Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22


share it. And then afterward talked to her about
it, and her knowledge just much greater than
mine as her charity was Why, Rita she saw people
just we would see things through that magnifying
glass over there on the table. For long time after
that she used to come here in the afternoon and sit
at the tea table and drink tea, and l would drink
Scotch and smoke and listen to her 1t was wonder
ful how she accepted her share of life always with
smile on her lips"
what she made it. After all, her lot might have
been different; that is, if l understand you'll
mean how much you cared
Yes, it might have been different" Carmichael
said; but she chose her failure the stage and
the hall bed room and the dress and the one
hat. tell you, Rita, the hall bed room and the
dress have had almost as much effect girls
lives IN this town as mothers prayers. What do
YOU think?
For answer Miss Maynard sat back in the deep
chair and, looking at Carmichael, slowly shook her
head. Il think, she said, there must have been
other reason. Admitting that she had the
highest motives in the world, it is difficult under
stand why she should have chosen the hall bed room
instead of all this" The girl glanced about the room
and then back at Carmichael. "Of course, Harry,
if you an ogre, it would have been different;
but you are not an ogre, In fact, understand all
mothers and most daughters call you eligible 1t
really as if she might have brought herself
to little"
Perhaps said Carmichael, slowly weighing his
words, she cared too much. She had an absurd
idea of the world that you for instance belong to;
you represented to her everything that woman
ought to beat least the type of woman l ought
to marry
Yes, YOU had talked to her a lot about you.
and"
And the one photograph" Miss Maynard in
terrupted, that was never moved:"
Carmichael nodded. Il suppose She said
that her visits here were nothing but a bundle of
faded letters tied with ribbon and hid away in
the bureau drawer at the actors boarding house
the kind of letters that woman marks Burn with
opening and reads only when her husband IS
down town and she is discouraged and wants to
bring on good cry.
And what was the end of all this: There's
always an end"
everything that man who had certain amount
OF brains and good deal of money could do for
woman The fact that she was sick made it possible
where it wasn't possible before.
And them" the girl said
And then found out just every finds
out when woman he cares for is really i'll. It's the
only perfectly sure test know And when she
quite well and at work again and her pride had come
back, l asked her to tea. After tea. told her my
but not to her, it seemed Then l collected all her
photographs, and we sat here just you and | are
sitting here tonight, and one by one l tore the
photographs in two and put them in the fire and
they burned up. told her that was strong man.
and liked fight; but knew when was beaten. 1t
of marrying ME, or saying good by. That
made the caretaker cook for friend and for
two days. For those two days did exactly what
had always read about men doing in novels and
what had seen them do on the stage l tramped
up and down and talked and raved about her to
the man whom had brought along for the purpose,
and he was just sympathetic as l knew he was
going to be- At the end of two days had exhausted
myself and my friend, and l came back here to the
blank spaces where her photographs used to be
and to the wicker chair where she used to sit.
That is all year ago, and since those two days
until tonight have never spoken to anyone about
her; but the blank spaces still blank spaces,
although they have been filled with many faces,
and the spirit of home which she brought here in
those days is just lacking to if the
stripped and the packing boxes were standing
~ he hill,