The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-24
Miss Traver's Transformation,

dience. She seemed to belong to the
people, not to him.
When she came to him behind the
scenes, she laid her head against MS
arm and said, Lets go away some
where. far away from everybody. just
you and I, and be happy"
He took her to his cottage In the
pines. Her maid went with her. The
little house seemed crowded for the
FIRST time. Before he had married her
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
J isolation.
lie said something of this once to
! his wife. "Alec and | got more out of
this than you and L.
WHY"
| '1e 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 so alone" she stated. Il
| have so many things to do
| In the morning he went off, taking a
| dog with him, and a gun in the hope of
birds. In the evening it began TO rain.
OF light in the window. He half wished
AS he neared the cottage he saw point
| ana he came home In the gray drizZle,
/ that Alec might be there in the shad
! ows cooking their bachelor dinner over
1 the Goals. He knew that he would be
met by Swedish perfection and French
! volubiity. His wife would be up
/ stairs 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 one
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.
I AT IA table in the middle of the room
| his wife was beating eggs. She wore
a little blue linen gown and white
scrap of q napron. Her hair was BRAIDED
( simply and wound about her head. and
she looked very young and girlisn.
What are you doing?' Arnold de-
manded.
She flashed smile at him. Making
an omelet.'
Where are the maids?"
Il sent them away. I wanted to be
alone with YOU
| Good" he said heartily.
AS she fitted from one thing to an
other, doing her work somewhat I'M
handily, 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 1t was
the hearth woman that satisfied him
best.
He helped her joyously. making the
! toast, broiitnE the birds that he had
brought, peeling dish of peaches.
They ate their dinner with the little
/ table drawn close to the big fireplace.
Arnold kept on his corduroys, and hts
wife did not change her dress. il was
their first release from Formally in
their welded life.
| cit Is the best ever" Arnold said,
with enthusiasm. You have always
been q sort OF dream lady to me be.
fore. For the first time you arc real
woman"
| But can't do this always" she
told him. We must have maids, you
know"
But now | know that you can do
it," he said. that you can come out of
the clouds and touch real things for n
little while"
II believe II Is the real me-" she
said ~himstcally, this housewifeiy
part OF me. There was a grandmother
who was the wife of dairy farmer.
! remem 5,,r when | was a little girl
used to watch her make tsrts and
cookies. and IL seemed To me if
could do thirgs like that when | grew
up that life would be perfect. Then
found that ! could act, and | was
switched OF from improper destiny -
She smiled at him. Perhaps ! shall
switch myself back again"
And ma.e tarts and cookies for
the rest OF your life
i she SHOCK her head "'f0fY, no. hut
I'd like to be what they represent
Vel have l a right to do it, Doesn't
my genius belong TO the world?"
1T does he assured her. But lis
ten. six months We'll come up here
aud 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.