Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-02-23

IL" corridors of the Fifth Avenue hotel
after returning from the far west. a
little awcd by the velvet carpets, the
satin curtains. the gliding. the mir
rcrs. the SI,l..mlor of tho other women.
She was conscious of something about
herself not as IT should he Her hUs
band was all we'll en"ngh, blur aTi
ready man of business In a business
suit But either she had on too much
or she didn't know how to put II Oh.
She felt she was unlike these Crandcs
DANES who talked AMI laughed and
moved Mt ease Her hands troubled
her and made her uncomfortable: her
hair lacked the touch. But still she
knew it WAS only Il matter OF time;
she would catch on. Charlie. anyway.
looked ut her with admirinS eyes when
he had any time to look at her at all.
She was more lonesome than ut first,
for her husband had become entirely
absorbed in his schemes.
Meantime she was seeing the world.
1t went by her in the beginning like IL
panorama: 1t almost made her dizzy.
Yet. although ut last she was part
of 1t and as eager in the rush rs any,
she was never quite ut home In it.
Captain Harding had indeed had
some measure Of the luck he had hop
ed for, and he was floating the shares
of the Nimble Dollar mine in a way
that made his wife hold her breath
when he reported his successes to her.
He had been on the ground, he had
seen the mine, he knew what he was
talking about. he was not anxious for
too large a price, and he came out of
the transaction with n small fortune.
Now" he said, IF I did what my
folks and your folks would approve
Of 1 should lay this down to grass
that means interest-and go home and
build house with bow winders and
a French roof and be the rich man of
the region"
YES" said Grace.
But you believe in me, don't your
asked he anxiously.
YES" said Grace.
You'd like to see me one Of the mil
lionaires? I've as good a right to big
money as the best of 'em, and I'm goin'
In for It, I'm goin' into Wall street In
earnest" And Captain Harding had a
sense of assured success which made
him the happiest, best natured and
busiest man alive. "'Tain't luck" he
said to his wife. Its q long head. I'd
look pretty hidfn' such knack Of bust
ness In the corner store, wouldn't II
And as for you, I'm proud Of you ev.
cry dayw
But Mrs. Harding was not proud OF
herself. She would not let her husband
know it, but she felt herself wholly
unequal to meet the women Of society
with whom her husbands affairs
brought her into some association. in
vited now and then to their houses, to
their opera boxes-women who had &C
Quaintance with each other. with for
eign life. who knew what to do and
how to do 1t and who without the least
Ill feeling often overlooked and ignored
] her and made her feel herself out Of It
She sent homo boxes Of gowns and 9th.
er things to Louisa and her mother (of
which in their private talks they said
they would have preferred her OWL
things to make over for Themselves
without dreaming how unsuitable they
would be). and she sent grandma q
gray silk wrapper in whose ruffles and
lace she would look like a little old
flower. as Grace pleased herself by
thinking, and she sent her GRANDPA.
Their fur coat and q wonderful meer.
schaum pipe. She had a feeling that
such things were, Us her husband
phrased 1t, SO much to the good. Now
and then she sent her father a little
money, but she did not have much
money. Captain Harding needed I'LL
his ready money, but she had generous
credit-and bills. "Pile 1t onv' said
her husband. zone must look success.
full In order to be successful, you
known
They still lived at the hotel. where
they had what seemed to her royal
rooms, although she never grew used
to them. and. although entertaining
there those who accepted their invita-
lions. she always had q sensation that
one day those people would find her out
for a fraud.
She laughed sometimes when she saw
herself In the glass. with her bare
shoulders and Jewels, her satin and
lace and marabou, with a kind OF
mockery. But she never let her hus
band know that this was not what hel
soul longed for. that she was afraid Of
the other women or that she felt al
their own new way Of life to be Of very
uncertain tenure.
She did not have 80 much chance a.
once to let him know her state Of mind
He was occupied from morning til
night: he was writing and telegraphinl
and seeing people and down In the lob
BY talking with men till midnight. thu
hotel lobby being a minor Wall street