The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-28

discussion OF books, OF pictures, " Hte
curiously apprehended thing called Lie,
She took I'D the invitation caro- LOOK
ed at the handwriting, and wavered as
she thought OF Gertrude putting II LIMO illlo
an envelope with nurmured, PooT
Ayicel don't suppose she has trock;
but still" And then she thought OF
Gertrude's husband.
Il shall go" she decided HE IS
human being, and one doesn't often meet
the species
She put the ready-filled kettle on the
fire and began to lay the tea. -,
The cloth she spread on the little
table was of cream-colored linen, hne IN
texture; the solitary cup was daintliy
Powered; the teapot. though cheap
one. was not wanting in elegance OF
shape. After she had made some toast
she placed two lighted candles on the
table. and set bowl of flowers between
them, a certain studied precision about
her movements making the ordinary
process of preparing meal suggestive
of the performance of ritual.
When she had poured out a cup OF
tea, she took a book from the shelf
above her head and began turning the
pages rather listlessly. Presently It
slipped from her hand to her lap, ana
IL
Tea and toast lasted some time, but
at last with a half-sigh she rose. The
table was cleared, the cup and saucer
and plates washed and put carefully
away. the lighted candles placed on the
| bureau. in whose polished surface they
were charminglv reflected-all with the
| same haif-absorbed air. as OF cere-
| monv performed in the spirit OF an
| acolyte.
When the hearth was swept and the
| flowers again placed on the table, Avice
| fetched her evening gown from the bed.
room and began TO drape the folds OF
| lace on the bodice.
For an hour she sat quietly bending
over its hlmy black meshes, and then
/ with q hastv movement she hung the
| dress on TO a chair, rose, and began to
| pace the room.
Her thoughts at first were incoherent.
.sWhy. why, why?" ceaselessly, vague
! w reiterated. was their burden. Then,
| as they took more tangible shape: Why
| am | living like this ?" she thought.
..How is it that I don't know how to
| make success of life? 1t is done again
| and again by women who haven't halt
my brains, half my capabilities for work.
! How do they manage it? They get
work on papers and write rubbish, which
paws: they become known, they make
| friends: they marry. They have luck
But what is luck? 7 suppose it's the
! sum of all the unknown causes. mental,
physical, and moral, which go to make
| the survival of the httest What 10
wrong with me- | wonder, that | have
none of it? Why am | starving on nifty
| pounds a year, which | make at work
| which any fool could do as well?
She stopped in her restless pacing and
looked slowly round the room
/ The candles burned like stars above
| the polished wood of the bureau; the
| brass fender cleaned in the freight;
1 the folds of the blue curtain over her
bedroom door were artistically as satis-
fying. The little room, in short, was
| charnling-and it represented many din
ners and not a few lunches of bread
and butter. But | should have died In
an ugly place" she thought. And what
then? Would it have nattered much,
i after all? +" was her next reflection, toll
lowed swiftly by the knowledge that It
would; that hope was not dead, could
not be dead in a woman still young, with
capacities for happiness still unblunted.
with a delight in beauty that was a
passion, and with so great longing Tor
all the normal experiences OF woman
hood-love, home, children
She leant her elbows upon the mantel-
piece, and stood looking down into the
fire.
1T is the loneliness that is worst OF
ALL" she thought, tears SLOWLY gathering
/ in her ewes. mo woman should be lone
w: It is worse for her than for man
l think | would marry any man who
asked me now, rather than go on like
this Anything, any experience, IS bet
ter than no experimentation an empty
life. 1t is the fate l have always dread
ed more than all, and it will be mine
She took up the gown again with
half-laugh.
: 'In the mean time there is Away:
dressmaI7ing | never need complain o
| lack of occupation when nv gowns are
| / in this condition"
} Mrs. Wetherby received her frien(
t with some effusion on the evening o
the party.
1 full of people; there. was a babel o
r tongues, a Kaleidoscope shifting OF COZ
. or. every now and then wave OF laugh
] ter
Philip Wetherby was near the doc
r as Avice entered. He shook hands wit
r her, and then at hasty word OF appea
from his wife about some domestic d1ttl
n Guilty, he turned away to arrange tn
:, matter.
i Almost at the same moment Ger
!. trude's voice at her elbow said, "Avlc'
d | want to introduce Colonel Ridley
: very old friend of mine.
V CHANGING at him a little curiouslly a
n she smilingly returned his bow, Awe
e saw an erect, somewhat burly middle
n aged man Despite his years she recog