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


have been justified in wondering whether
her interest centered in what Mrs.
Page-Price had been saying or in the ex-
uuisite look of the woman. When Mrs.
Page-Price at last came for her tea MIS-.
Award prettily detained her.
Pray, let me ask you something she
said with humility which less popular
women would have given much to assume,
there was"-she hesitated-'something
in your paper that do so want to know
about
Mrs. Page-Price took the vacant chair
beside her.
Yes, Mrs. Award, she said, sacrificing
the face of this chance acquaintance TO
her own scrutiny, a habit that belied hes
easy recollection of the name-a recoilec-
ton less instinct, would have said,
than profession.
Mrs. Award sent a quick glance to the
clubs president, who. combining the prac-
tees of a hostess with those of bee,
might be expected at :.ny moment to come
buzzing after her guest of honor, loudly
making honey on the way. Whatever
was to be said must be said Immediately,
in conformity with the social idea of the
conversational mosaic-that is, the more
scraps the more skillful work.
All | am so serious" urged Mrs. AL
ward hurredly. do you recall your
sentence about the Independence OF wom-
EN- consisting of far subtler and more i'm
portant things than the franchise? Will
YOU explain your meaning to me?
Mrs Page-Price's eyes met her own in
perfect comprehension.
Gladly" she said setting her cup on
the table in the delicate fattery Of her un-
divided interest. II me that while
thousands of women are begging to be al
lowed to be present at the polls their in
dependence is really being restricted in
ways which it never occurs to them to re-
sent
Mrs Page-Price always gave her theo-
ries royal birth, that they left her lips
crowned and wearing purple. Therefore
when the theories were sound they were
hailed as divine. and when they were in
firm they still won instant homage. as
does decrepit royalty. Mrs. Award s.
Yes" was like an affirmation.
The instance the older woman went
on evenly, which, lest I be misunder-
stood / hesitated to cite in my talk Is
apparent. 1t is that no woman OF con-
science feels free. as things are now Or
dered for her. to use her day quite as she
pleases and to use her own Judgment
about relating all its details to her hus-
band. For if she INDUCES in any innocent
diversion of which she does not tell him
she has been taught that she has commit
ted a breach OF honor. But 1 affirm that
there is almost woman who does not
practice a certain justihable amount Of
concealment. though this she continues to
regard as unjust.hable. And thus she
continues to submit to the false belief that
she is sacrificing her honor by so doing
until she really has no honor. The stan
dart. is false, but so long she submits
to it her departures are really reprehensi-
BILE. 1t is against accepting this false
standard, therefore, that l would have
women guard. Is it not Important"
lowering before bonnet after bonnet.
the hostess bee had busted herself across
the floor. and now poised beside them In
time to zip the last words.
''Ah, such towards. dear me, are We
not?" she cried with that ability to con-
verse without hearing what other people
have said that describes many women
without distinguishing them.
Mrs. Page-Prcs looked at her in we'll
breo recognition Of her distraction; she
was wise enough, however. to know that
"A
without seeming to steal her weapons
from her and-likely-being detected. She
permitted herself to be borne away with
one last dictum to Mrs. Award.
II am convinced" she said. that indi-
viduaI effort Is our only salvation. Ones
husband cannot be expected to realize this
at once. The pioneer In her own house
hold must not only dare to live the truth:
he
matter
Driving down the avenue alone after the
meeting. Mrs. Award was conscious of a
pleasurable stir. less of emotion than of
adventure. She was, indeed. not of a sort
to take pleasure in her emotions or to be
conscious Of them. Like all women of
slight Imagination who attach to events
only the importance OF their results. she
lived honestly enough In those results. A
new belief was not sufficient to stir her.
perhaps because It was so easy for her to
acquire new beliefs; but an undertaking
was delight, and Mrs. Page-Price had
revealed to Mrs. Award a new under
taking.
Mrs. Award had been married the year
before. after a brief wooing. to a we'll
favored young broker whom she met
abroad. He was an American, also. resting
his nerves after a furious fight on the
stock exchange. and the nerves were the
more readily pacifed that the contest had
been Of his winning. She. having lived
twenty-eight carefully guarded years.
chiefly In America, had just found herself
at her mothers death alone in the world.
After six months of tasting the discreet
joys Of being consulted In the details Of
tho estate she had gone abroad. deliber-
ately refusing all companionship. This
action she innocently agreed with her
friends In believing & be a proof Of her
grief; in reality 1t was largely complac-
ence in being her own mistress.
She was still unconscious Of her keen en-
joyment in her liberty when. in Italy, she
met Martin Award. In the haunted ways
about Florence In early spring the young
stock broker. restless in his exile. threw
himself into the courtsaip Of Bettina Men
mis-, who. IN spite Of her freedom, was
yet Just lonely enough to be glad of hts
aAveten. In q few months the restless