The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-05-31
One Hilarious Outing.
RY RLYMER cHAPMAN.

she was esteemed lle most lolluA
ate woman in the world. And indee'
she looked it. The wife Of the wealth
Test man in the city, who eagerl.
grat.ded her every whim; beautiful
possessed Of faultless taste and III
means to minister unto IL; courted
admired, acknowledged the socia
leader; with every avenue Of pleasure
travel. dress. society, philanthropy
everything open before the magic
touch OF Manson's millions and Man
son more than willing to use the magic
Of his millions for any purpose she de
sired-what more could any woman
want?
And yet Margaret Mansfield sat IN
her blue and gold boudoir with leaden
heart and looked out into the SHIN
mering sunlight and shiyered as might
a prisoner in a dungeon who saw the
golden CLEANS Of the sun outside but
knew il never could be hers.
1t was one Of her blue days-tha. is
about all there was about it-and yet
she had had SO many blue days Of late
that the sunlight did not appeal to her
as it used to in the old days. The
worst Of it was that the luxurious sur
roundings had begun to pail upon her
and she had fallen into a dreadful
habit Of late Of asking herself con
tinually: Was it worth while?~
In vain did she shrug her patrician
shoulders and reply: ~Of course it is
worth while: what else could l have
done?" Ever and again came back
The question: Was ii worth while?"
This afternoon there was upon her
the smell Of the new mown hay and
the smell Of the new milk in the
clean little dairy and the smell OF the
grass and all the growing things-aye.
and the smell Of the barnyard and all
the living things therein, including
Jake. the hired man. And these smells
and the visions they inspired carried
her back to the old place out in the
Genesee valley and 70 all the happy
days Of her youth when she trailed
ever in the wake Of a mighty star
whose name was ideality and over
which towering so far into the heav-
ems as almost TO be lost sight OF. rose
her castles in the air.
All, finally these castles had been
reduced TO one-but that one castle
had been so much more splendid than
all the rest that they all looked cheap
beside it. And then-but why pursue
vain regrets and drag back the skele-
tons Of the past?
Anyway the mind Of madame was
thoroughly upon the country-the old /
Genesee valley this afternoon and il
seemed to her that If she could not
get a whiff Of the sweet fresh air she
must stide.
Of a sudden she arose with deter
mination and rang for her maid.
Pack one trunk with the simplest
things. ] am going away for a few
days. There viii be no society, no oc-
casion for any clothes excepting the
most simple-do you understand"
Felice understood-that was why
Felice had lasted so long in madame's /
In the meantime Mrs. Manson had
descended TO the apartments Of her
iege lord.
If you have no objections, sir, she
said, Il think / will run down to the
Did place for a day OF SOL am hun
yry for a Whit Of the old Genesee air"
Why, sure, he replied, heartily.
urning from his market reports to
ievour his handsome wife with his
'yes. Awful sorry can't go along
'ut that p. c. 4. & L. B. deal is com
ng OF in the next few days and I
laren't take my eye of the gun. Take
he maid with you?"
No" she replied, decisiyely, Il
want to go alone"
"All right" he replied, indulgently.
Then puckering his brows: Where
Tou goin'? You know the old place
s-who the thunder owns the old
'lace, anyway-nobody l know"
4 do not intend to stop at the old
'lace," she said. calmly. Il just want
o go down and see it all again-and
imell it. I shall stop at the tavern"
He received this with a peal OF
aughter. "Oh, get away" he snort
ID between his laughs. Not that old
Imprinted barn in the town. Why,
woman alive. you are not thinking OF
,oing there alone?"
Exactly" she replied. There is
10 danger nor any disgrace possible
IS it is a most respectable place. The
'Dly thing that could possibly happen
o me would be a little discomfort
md that cant hurt me much in a few
lays"
'oh, well, as you please" f" he replied,
urning back to his market reports.
Then as she swept from the room he
ooked up and sighed a puzzled sort /
Il a sigh.
And she might 60 to New York and /
top at the Waldorf aad see the opera
ust as we'll The women certainly do
leat all time"
Hence it was that Margaret Manson
ound herself on the platform Of the