Evening star., 1911-08-27

called Thomas Jefferson, and SO Thomas
Jefferson he remained until later another of
his guardians had added the Wray, after
character in a book she was reading and "be-
cause it sounded pretty That was Jeff's
christening
Camilla put the letters aside with the
faded blue ribbon that had always accompa-
MED them, and gazed at the photograph of
Jeff's father. Yes, it was cruel face-a
handsome, cruel face. 1t looked like Jeff.
She had never thought of Jeff as being cruel.
Did she really know her husband, after all?
Until they had come to New York, Jeff had
always been forbearing, kindly, and tender.
Before their marriage he had sometimes been
impatient with her; but since that time often
when he had every right to be angry he had
contentcd himself with babyl1ke stare and
had then turned away and left her. Flashes
of cruelty sometimes had shown in his treat
ment of the Mexicans on the railroad or at
the mines; but it was not the kind of cruelty
this man in the photograph had shown, not
the enduring cruelty of heartlessness that
would let woman die for the love of him.
The night Jeff had left her, the worst in him
was dominant, and yet she had not thought
of him as cruel. 1t was to the future alone
that she must look for an answer to the
troubled question that rose in her mind.
A T this moment her maid entered-a well
: come interruption. "Will you see Mrs.
Rumsen, Madame?"
"Oh, yes, Celesta. Ask her if she won't
come in here"
Of all the friendships she had made in
Camilla most deeply priced. There was
tincture of Old World simplicity in her
grandeur. Only those persons were snob-
bish, Mrs. Rumsen always averred, whose
social position was insecure. 1t was she who
had helped Camilla to see society as it really
was, laid bare to her its shams, its lncon-
sistencies, and its follies; who had shown her
the true society of old New York taken her
to unfamiliar heights among the cliff dwell
lers' of the old regime who lived in the quiet
elegance of social security with and for their
friends, unmoved by the glitter of modern
gewgaws, who resisted innovations and
fought hard for old traditions that the
newer generation was seeking to destroy,-a
mild eyed incurious race of people who were
sure that what they had and were was good,
and viewed these social extravagances as the
inhabitants of another planet might do, from
afar; who went into the world when they
chose, and returned to their "cliffs" when
they chose, sure of their welcome at either
place. They were the people Rita Cheyne
called "frumps' and Cortland Bent, "bores';
but to Camilla, who had often found herself
wondering what was the end and aim of all
things, they were symbol of completion.
Mrs. Rumsen laid aside her wraps with
the deliberation of person who is sure of
her welcome.
"Youll forgive my appearance" asked
Camilla Il didn't think YOU'D mind
am fattered, Child. 1t has taken longer
than | supposed it would to teach you not to
be punctilious with me. Well, you're get
ting better of course. This long rest has
done wonders for YOU
ooh, yes; but I'm afraid l shouldn't last
long here. I'm used to air and sunshine and
bed at ten o'clock at night She paused a
moment. ave been thinking of going West
for awhile
aReally When?'
IL haven't decided. l thought that
Jeff would have returned by this time; but
| his business still keeps him."
@And you miss himo That's very i'm
proper I'm afraid haven't schooled you
| carefully enough" She smiled and sighed.
"That is vulgar weakness your woman of
society must never confess to. We may love
our husbands as much as we like; but we
mustn't let people know it. 1t offends their
conceit and reminds them unpleasantly of
| their own Deficiencies
@People aren't really SO bad as you re try
| ing to paint, then, laughed Camilla. "Even
Won Mrs RumSenl Why I thought the