St. Tammany farmer., 1905-12-23

suggested anger-far from 1t. 1t held,
however, mild but measureless Won
der at the absurdity of human nature
which would have CALLED rock.
People called her stupid, but that
was merely Immature. It was not her
meter to be brilliant. She had been
a beauty ever since she could remem-
Der. She provided the world with
something to look at-something, en-
phatically, worth looking at-and she
suffered their regard with a silence
which just missed being contemptu-
Gus, as it did tonight.
4 The play was going on, but she did
not look at the stage. She had seen
it before. She did not know why she
had come, unless it had been-yes,
th2t was it. She wanted to think, TO
mediate, to understand before.
Tomorrow it would be too late to un-
derstand.
The pedestal would be empty-her
pedestal, from which she looked down
unsmilingly upon the homage Of an
admiring world. She breathed a
shade more quickly. and the diamonds
at her throat made a.sudden glitter
Of fire. She was so tired Of it all
SO terribly, deadly tired; and to-mor-
how she would be free.
A little shopgirl in the pit was look
ing up at her with round, childish
eyes of admiration. and trying to
make out how her hair was done.
How beautiful she was. this white
goddess, with her pale, lovely face,
and her aureole of diamonds! How
heavenly, to be like her, beautiful,
and happy-happy!
Tomorrow, her thought went on,
she would be free. This was. in a
sense, the last night of her life-the
life that had been hers until now. 1t
had been a happy life, according to
most peoples ideas of happiness
the little shopgirls eyes were still
upon her-it had. most certainly,
been prosperous, successful-even
dazzling in its success. Everybody
envied her. she knew. With shiver,
she realized, as she sat there, how
title she was to be envied if they
ha, understood.
And now-now-she was going to
throw it all to the winds-this good
fortune, this success which was bor-
ing her to death. She was going to
be alive. instead of white goddess
on a PEDESTAL She was going to de-
scend from her pedestal forever and
find humanity-in the mud, perhaps.
She smiled family, little, scornful
smile. Oh, she was not a fool-she
understood.
She sat motionless, and her eyes
fell on the stage. The play was going
ONT was an ineffably stupid play.
The hero was just making love to the
heroine, and talking the most SUI
preme nonsense-the usual nonsense.
faint sensation of wonder seized
her as she thought of all the people
IN this great building who were sit
ling watching SO stupid a scene
1t was stupid, of course The duke
ad once-but that was long ago. She
had snubbed him gently, she remem-
bered. She had married him, and |
that was quite enough. She was not
going to submit to being made love
to as well. Besides, his love-making |
did not interest her in the least.
i And yet now-for st. Charles sake.
Her diamonds flashed again. For st. |
Charles sake she was going to step
Town from the pedestal. It was very
curious, for until a few days ago she |
had not taken much notice of st. |
Charles. He was clever, she knew;
md she did not care for clever men,
aor they for her. She had listened |
,nce or twice when he was talking, |
md had wondered at his animation,
lis earnestness, in world where it !
'eally did not seem Of much use to
,e earnest. He had appeared to be
and enthusiasm bored |
Ter. She had remembered thinking
what very exhausting yong man
le was.