The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-04
Copyright 1908 by BENZ b Hampton.


the second Mrs. Hoople made choice.
Some go even as far as italics but Mrs
of the twenty-four. and worshipped no
false idols. Her day began at half past six;
and between the fancy work and the fact that Mr.
Hoople home at half past five at night there
was enough, If not more. fully to engage her mind
Once she had read somewhere Of woman who
had her breakfasts in bed, and that really seemed
to be romance. But no Mrs. Hoople had eaten
her breakfasts in bed. At am. to the minute.
Mr. Hoople and AL his son by former marriage,
expected to sit down to theirs, as at pm. they
sat down to their dinner. For Mr.. Hoople was a
methodical man. and AL had imbibed his habits.
There was no exception to the rule. Mr.. Hoople
was bookkeeper in downtown shoe store; Al
studied at business college. and called on girl
Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays, and such IS
the force of association that Mrs Hoople found
all her moments regulated to hab1t-thelr habit
Of course-as If by an iron code. Four hours
day set apart for housework-to making
beds and cooking, to sweeping, busting, washing,
ironing mending, and then the remainder was hers
for fancy work The only break in this routine
was on Wednesdays, when she walked down to the
Exchange with her handiwork and brought home
An would have expressed it just as we'll
Yet after all. there was the romance of her
marriage Even Mr.. Hoopie, when ne talked OF IT,
pressed itself his hearers He'd married her,
hadn't he. and given good home to her? There
seemed to deny the facts since Mr.
Hoople expressed them SO clearly, and by habit,
both in manner as well by speech BY habit.
too, she listened passvely, just as, by habit, Mr..
Hoople often spoke of it. But there times
when the second Mrs. Hoople wished the world
were free from habit Her father had been a man
of habit too-or habits rather if collectively ex-
pressed. They had resulted in her mother leaving
him to them, when Mrs. Hoople was as yet un-
married, and not quite twenty-One. Now she was
thrty-fve, and had been married fourteen years.
None the less, it had been romance in SO far as
1t was unusual.
1t began in this manner: The day after her
mother died, Mena moved from the second story,
front, of the lodging house to the fourth floor,
back Left to her own decision, she would have
to leave, when Mrs. Dunwiddie the lodging keeper.
begged her to change her mnd-nay, even in
sisted on it. So hedged 'twixt the devil and the
deep Mena remained. the alternative being ex-
pressed suitably by Mrs. Dunwiddie, one hand.
was paid; the other, by moving to the fourth
floor. back and paying off the debt in Install
men1s 90 Meaa moved, regardins the posit,oa OF
while, her father seemed to have disappeared.
In the fourth floor, front, OF Mrs Dunwiddie's
lived Elias Hoople. a sef-contained quiet gentle
man, wearing PALE respectable side whiskers and
a white string tie. At five thirty to the minute.
Mena always heard Mr. Hoope's key rattle in his
door, At six, to the dot Mr.. Hoople emerged and
sought nearby restaurant At eight-thirty Mr..
Hoople returned, each act as regular as the func-
tions of clock. In time Mena struck up nod
ding acquaintance the stairs, and then, one
Sunday night, came tap at Mena's door,
she opened e th a andy st at the
two-thirds of the debt, plus lawful interest at
eight per cent.
You will tidy yourself immedjut." directed Mrs.
Dunwiddie, 'and step in to tea time at six. Ordf-
nary, eat at five thereabouts but tonight
thurs reasons. Mind you don't keep me waiting.
They had veal loaf prunes, hot biscuit, and tea,
and Mr.. Hoople was also at the board After
wards Mena went back to her fancy work, paste
board handkerchief box covered with pink bro
She sewed swiftly until half past eleven. and then
in ept be b bed a tS the veal
exquisite succession. Later, by the same associa-
ton of ideas. she recalled Mr.. Hoople He had
asked permission to call on her Tuesday evening
In the parlor, naming quarter of eight as the
hour. At twelve minutes to eight. Tuesday.
Mena went down to the parlor and found him
gramme, Mr.. Hoople told her he was bookkeeper
in downtown shoe store. At SIS, as by special
arrangements he slipped in the fact he was a
wdower Then, If further resolved to prove
himself frank, free, and aboveboard, Mr.. Hoople,
at $50 by the clock. said he had small boy liv-
ing with his deceased wife's sister. Outside, the
chimes struck on the minute as Mr.. Hoople climbed
the stairs to his room
IL six weeks after this one Thursday night,
that Mena closed her door behind her, and walked
to the looking glass Her small, pinched fea-
lures stared back at her from the mirror, face
starved and transparently pale, desperately lack
Ing the slightest claim to good looks. Even her
hair was distressing fiat, ginger-colored wisp
garish light, it looked like dried-out oakum and
Mena's study slowly turned itself to her eyes, They
peered back at her wistfully orbs of pale lustre
less blue their lids Redeemed to the rims from too
much straining in too little light: so Mena gave
up the scrutiny, and, bracing back her shoulders.
tried to pinch in her waist. There no vanity
In the act either in that in the slow unappeaI-
ing study of her face and eyes and hair. Her
preston was that or woman left enough for one
more loaf of bread but too little to go to drug
gists. Turning from the glass, she began YEARLY
to disrobe.
No. she muttered concisely, 'T guess he'll be
the only one"
She crept down between the sheets. On the
table her fancy work lay unheeded, the Exchange
would have to wait Strange too for one of the
things Mr.. Hoople had spoken about was that neat
nf her div ri1x- ,aFl ALL
1t brought her in: then Mr.. Hoople, after a mo-
ments thought had changed the conversation
Drawing his chair little closer. he spoke of mar
riage. naming its concrete comforts in tone he
knew to be alluring-as he showed One knee
was crossed comfortably on the other; he smiled
and leaned back and tugged at his side whiskers;
and in an armhole of his waistcoat he inserted an
~xeasy thumb Yes, that's right" he repeated
Npnhdently, I'D oughter know. ben there you
sea Little woman at the door-glad evenings
weISome-slippers warming by the nre-nd then