The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-06-29
HER REFORMATION.


| Lord, what guy ! look!" said Mrs.
lnglesham. For the sake Of her own
peace of mind she had never dared tc
look at herself frankly before, but to-
day great change had come to her.
1t was q relief to be honest with the
figure which looked back at her out of
the long glass. With sort Of amused
curiosity she studied its face, Its beau
tifully dressed HAIR its gorgeously In
appropriate tea gown OF crude pc
tuna share, fashionable at the mo-
ment, which Mrs. Inglesham- Mrs.
Inglesham Of yesterday persuad-
ed at least one-half Of her mind to con-
slider becoming to her.
I'm go and have 1t out with the old
! man." she said.
With a step lighter than it had been
for years she swept serenely up the
great staircase, trailing the petnnia
draperies after her with q crisp rus
Ting OF silk. AT the door Of Ingle-
sham's sanctum she paused for Sec
ond. 1t was place from which she
had always felt herself excluded .
place in which mysterious business was
transacted. mysterious millions were
gambled with in way she did not
profess TO understand. There had been
many things in Inglesham's amazing
career which she had not understood,
from which she had been shut out. as
1t were, by barrier Of fine clothes
and diamonds and carriages and
horses and hundred other agreeable
inappropriate to her character and up
bringing as the petunia tea gown. But
now that the crash had come to lngle-
sham she had reached point which
she understood perfectly and the bar
riers Of wealth and luxury troubled her
no more. Yesterday she would have
knocked at tire door Of that fateful
little room! to-day she went boldly in.
He looked up almost nerv0usly as
she entered. Probably she was going
to reproach limit was only what he
, deserved. Somehow he quailed and
felt small before this big, handsome
woman in the petunia tea gown whom
his folly had suddenly reduced to pow
erty.
80 you're in hole, M0rris?" she
said. quite calmly. you might have
told me, | think"
I'm sorry" he SAIL, almost hum
bly,. @
Yes, suppose you are" she said
Il thought you would be-thats why
l came. You're sorry" She laughed
suddenly short, fierce little laugh
We'll, I'm fool, | suppose, Morris,
for I'm not sorry at all-l'm glad"
Inglesham stared at her helplessly.
Glad
She nodded, smoothing out with a
hand blazing with rings the stiff folds
of petunia silk
Yes glad Gladder than I've been
about anything for years. Oh, I know
you thought was contented--that was
just all could do for you and man
aged to dO-somehOw. played the
game and let you think liked it,
Morris. loathed it,
lnglesham could only sit silent in
ever-increasing amazement
She rose suddenly to her feet with |
an irrepressible movement Of freedom
of escape.
my goodness. how heavenly it isl"
she said. II shall never have to both
er my head about saying the wrong
thing or doing the right one. ! shah |
never have TO fool about with these
silly society women, with all their |
stupidities and hypocrisies. their pet
charities and their queer love affairs
and their card-playing and smoking
and all their other nonsense and wick |
edness. I'm only Polly lnglesham--I
don't understand their ways and never |
shall. Oh, I'm going to be so happy, |
Morris you just wait and see!"
Speech came to Inglesham at last--in |
sudden gush Of shame, OF remOrse
my God. Polly. what brick you are!"
he said. And what fool I've been. |
was ashamed Of you'll thought you
different from other women who picked
up manners and ways OF speaking and
things like that--little. wretched things
that don't matter thought you might
have made yourself more like them
and II you had you'd have been rolling
me into the. dirt to-day instead of stick
ing to me like this. But there's worse
than you know Polly--I've gambled |
with other peoples money. as well as
my own. and lost 1t. didn't mean any
harm. but the harms done all the same.
People will call me swindIer-you
must be prepared for that"
Mrs. Inglesham laughed.
I'm quite prepared for it, she said.
II expected it--you see. learned
thing or two in hiSh society. II / didn't
learn manners I've saved a little of
my own. Morris-you gave me more
than was able to spend was just
totting up what I've got and / think