The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-20

WOMAN HO~'i L
so YOU envy me my Africa he
SAID. still holding her in his arms |
"Do yon envy our scramble for eX-
islence out there? DO you envy me |
the barren. comfortless life | live |
up there in Bechuanaland?'
Yes, dearest she said softly, |
nesting closer to .hm. Il envy tha'.
And why shoulin'; |? Your scr1rt
bic, as you can IT, IS healthy. iun |
live the open nle men were melu
TO IT. e. where men have TO be men
It Is real living 1t has none of
the petty shams that go to make
up our daily round. oh, how | hate
the life Of the stage | am con
demned to, with its greasepaint
and show, its petty Jeanusies and
absurd vanities, where every woman
is a victim of the scandalous tongues
of whtewasheh responsibility i
would give ten years of my life for
something of the strengthening
roughness of your Africas frontier
She ga2ed up into the bronzed face
with all her enthusiasm shining in
| her eyes. She meant every word
she said, for her spirit was larger
and stronger than her slight body.
But there was no responsive en-
thusiasm in the dark face above her
only SMILE half incredulous, half
qulzzically. She knew he was laugh
ing at her.
He coull, not understand her
spirit He was condemned to the
! life she loved to dream about, and
he hated it. His was nature that
craved for the flesh-pots of civiliza-
ton, for the pleasures of wealth.
He loved ease and plenty, and the
acme of sensual luxury.
He shook his head, and she gent
ly withdrew herself from his arms.
She often felt that he did not fully
understand her She lovdh him with
all her heart and soul. He repre-
scented to her all that was heroic,
since he lived that very life on At
ricas frontier which she so loved
TO dream Of
She stood back against the table
and watched him. He was very good
to look at, with his tall, 1.-THE figure
and dark, handsome face. 1t was
nine months since she first met him.
She remembered their meeting so
well 1t was just after he landed in
England on what, he had toll her,
was holiday visit. 1t was at a
little supper party after the theatre.
The invitation reached her halfway
through the late evening perform
room. She had no evening dress
with her, and was forced to boww
one from friend. -ae remembered
1t So well: it was white satin and
chiffon, with the palest pink trim
mines, and she had worn an osprey
in her hair which belonged to her
theatre costume; and how frighten-
ed she had been lest the dresser
should recognize it and report the
matter to the wardrobe mistress.
And now she was his affaianced
wife; and-and he was going away
again.
The silence was becoming oppres-
sive She could hear her mother
moving about in the next room pre-
- pairing tea. This mans going would
mean much to her, so much that
she was afraid to think of it.
she thought of the monotonous
grind of her life, The little flat
amidst the stucco of Pimlico, heI
two young sisters at school, hel
mother and herself, all to be kept
! going on the paltry five pounds
week she earned at the Colonial The
atre. She looked about her at the
tr;fing household go.s collected ii
that small sitting-room with so much
care and thrift. She loved them all
but the life was a long Struggle
and Guy had come into it suddenly
with his light, cheerful, careless dis
position, like ray of sunshine IL
the midst OF the sordid grey oi
winters day in London. And now
nov he was going. She sighed
The sigh reused her companion tc
, his explanation.
, Molly, | must go. 1t is the op
portunity of a liiedme," he eXclaim
: ed. his eyes flashing with interest
and excitement He had forgotten
ali his thoughts for her. Il came
over here to find out about ii, and
this morning l got the news l was
waiting for. There Will be war!
War between the Beers and our
selves, l must be on the spot when
it happens"