The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1912-12-05

MRS. Temple was still shaking with
| sympathetic laughter, never dreaming
wnat her husband was laughing at
She turned to Mrs. Whitcomb, bu
Mrs. Whitcomb was still glaring Al
Mrs. Wellington, who was still writ
ing with dying fingers and underscor
ing every other word.
Some people seem to think they
own the train," Mrs. Whitcomb ragged
THAT creature has been at the writ
ling desk an hour The worst Of it Is
I'm sure she's writing to my hus
band"
Mrs. Temple looked shocked, but an
other peal Of laughter came through
the partition between the male and fe
male sections of the car, and she
beamed again. Then Mrs. Wellington
finished her letter, glanced it over. ad.
dressed an envelope, sealed and
stamped it with a deliberation that
maddened Mrs. Whitcomb. When at
last she rose, Mrs. Whitcomb was in
the seat almost before Mrs. yelling
ton was out Of it.
Mrs. Wellington paused at another
wave Of laughter from the mems
room. She commented petulantly:
what good times men have.
They've formed q club in there al
ready. We women can only sit around
and hate each other"
why, l don't hate anybody, do
you" Mrs. Temple exclaimed. look
Ing up from the novel she had found
on the book shelves. Mrs. yelling
ton dropped into the next chair:
"On long railroad Journey l hate
everybody. Don't you hate long jour-
ncys"
IT'S the first / ever TOOK Mrs.
Temple apologized. radiantly. "and I'm
having the-what my oldest boy would
call the time Of my life. And dear
Walter-such goings on for him! A
few minutes ago l strolled by the door
and l saw him playing cards with a
stranger, and smoking and drinking,
too, all at once"
Boys will be boys" said Mrs. VIII
lington.
But for DR.. Temple Of all people"
why shouldn't doctor? It's a
shame the way men have everything.
Think Of it, a special smoking room.
And women have no place to take
puff except on the sly"
Mrs. Temple stared at her in awe:
"The woman in this book smokes!-
perfumed things!"
All women smoke nowadays" said
Mrs. Wellington, carelessly. "Don't
you?"
The politest thing Mrs. Temple
could think Of in answer was: mot
yet"
Really" said Mrs. Wellington,
Don't you like tobacco?"
Il never tried it."
tits time you did. l smoke cigars
myself"
Mrs. Temple almost collapsed at
this double shock: "Ci-cigars?"
Yes; cigarettes are too strong for
me; will you try one of my pets ?"
Mrs. Temple was about to express
her repugnance at the thought, but
Mrs. Wellington thrust before her a
portfolio in which nestled such dainty
shapes Of such a warm and Winsome
broHaz. that Mrs. Temple paused to
stare, and, like Mother Eve, found the
fruit OF Knowledge too interesting
once seen to reject with scorn. She
hung over the cigar case in hesitant
one moment too long. Then
she said In a trembling voice: I'll
should like to try once-just to see
what It's like. But there's no place."
Mrs. Wellington felt that she had
made a proselyte to her own
beloved vice, and she rushed her VIC
tim to the precipice: There's the OBJ
servation platform, my dear. Come
on out"
Mrs Temple was shivering with dis
may at the dreadful deed: what
would they say in Ypsilanti?"
What do you care? Be q sport.
Your husband smokes. If it's right
Tor him, why not for you?"
Mrs. Temple set her teeth and
crossed the Rubicon with a resolute
I will"
Mrs. Wellington led the timid
leophyte along the wavering floor of
he car and flung back the door of the
observation car. She found Ira Lath- +!
'op holding Anne Gattie's hand and
evidently explaining something of
great Importance, for their heads
we're very close together. They rose
md with abashed faces and confused
numblings of half swallowed explana,
ions, left the platform to Mrs. Wei !
ington and her new pupil.
Shortly afterward Little Jimmie
Wellington grew FESTIVE and set out
or a brief constitutional and a breath |
+ air. He carried siphon to which
le had become greatly attached, and
made heavy going for the observation !
oom, but reached the door in fairly
,ood order. He swung it open and
'rought in with it the pale and waver-
ng ghost Of Mrs Temple, who had
zen leaning against it for much-need-
d support. Wellington was stupefied
-