The Paonia newspaper., 1911-03-17

all the service had been performed by
one man, native woodsman. Now,
however. with the chattering French
maid and the two stalwart Swedes
there was little left of the charm of
isolation.
He said something of this once to
his wife. ALEC and got more out OF
this than you and L"
"Why?"
He used to go off in the woods and
leave me alone" Arnold said. but you
and / are never alone"
You mean the maids?" she asked.
Yes. There are too many of US here
there is no romance"
Il had not noticed 1t, have studied
so hard"
Come with me tomorrow into the
woods" he pleaded. II want to show
you some of my old haunts.'
You must go alone" she stated. I
have so many things to do"
In the morning he went on. taking
dog with him. and a gun in the hope OF
birds. In the evening It began to rain.
and he came home in the gray drizzle.
AS he neared the cottage he saw
point of light In the window. He half
wished that Alec might be there in the
shadows cooking their bachelor dinner
over the Goals. He knew that he would
be met by Swedish perfection and
French volubility. His wife would be
upstairs studying.
As he opened the front door he saw
that there was no light in the living
room nor in the hall. He went to the
foot OF the stairs and called; no ono
answered. He made his way toward
the back OF the house. and heard light
steps in the kitchen. He opened the
door and stopped in amazement
At table in the middle OF the room
his wife was beating eggs. She wore q
scrap of an apron. Her hair was braid
ed simply and wound about her head.
and she looked very young and girl
ish.
What are you doinsr' Arnold do
manded.
She flashed a smile at him. Ma
king an omelet-"
Where are the maids7"
Il sent them away. / wanted to be
alone with you"
Good" he said heartily.
As she fitted from one thing to an
other. doing her work somewhat unhan-
dily, he watched her with delight On
the stage. everywhere. she had seemed
so remote until now. She had been a
sort OF goddess-woman. not a wife in
the intimate. close domestic sense.
And all at once he knew that It was
the hearth woman that satisfied him
best
He helped her joyously. making the
toast. broiling the birds that he had
brought. peeling a dish of peaches.
They ate their dinner with the little
table drawn close to the big fireplace.
Arnold kept on his corduroys. and his
wife did not change her dress 1t was
their first release from formality In
their welded life.
1T is the best ever" Arnold said.
with enthusiasm You have always
| been q sort OF a dream lady to me be-
fore For the first time you are a real
woman"
But can't do this always" she told
him. I'VE must have maids. you
know"
But now 1 KNOW lnal you Cdu 0O IT,
he said. that you can come out of the
clouds and touch real things for a lit
tie while.
Il believe It is the real me- she said
whimsically. this housewifely part of
me. There was a grandmother who was
the wife OF a dairy farmer. remember
when was a little girl used TO watch
her make tarts and cookies, and II
seemed to me II | could do things like
that when grew up that life would be
perfect Then found that l could act.
and was switched of from my proper
destiny" She smiled at him. Per
haps l shall switch myself back again. !"
And make tarts. and cookies for the
rest OF your life?"
She shook her head. "Oh. no. but
I'd like to be what they represent. Yet
| have | a right TO do 1t? Doesn't my
genius belong to the world?"
1T does" he assured her. But lis
ten. six months we'll come up here and
live like any common couple. and the
other six months the world may have
you
That was why the world wondered
when. at last, the famous Miss Travers
retired from the stage.
How could she do ?" they said.
|