The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-18
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.


rah by the window.
Anything particular about Annie?"
! idly inquired the cynic.
! Mercy no. Same old thing" replied
Sal. II just noticed the way she
avoided looking over here after she'd
seen me at the window-that's all"
Curious" murmured the cynic,
whats the matter?"
Heaven only knows replied Sal.
she takes these fits now and then.
Nobody knows what ails her.
/ she hasn't spoken to me for
year." grinned Maria.
II can't imagine anybody not speak
ing to you, Maria" deployed the cynic.
Thanks" said Maria.
Its the truth, though" she went on,
that Annie suddenly stopped speak
ing to me. When we meet on the street
she regards me with an icy glare or
pretends to be looking at something
in a window or talks vivaciously if she
happens to be with anybody"
she teaches in my building" said
Sal, land she seems to take great COM
fort and pleasure in looking right
Sh'
stairs or in the halls"
Certainly there must be some rea-
son" Said the cynic For a woman to
refuse to talk"
Cant you think up something more
original than that?" asked Sal. I'm
ashamed of you" she added severely.
DO not visit thy displeasure on my
in
cynic. But l cannot but remark upon
the amazing performances of your de-
lightful sex. Why won't women speak
to each other-that's what | want to
know-why?"
Nobody knows" replied Sal. They
take spells just like Annie of not
speaking and nobody knows any more
than the dead what the reason may
be-"
annie got mad at me once at par
IT," said Maria. Il won the prize at
Mays bridge. 1t was stunning chit
fon scarf-rose, colored andS embroi
dered with beads-simply a dream
She was crazy for it
when they brought it in and gave
it to me she fairly turned green" con
tinued Maria.
I'VE sat at the same table for lunch
and she carried on three cornered
conversation with the others and left
me out. She's never spoken.to me
since"
my world" exclaimed the cynic.
Its awfully funny to see people al
parties" said Sal. THE other evening
! ,vos ont Allip 10 E,y
erybody was speaking to everybody
else they thought it would be to theil
advantage to be seen talking to.
1.-The others sat round against tht
wall with strained smiles.
: wives were seen in animated con
verse with their husbands so people
would think they were accustomed tt
being out in society and enjoying
themselves.
Men who never go places unless
their wives drag them there at the
point of a pistol were seated detected
ly, their shoulders bumped over anC
their hands hanging prone between
+ their knees the while they stared va
, cant stares at the floor or the ceiling.
Annie Smith was there, said Sal
trying to make people think she was
popular. .s
"She asked three different men to ge
her some supper and they all appeared
at one time with plates and cups. This
made her look popular and the by-pla,
she engineered with the plates 'ant
cups and the men, all of whom were
squirming and trying to get away
made an uproar that attracted peoples
attention.
Annie was delighted
This is what she wanted.
she coquetted and piroutted ano
wagged her eye-lids and jollied the
men and tee-heed and shrieked anC
whooped it up until she was black in
the face.
She hung on to the men.
she wouldn't let em go.
She hailed other males en- route with
, plates and cups to obscure corners
> where sat some loved one and, in com
, mon decency. they had to stop This
gave her the appearance of being sur
rounded six deep by fascinated mascu
line beings.
she took good care to stop Jimmie
Jameson who was on his way to me- ;
grinned Sal. She held him up a long
time asking him questions about his
sister and pretending to have seen him
carrying on Irritation with some
drugstore blond on the street the 9th.
er day
I'm the meantime" interpolated the
cynic.
In the meantime" smiled Sal. Il
sat conspicuously alone by palm and
tried to pretend /, was thinking beau.
tiful thoughts
Jimmie was perfectly disguised. He
, said Annie was old enough to know
better That maybe she was cute once
, but it was long time ago.
Il said l thought he was fond of
:, Annie.
He glared at me. What do you take
, me for, he said. | asked him why he
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