El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-28
= One WOman's Story =
BY Virginia Terhune Van de Water


understand women when woman
- so often does not understand her
self. Mary Danforth did not know
what instinct kept her from mention
ing to her parents her encounter with
Gordon Craig in the subway train That
is, she did not tell them that she knew
the name Of the man whose pocket had
been picked She mentioned casually
that she had seen through the window
Of her car a thief remove a purse from
the pocket Of another passenger on a
local train and that she had vainly
tried TO attract the victims attention
to the theft
How strange that you should have
seen it and that the other people did
not remarked Mrs DanfOrth- You
have quick eyes, my dear"
Mary laughed They were not as
quick as the pickpocket's fingers" she
7 laughed lightly
People ought to be careful how
they carry their valuables,' remarked
! her father sententioUsly. New Workers
| should know enough to be on the look
| out for thieves Yet every few days
| you read in the papers of some care
! less chap who has been robbed"
There the discussion ended. Mary
| did not think it necessary to tell her
| IaCner that the man of whom she had
| spoken was not a New Yorker. She
1
/ would not speak of the incident to her
1 father, even should he present the let
J ter OF Introduction of which he had
I told her. She wondered when he would
present this, and if her father would
menuon the stranger to her. Why
should he? There were dozens Of bust
ness acquaintance whom he met
weekly and whose names she did not
even know He was a man who did not
br1ng the office and its concerns into
his home She almost wished that she
had told the whole story when she had
told a part of it 1t was too late now to
90 So Once she made an effort to bring
the conversation back to the incident;
then. appreciated with embarrassment
that were she now to give an accurate
account Of the encounter her parents
would think it strange that she had
not done SO before. So she turned the
talk again into other channels.
Dinner over. she asked to be ex-
cuseds explaining that she must
cram" for examinations.
Must you work late tonight?"
queried her mother, sympathetically
I think it is shame the way in which
you girls have to work to get through
the High school Now, when I was
yOung-
yes, yes, mother. Iznow." inter
rupted Mary, with more asperity than
was habitual with her. She was still
weary and nervous, but as she saw the
shade OF wounded feeling that swept
her sharp speech and, stopping swiftly,
kissed the pale cheek.
Forgive me for being so cross.
mother" she said gently. 4 am hot
and tlred' and fear, bit grOuchy.9
That's all right, Mary" said her
father good naturally. Your mother
and I understand, and we are proud of
the way you have worked in spite OF
the fact that High school studies are a
DIT strenuous, you'll find that the
training has been a fine thing for you
later in life if you ever have to face
the world alone. But 1 hope you won't
have to-" he added hastily.
his eyes dWelt happily on the grace
full girl before him. She was an only
child, and her father always said that
she was the best daughter that any
couple ever had He had insisted that
she take a course of study that would /
enable her to support herself if neces.
sary. Every woman ought to have
some way Of earning her own living,
ne had declared Mary reminded him
OF 1t tonight, smilingly-
We'll, dad" she leased, you saw you
hope 1 viii never have to support my
self, and yet am almost ready to con-
slider myself a competent secretary,
stenographer and typewriter. Then
what are you going to do with me if
l do not take a pOsition2"
Il am going to insist that you keep !
in practice. but you shall not go to
work as long as live. I want you at !
L
die it will be time enough for you to |
hustle"
I pray that won't be for years to |
come, said the daughter, as she ran ]
her myers carressingly through his l
gray halr- Not because I am afraid ]
of workout because we need and
love you-mother and I"
John Danforth looked fOndly at his /
daughter. Well" he said with ten /
der smile, I've lived right up to my
income so far, and now 1 want to be ]
spared long enough to lay aside some !
thing for you two-fOr no man ever /
mad better wife and daughter"
Mary studied late that night As she !
fell asleep she smiled tenderly as her
memory recalled the expression Of /
pride with which her father had made
this speech.
Dear old dad" she murmured /
droWslly. I love to see that look on
his face"
Perhaps a sudden change in the
weather, making the air dry and cool
caused life to seem brighter to Mary
Danforth the following day. for She
returned from school in a happy and !
hopeful frame Of mind. Her mother 1
came to her room late in the afternoon |
with the news that her father had
Just telephOned that he was bringing
a business acquaintance home for the |
evening"
He says he's a stranger here" ad-
ded the mother, "and as he's a bit
lonesome, father asked him Up to dine |
he did not tell me his name"
Ine girl felt a wave of color sweep
TO the roots of her hair, and she turned |
away hastily to hide it.
Perhaps 1t might be as well to tell |
Norah to have a salad course tonight !
since dads bringing a stranger home"
she remarked casually, "and let's have 1
the new china used, toO-shan't we?"
Certainly" said her mother. So
calm was her child's manner that the |
parent would have been surprised could |
she have heard her whisper excitedly |
when she was again alone in her
room:
1t is surely Gordon CraigI" Then.
as the girl caught a glimpse of her
again.
Continued in next issue.)