Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-30

"Oh. please stop seeming SO Interested"
she cried.
When she kissed him goodbye she slip
ped her hands about his neck beneath his
coat collar.
You love me?" she inquired. solicit
tously.
Very dearly he responded. promptly.
And you understand how l feel about =
the other?"
About" he Intercepted, deferen-
TALLY
About keeping my day toto myself.
said little Mrs. Award with a quaver.
"Oh, quite he agreed. heartily; "oh,
quite
She went with him to the door.
Goodbye" she said little wistfully.
Goodbye" he asserted. cheerily. and
was gone.
Triumphantly she formed her conclu-
sion, with the gratified vanity Of all little
people who arrive at wise decisions only
because they have taken the way of least
resistance. To women lacking Mrs. AL
wards dexterity in evading the signifi-
canoe of crucial moments the debate
would have ended in healthy flood OF
tears, which would have cleared the
vision. at least as to the inward state of
the mind. But Mrs. Award. by the hack
neyed method Of denying conditions, vir-
tually withdrew On a plea Of personal
choice and left her abandoned cause to
flap its wings in the rarefied air. For
tunately for her, however, love insists on
no academic defense; an irresponsible in
tuition or two Is all he asks as dialectic.
1t was the custom of Mrs. Cynthia Lee
Page-Prfce to devote a part of her day
to what she termed altruistic endeavor.
She had awakened that very morning
with the sense of some new and pleasant
demand upon which. when her unassert
ing household had finished breakfast, she
set out in pursuit
Dear Mrs. Award she said, entering
bling reflections. Il came directly to YOU
this morning because l felt that We have
much to talk overt
Mrs. Award murmured something in
that suave. uncear speech of the woman
who, without really wishing to please,
finds it easier to assume that attitude.
MY own ideals are very high pursued
Mrs Page-Price, land l saw yesterday
that you wanted to make for freedom--I
may say for an elegant freedom among
women of which the suffrage does not yet
conceive. Woman the Architect of Her
own Exemption. 1 have sometimes desig-
mated it, In brief, wish to teach women
that marriage need not destroy the sweet
freedom and peace Of home. You see, l
find a middle ground Wherein Old preju-
clasp hands
Mrs. Award listened with the sinking
conviction that against this array OF
words her own poor. little futtering de-
cisions were like bodiless wings She had
the obstinacy which serves small natures
as vehicle to valid destinations; at tho
same time she was fattered by the inter-
est OF the distinguished older woman.
Therefore. it was. perhaps. an memorable
law Of her nature that she should hit on
an expedient. She leaned toward her
guest with pretty humility.
Dear Mrs. Page-Price,' she said, even
ly, Il have to thank you for something
delightful. 1 left you yesterday enthusi-
astically deciding to follow your advice.
l did SO. And
''Yes?" said Mrs. Page-Price, eager,
confident.
Il find" went on Mrs. Award gently.
that my husband is of the same mind.
He quite agrees with u.s.
Mrs. Page-Price, brows delicately lifted,
head just posing at a gratified angle, said
an amazed "Indeed?"
Yes said Mrs. Award, Il discussed
the matter with him. And he said that,
since the issue had arisen, it would he
quite as 1 wished
All" exclaimed Mrs. Price, sud-
denly enlightened.
If Mrs Award had not been easily flat
tered or embarrassed from useful reti-
cence, she might yet have left the field
with grace; but, never skilful with mega
tive weapons, she was unequal to the mo-
ment of silence that fell And as all
women who are not diplomatists take ref
uge in declaring for the simplicity and
straightforwardness Of their own natures,
Mrs. Award risked too much in an airy
attempt to be cunningly frank.
That, of COURSE she added with
charming inconsequence, makes me re-
solve to tell him everything"
"Ah!' 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 closed her carriage door.
She is an average little woman, she
thought in a disappointment which was as
much at having found no opponent as at
having missed partisan. She Is blindly
In love with her husband and ready to do
everything he wants. But she is not will
ing to own up to 1t. What pity.
Mrs. Award. waiting In her hall with
Mr.. PENIS telephone number fresh from
her lips, was conscious of nothing but
th~t Mrs. Page-Price was really a very
charming woman, and that she did SO UNI
derstand everything, and that it was excit-
ing but not necessary to be demanding Il
mans telephone number. Besides. she re-
Elected convincingly. Mr.. Penn was dill
ferent.
"A headache" came Mr.. PENIS dis
tressed voice In a moment. Shall l con-
TESS lust how disappointed l am? Grace
telephoned half an hour ago that she cam
moi 90 today, either. Yes. and l have
been making up my mind whether to tell
YOU or to deceive you"
Mrs. Awards words blurred and fut-
tered down the wire.
"Ah, l am afraid he confessed. that
the car would have been at your door