The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-23

being natural. Thus. when Mrs. Award announced
thai, the boxes were doing beautifully. her hus-
band said Arc they. indeed? Now that's encourage
ing" with such an unoonsciously elaborate show of
hearty anxiety that his wife lost patience.
"Oh, please stop seeming SO Interested" she cried.
When she kissed him sood-by she slipped her banda
abou! his neck beneath his coat collar
You love me, " she inquired. solieitously.
Very dearly" he responded. promptly.
And you understand how l feel abou.-the other?"
About" he Intercepted deierentialy.
About keeping my day to-to myself" said little Ma
Award with a quaver.
"Oh. quite" he agreed heartily; oh. quite"
She went with him TO the door.
"Good-by." she said a little ~wistfully.
"Good-by," he assentcd. cheerily. and was gone.
Triumphantly she formed her conclusion. with the
gratitied vanity OF all little people who arrive at wise
decisions only because they have taken the way of least
in evading the significance of crucial moments the de-
bate would have ended in a healthy flood of tears. which
state of the mind. Blu, Mrs. Award. by the hseknesed
method of denying conditions: virtually withdrew on a
flap its wings in the rarcfed air. Fortunately for her.
however, Love insists on no academic defense; an ire
sponsible intuition or two is all he asks as diaieefie.
1t was the custom of Mrs. Cynthia Lee Page Price to
devote a part of her day to what she termed altruis,ie
endeavor. She had awakened that very morning with
when her unasserting household had finished breakfast.
she set out in pursuit.
Dear Mrs. Award" she said. entering upon the blue
fog of her hostesss rambling reflections, Il came di-
much to talk ovcr!"
MT AWARD muImuTcQ SOmetnin& IN tn1t Su9Ve, IN
clear speech of the woman who. without really wishing
to please. finds it easier to assume that attitude.
own ideals are very high" pursued Mrs. Page
Price, " and l saw yesterday that you were struggling
toward them-that you wanted to make for freedom|
may say for an elegant freedom among women. OF which
tect of her Own Exemption l have sometimes desig-
mated II. In brief. l wish to teach women that marriage
You see. l find a middle ground whereon old prejudice
and the most advanced thought may clasp hands"
Mrs. Award listened with the sinking conviction that
ing decisions were like bodiless wings She had the
obstinaey which serves small natures as a vehicle to
by the interest Of the Distinguished older woman. There
fore fS,s' it j. w shs;,l gef Ii; 3 a, an i inesS!aSle ! sS. ; Of her , nature
her guest with pretty humility.
Dear Mrs. Page Price" she said. evenly, Il have to
thank you for something delightful. I left you yester-
day enthusiastically deciding to follow your advice. l
did so. And"
"Yes?" said Mrs. Pase-Price. eager. confident.
" find" went on Mrs. Award. gently, that my nus
Mrs. Pase-Priee. brows deiieateiy lifted. head jus.
posing at a gratihed angle, said an amazed Indeed"
with him. And he said that. since the issue had arisen.
it would be quite as l wished"
If Mrs. Award had not been easily Aattered or en-
baIrassed from a useful ret'eenee, she might yet have
weapons, she was unequal to the moment of silence that
fell. And as all women who are not diplomatists take
wardness Of their own natures. Mrs. Award risted too
much in an airy atsemp. to be eunninely frank
quence, makes me resolve to tell him everything"
All" said Mrs. Page Price again. and did not smile
her understanding. And the social amenities being
trained by their keeper. there appeared on her face no
premonition of the conviction with which she presently
She is an average little woman. she thought in a
disappointment which was as much at having found no
in love with her husband and ready to do everything he
wants. But she is not willing to own up to 1t. What a
pity!
phone number fresh from her lips, was conscious of
nothing but that Mrs. Page-Price was really a very
thing. and that it was exciting but not necessary to be
demanding a mans telephone number Besides. she re-
in a moment. Shall / confess just how Disappointed I
not go to-day, either. Yes. and I have been making up
my mind whether to tell you or to deceive you"
A I am afraid" he confessed. that the car would
have been at your door at twelve"
After an exciting day at the Office day 50 packed
with other peoples concerns and the provocations of
others tina, his own lapsed into uneoneern. Martin Al
ward turned home with the struggling consciousness OF
disaster with which one in deep trouble returns to wake
fulness. His face elouded as he remembered. He had
no definite alarm, no expectation of grievance. only 4
heavy-heartedness to which he had long been stranger:
for he was of a singulariy placid disposition. and able
they remained unannounced-
At their meeting. he greeted his wife in a warm effort
an answer n she projected aas III hel ssMe in ,1 his .r ans''''a l'' an
And oh, Martin" she said, permitting herself =
prodigality of intonations after her confession, 4 have
done nothing at all to-day. And III tell you all about
it. And / will every day. Because"
Because WHAT" said Martin Award, very tenderly.
Because IT seems so much more womanly!" said
little Mrs Award. and believed in herself and her in
spired answer with all her hearth
Martin Award smiled into her penitent. uplifted face
which radiated consciousness of deserving sbject
praises, and straightway for him the incident was closed.
He dismissed it without having really lifted its veil. a.
men dismiss a score of the events that crowd their days.
If he understood something of her need of revolt. of the
more 1fke sfnOn whirh hs ha0nIneSS denPndeA he IA
not admit it even to himself.