The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-07-12
CHAPTER V.
A Queen Among Women.

| vi Ills WlIe. but she ueSueu udl vi.
more than a glance to satisfy hersel
that she and Mrs. Jimmie were al
hopelessly antipathetic as only two pc
lite women can be.
Mrs. Jimmie was accounted some
thing OF snob In Chicago society, bu
! perhaps the missionary was trif'
the snobbisher Of the two when They
met.
Miss Cattle could overlook hun
dred vices In Zulu queen more easil!
than few in fellow countryWoman
She did not like Mrs. Jimmie. and she
was proud Of it.
When the porter said, I'm afraic
you got this lady's seat Miss Cat
tie shot one glance at the intruder
and rose stitfly. Then | suppose III
have to-"
"Oh, please don't go, there's plenty
of ROOM" Mrs. Wellington insisted
pressing her to remain. This nettled
Miss Cattle still more, but she sank
back, while the porter piled up ex
pensive travelling bags and hat boxes
till there was hardly place to sit
But even at that Mrs. Jimmie Alt
called on to apologize:
Il haven't brought much luggage
How III ever live four days with this
| can't imagine. v 1t will be such re-
lief to get my trunks at Reno"
"Reno?" echoed Miss Cattle. DO
you live there?"
We'll, theoretically, yes
Il don't understand you"
I've got to live there to get it,
ITO get it? OH" A look of sudden
and dreadful realization came over the
missionary. Mrs. Wellington inter,
preted 1t with a smile Of gay defiance:
DO. you believe in divorces?"
Anne Cattle stuck to her guns. 81
must say ! don't. think law ought
to be passed stopping them"
80 do l." Mrs. Wellington amiably
agreed. land I hope they'll pass just
such law-after l get mine" Then
she ventured little shaft OF her
own. you don't believe in divorces.
l Judge you've never been married"
mot once!" The spinster drew her
self up, but Mrs. Wellington disarmed
her with an unexpected bouquet:
"Oh. lucky woman! Don't let any
heartless man delude you into taking
the fatal step"
Anne Cattle was nothing II not hon
est. She confessed frankly: II must
say that nobody has made any violent
efforts to compel me to. That's why
I'm going to China"
ITO China!" Mrs. Wellington
gasped, hardly believing her ears.
my dear! You don't intend to marry
a laundryman?"
THE idea! I'm going as a mission.
ary."
"A missionary? Why leave Chica-
go?" Mrs Wellington's eye softened
more or less convincingly: "Oh, love-
ly! How should dote upon being a
missionary. really think that after
get my divorce | might have a try
at 1t. had thought Of convent, but
being missionary must be much
more exciting" She dismissed the
dream with an abrupt shake of the
head. Excuse me, but do you happen
to have any matches?"
Matches! I never carry them!"
They never have matches in the
women's room, and I've used my last
one"
Miss Cattle took another reef in her
tight lips. DO you smoke cigarettes p"
Mrs. Wellington's echoed disgust
with disgust: "Oh, no, indeed. loathe
them. | have the most dainty little
cigars. Did you ever try one?"
Miss Cattle stiffened into one excla.
nation point: Cigars! Mel"
Mrs. Jimmie was so we'll used to
being disapproved Of that 1t never
disturbed her She went on as IL the
face opposite were not alive with hor.
ror: Il should think that cigars might
be great consolation to a lady mis-
sionary in the long lone hours Of
what do missionaries do when they're
not missionarying?'
THAT depends"
There was something almost spirit.
uai in Mrs. Jimmie's beatific look: 81
can't tell you what consolation nv
cigars have given me in my troubles
Mr.. Wellington objected-but then Mr.
Wellington objected to nearly every-
thing | did. That's why am forced
to this dreadful STEP"
"Cigars?"
Divorces.
"Divorces!a
We'll, this will be only my second
my other was such a nuisance.
got that from Jimmie, too. But II
didn't take. Then we made I'D and re-
married. Rather odd, having a second
honeymoon with ones first husband
But remarriage didn't succeed anv
better. Jimmie fell off the water.
wagon with an awful splash, and he
quite misunderstood my purely MA.