The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-22
THE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL

3 40 redSSure me. You are so SIMPLE
and straightforward
This was quite true. Maud was pos
sessed of wellspring Of transcendent
honesty; sometimes she found that to
be a convenient gift, because people
trusted her; sometimes it was incon-
venient since she had to live up to it,
and at this moment was forced to re-
consider a recent statement of hers.
"Oh, Lily, how tiresome you are!''
she said, in tone of deep reproach. FI :
tell you the truth, as far as can, then
you probe me further. At least, sup
pose you are fishing again. r
Lily smiled. - s. -...
..W VIII F Is + H s'; but I s",'' she said.
"Oh, it's me,'' said Maud despair
ingly. "It's me and our Mr. Cochran.
Lily, 7 do like him awfully; I like him
most awfully. No one has ever at
tracted me like that. II could put
all my affairs into his hands with the
utmost confidence. He is so strong, you
know. We women want somebody aw
fully strong, don't we? Somebody who
IN the middle of an earthquake. Well,
he is like that. I said r was not il love
with him. I thought it was true-but
l don't know: Perhaps being in love
means that. You see, it has never hap
Rened before 1m to me. l can't recognize
l.
haven't seen it before. But you can
tell me. When you said you would
marry Thurso, was it that, or some
thing like that9 Oh, dear, poor Mr..
Cochran! He hasn't shown the slight
est INCLINATION to ask me to marry
There was fine irony about this, and
Lily. Thurso, despite the previous dis
cussion on Christian Science, felt at
that moment much inclined to believe in
the inherent malice Of chance questions.
But her answer was according to the
spirit, tho not strictly in accordance
with the letter.
"Give him his chance then, Maud"
she said. II think entirely as you do.
It is strength that is toVus the adorable
thing. And that,' she added with sud-
den adroitness, els what bothers me
about Thurso just now. 1t is so weak
to allow yourself to make habits that
you know all the time are harmful. I.
always give up anything I want before
1 want it very badly.'
There was irony about this, too. But
Maud.
"You, who get all you WANT she
said.
Lily got up and began walking up
and down the lawn where they sat that
bordered the deep flower bed. All June
Was III hover Cnen, JUST aS IN nerSelI all
June appeared to be towering. 1t was
no wonder that Maud thought that.
But all the emotional baggage, that she
had consistently thrown away all her
life, seemed to her to be coming back
now, returned to her by some dreadful
dead-letter office. Il -.
ION, yes, everybody else always
has good teeth and a good digestion.
and rather more money than one really
wants to spend Do you think I am
happy?' she asked suddenly. -s.*."
Maud dropped her eyes.
emo, I don It, if again you fish deep
| for what think, - she said.
v r hsbeyy oS e, are two TRSsoP sad
| Maud, and another Maud who has to
be angled for.''
eyes, just that,' said she. "And
50, are you. And 50 is everybody who
is worth anything
| Maud paused moment, knowing that
her sister-in-law hung on her words,
and wondered. A couple of months ago
she would not have known what was
meant by there being two Mauds. But
had given her the deeper self, without
in the least destroying the more super
fetal self. She felt the joy of morn
ing and evening, the rapturous expecta-
ton of catching sea-trout just as keenly
as ever, but an interior life had awoke
in her. Lily, with her husband and her
children, Of course knew that; she had
no fear Of being misunderstood.
IT used to envy you, Lily, she
said, "for thought that the you
which all the world knew and admired
was all there was But since well.
yes, since I have fallen in love, know
there is more real you than that:
you that is more essential. don t
think that part Of you is happy, any
more than Thurso is happy"
Lily sat down again, and before she
spoke she thought over her words.
IT would give, or give up, great
deal to make a = T iSin happy" she said "a
gether. I get on his nerves. -
Maud looked up at her, as If wait
ing for more. More came.
UAnd he bores me-" said Lily.
There was long silence; bees Wis
tied the flowers, making them bend and