Walter. | hate d.sap-
pointing him; besides, he really ought
TO put in an appearance at this party.
All the political people will be there"
Cant he go without your"
you know he never cares to 20 any
where without me"-reprOachfully.
81 know. Still, | should think"
Betty checked herself suddenly.
All, you think many things" Mrs.
AllOnby half laughed, half sighed.
Wait TIL you've been married five
years, my child Then you'll under
stand that your husbands fancy for
I'M 1 - l. 10
to be trified with. Also. that if wo-
man wishes TO keep mans comrade-
ship. to be his friend OF friends, she
must prepare to wage war with femi-
nine laziness. No man will put up with
comrade who falls out whenever she
becomes the least little bit footsOre."
It's the mans business to call
halt as soon as she feels tired" Betty
declared.
And the woman's, II she's wise. to
prevent his guessing that she does feel
tired, Eve retorted. Il often marvel
at the folly of wives whom | overhear
boring their husbands to death with the
tale Of their petty ailments. In my own
case-but perhaps you may say that
mine is an exceptional case" flushing
painfully 1T is. undoubtedly. When
the balance Of age lies SO much on the
wrong side"
My dear Eve" the girl protested
hastily. surely you needn't take that
point into consideration, To begin with.
you look years younger than Mr.. Al
lonby. Everyone says SO"
Betty's eXuberance OF feeling occa-
sionally found vent in a corresponding
recklessness OF speech. But in her pres
ent desire TO console, she was not guilty
or rhetorical eXaggeration. No unpre-
JUDGED observer setting Eve Allonby-
still. at four and thirty, combining the
slender grace and delicate coloring OF
girlhood with that higher and deeper
beauty found only in the face OF the
woman who has thought and loved and
sorrowed-beside the man who entered
her morning-room as Miss HOLLYWOOD
left II, much less his elder by a round
half-dozen years.
Walter Allonby was one of those
observation-disclosures men who cease to
look young before they have well put
off the schoolboy's jacket At 28 he
might easily have passed for 35-and
exceedingly comely 35. be it under
stood. Tall. broad-shouldered straight
OF limb and hard OF muscle. with
fresh complexion and placid, ox-like
eyes, Ewes husband might have sat ap.
proprately for a picture of the true
born Englishman OF a certain tyne and
class--the class which dresses fault.
lessly and fares sumptuously every
day; the type which happily conscious
OF bamelessness in all works OF law
contemplates life habitually through
the smoked glasses OF a perfect self.
satisfaction. thereby burring its per
ception OF many facts that, more vivid
ly apprehended, might rufle its serenity
and impair its appetite.
Mr.. Allonby, on leaving Oxford had
been called to the bar; but he had
never attempted to practice. Having a
sufficient private income. he could af-
ford 20 indulge at once his dislike Of
drudgery and his mbitions-whlch Law
IN the direction OF political career. A
promising speaker and good man OF
business. he took pains to make him
sell useful in both capacities to his
party. And the party" had lately ac-
knOwledged his services recon.
mending him 10 an East Anglican con
stltuency which had no candidate of
the right color in reserve against the
forthcoming general election.
Just now-between nursing this con-
stituency, extending his social connec-
tions he held that to the furtherance
OF his larger ends, 1t was highly i'm
portant he should get on in society"
ana INDUCING in those healthful sports
which, as he was fond OF telling his
rural audiences, have made English
men what they are"-Mr Allonby had
little time to spare. II was unfortunate
that Eve-a model wife. who seconded
him with unflagging zeal in all his
schemes-should happen to be laid
aside al such juncture. Besides. her
usefulness apart. ~ missed her hourly
companionship. No one else under
stood him so perfectly. sympathized so
completely with his aims. or watched
with so keenly attentive an eye the eff.
feet OF his speechss-or his boundary
drives-on criti'al crowd.
"Better7 Really7 Quite yourself
again." he inquired anxiously. coming
up to her sofa. That's right! Then
you won't be afraid to attemp the
Orde-Lauristons' tomorrow
Not a bit" Eve responded, sitting
up bravely. She had thrown off her
furs and raised herself from her re-
cumbent position as soon AS she heard
her husbands step.
And | can let Holroyd know that he
may expect us on Monday"
Monday? | thought the stone-lay-
ing at Marpleton -Marpleton is the
chief town OF the county division for
which Allonby hoped shortly to write
himself down msmber-"was fixed for
WaSinAn1Aw