The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-31
INDEPENDENCE
" OF "
MISS JULIA BROWN

COIL. one was dh huiulIdplS hOotVSos
for each of her guests felt herself at
ease and free to talk as she willed.
What woman could ask more?
1t was the first day of spring,
which gave the impression that new
life had begun. The breath of reviv-
ing nature was in the air. Georgi-
anna had had the dining room win
dows opened, and a gentle breeze, de-
flected from the Palisades across the
river, played about the room.
But the women who sat about Mrs.
Lankester's table were too absorbed
to notice such thing as the voice of
nature. The conversation after ten
tative efforts in several directions
had settled upon young woman they
all knew, and there it stuck with no
sign of letting go.
Julia Brown had been invited to
this luncheon and It was Georgian
mas explanation of her absence that
made her the subject of the talk.
Georgianna had said:
"of course | asked Julia, and of
course she couldn't come. That David
Wilson of hers had arranged to take
her on an automobile trip, which you
will all agree explains sufficiently"
when are they to be married."
asked Mrs. John Clarkson, who, like
her hostess, was bride of less than
year and couldn't understand why
there were any unmarried persons in
the world.
"They say they aren't engaged y
said Georglanna, "but l think they
must be. Julia still goes on talking
in the old way. You know how 1t is.
Says she doesn't care rap for mar
riage, doesn't believe in it and is
going to live out her life as a per-
fectly independent woman"
81 had a spell of that myself"
spoke up Mrs. Percival Adams, only
mine didn't last very long. | Just
picked Percival for a husband the
first time saw him. married him the
same day, the day you were married,
George, and we did our love making
afterward Well l told Julia how
| beautifully it all worked out and sug-
gested she try it, and what do you
| think she said?"
"What?" came the feminine Choir
us.
Told me a lucky Providence had
kept me from making mess of life
She wasn't gcing 20 do any such fool
| thing"
| 81 am positive" said one of the
unmarried members of the party,
that they are married already. Why
she goes everywhere with him with
out chaperop."
But can't man ever be trusted|
asked the unmarried one,
"Oh, we trust our husbands" said
the married women all at once.
Maybe Julia Brown feels the same
! way" said the unmarried one. 81 an
sure If loved man | would trus
him just as much before we were
married as afterward. Otherwise
ana she spoke seriously-"life woulC
not be worth living"
"But what | want to know" sale
Margaret Clarkson, "are Julia and
her young man married or engaged o.
what are they to each other?"
They're just friends, Julia says,
Georgianna explained. Says she'
found out that man and woman
can be good friends without any non
sense of lovemaking. But | don
believe her"
The matter was gone into further
everyone being ready with some sor
of opinion, and the upshot of it al
was that all believed that Julii
Brown and David Wilson if not real
ly married or engaged at least ha,
an understanding.
These wise young women wer
wrong; Julia and David weren't
married, weren't engaged and hadn'
an understanding in the sense indi
Gated. They were, as Julia had toll
Georganna, friends, very goo
friel.ds, but nothing more.
On their second meeting, month
before, Julia had displayed certai
emotions not entirely consistent wit
her professed state OF independence
but since then. not a sign. AS TO
David, his blue eyes always had re
garded his companion calmly; nc
with indifference, 1t is true. but wit
no suspicion of anything more tina
friendly interest.
They had had a pleasant winter
Their meetings had been frequent
There had been long talks in Julia
studio apartment; they had take
tramps far away in good weather an
bad
Sometimes they went to the oper
or theatre, Julia buying the ticket
quite as often as David did, Sh
would have it so. And If he ha
brought her flowers once or twice
was always with apology on his pal
and a protest on hers.
There was but one way in whic
, Julia was not entirely frank. Sh
never would. or never did. look Di
vid full in the eye. But IL David wa
: desirous of looking into her eyes an
of reading something there, and wa
| haoanca ha Couldn't