Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-09-19
her closer. and stroked her hair zen.

anu rested IL on the DPck or the seat
q friendly compromise. Then she
shook back her hair and raised her
| eyes and faint smile came into the
rosy face. I'm so funny. she declared
Sometimes seem SO strange that
need an Introduction to myself" She
looked into Abbott's eyes fieetingly,
and drew in the corners OF her mouth.
Il guess, after all. there's something
in religion!"
Abbott was so warmed by returning
sunshine that his eyes shone. Dear
Franz" he said-it was very hard to
keep his arm where she had put it.
She tried to look at him steadily, but
somehow the light hurt her eyes. She
could feel its warmth burning her
| cheeks.
"Oh, Fran cried Abbott impul.
siYely. the bridge in the moonlight
was nothing to the way you look now
$50 beautiful-and so much more
than just beautiful :"
This won't do" Fran exclaimed,
hiding her face. I'VE must get back
to Grace Noir Immediately"
"Oh. Fran, oh, no. pleased"
Il won't please. While we're in
Sure-Enough Country, l mean to tell
you the whole truth about Grace Ncir."
The name seemed to settle the atmos
| phere-she could look at him, now.
i want you to understand that
| something is going to happen-must
happen, just from the nature of things,
and the nature OF wives and husbands.
land the other woman. oh. you
needn't frown at me. I've seen you
look that other way at me. so know
you. Abbott Ashton"
Fran! Then you know that -"
No, you must listen You've moth.
| ing important to tell me that don't
know. I've found out the whole Greg
ory history from old Mrs. Jefferson.
without her knowing that she was tell.
ing anything she's a sort Of 'Prcfes.
sor Ashton In my hands-and mean
to tell YOU that history You know
that, for about three years, Mrs. Greg
ory hasn't gone to church"
you must admit that II doesn't ap-
pear we'll"
admit IL? Yes. OF course I must.
And the world cares for appearances.
and not for the truth. That's why it
condemns Mrs. Gregory-and me- and
that's why I'm afraid the school5oard
win condemn you; just on account OF
appearances. For these past three
years. the church has meant to Mrs.
Gregory building plus Grace Noir
l don't mean that Mrs. Gregory got
jealous of Grace Noir--I don't know
how to explain--you can't handle cob
webs without marring them" She
paused.
Jealous OF Miss Grace!' exclaimed
Abbott reprovingly
Lets go back. and take a running
Jump right into the thick of It. When
Mr.. Gregory came to Littleburg, q COM
piete stranger-and when he mar
ried, she was a devoted church-mem-
ber--always went, and took great in
terest In all his schemes to help folks
folks at a distance. you understand
She Just deyoured that rsiig
ious magazine he edits-yes. I'll ad-
init. his religion shows up beautifully
in print; the pictures of it are good,
too. Old Mrs Jefferson took pride
in being wheeled to church where she
could see her son-in-law leading the
music. and where she'd watch every
gesture OF the minister and catch the
where he cried and. or nevertheless
Sometimes Mrs. Jefferson could get a
| iozen ands and butts out OF one dis,
course. Then comes your Grace Noir. ;"
Abbott listened with absorbed atten-
ton. II was impossible lot to be in.
| iuenced by the voice that had grown
| to mean so much to him.
Grace Noir is a person that's SUI.
peraumanly good. but she's not happy
in her goodness; it hurts her, all the
time, because other folks are not as
good as she. You can't live in the
house with her without wishing she'd
make mistake to, show herself hu.
man, but she never does. she's always
right. She's so fixed on being a mar.
tyr. that il nobody crosses her. she
just makes herself a martyr out Of
tue shortcomings OF otners.
| As for instance
As for instance. she suffered mar
tyrdom every time MI, Gregory
nestled in an armchair beside the coy
hearth. when a Ladies Aid. or a Rally
was beating Its way through snow
drifts to the Walnut Street church. Mr..
Gregory was like everybody else
about Grace-he took her at her own
value. and that gave the equation: to
him, religion meant Walnut Street
church plus Grace Noir For while.
Mrs Gregory elung to church-goins
with grim determination. but 1t wasn't
any use, The SundaY-schooi would
have button contests. or the Ladies