The Yale expositor., 1913-02-20


out withdrawing her friendship from
her son she refused ever to meet or
to receive his vile. In this attitude
she was absolutely implacable. She
imposed her will upon the less strong
spirits about her, and young Mrs.
Ryan was as completely shut off from
her husbands world as though her
skirts carried contamination. With
masculine largeDess of view in other
matters, in this one the elder woman
exhibited singular, unworthy small
ness. The carelessly large checks she
had previously given Dominick on his
birthday and anniversaries ceased to
appear, and masculine gifts, such as
pipes. walkingsticks, and cigar
cases, in which his wife could have
no participating enjoyment, took their
place. She bad established a policy
of exclusion. and maintained it rig
idly.
Young Mrs Ryan had at first be-
lieved that this rancor would melt
away with the flight of time. But she
did not know the elder woman. She
was as unmeltahIs as a granite rock.
Bernice. who had expected to gain
all from her connection with the all
powerful Ryans, at The end of two
Years found that she was an ostracized
outsider from the world she had
hoped to enter, and that the riches
she had expected 40 enjoy were rep
resented by the three thousand year
hen he ~ 81.
attempts to force her way into the
life and Surroundings where she had
hoped her marriage would place her
had invariably failed. If her feel
inss were noe OF the same nature as
those OF the elder Mrs. Ryan, they
were fully az poignant and bitter.
The EFFORT Ia svt an invitation TO
the ball had been efte most daring the
young woman had yet made. Neither
she nor DomiGiesr bad thought it pos
sibie that Mrs. RYAN would leave her
out. SO confident WAS she that she
would be asked that she had ordered
a dress for, the occasion. But when
Dominick's invitation came without
her name or the envelope, then fear
that she wsfs to be excluded rose
ciamorous ira her For days she
talked AMI complained TO her hus-
band as To- tae injustice of this
course and his power TO secure the
invitation for ffeT II he would. BY
the evening os the ball she had
had agreed eC 80 forTfl and demand il.
1t was "a hateful mission. He had
never in his life ione anything SO hui
initiating In his shame and distress
he had hoped THAT his mother would
give it co him without urging. and
Bernice. piaoates3, world be restored
to good hurnCr AND leave him at
peace. She Sould not have gained
such power ovvT him, or SO bent him
to her bidding. iraNi she not had in
him q fulCrur2 Cs guilty obligation 10
work on She continually reminded
him OF the vrong'' he mad done her,
and how, through iiim, she had lost
the respect Cf her fellows and her
place among them. All these sights.
snubs antY Insults were his fault, and
he felt that Chis was true. Tonight
he had gone SoTtn in oogged despera-
ton. Now ina fear, frank fear of her,
he went home, SLOWLY, with reluctant
feet. his heart getting heavier, his
dread coitter as ne neared the house.
II was orG Of those wooden struc-
lures on Sacrarea..to Street mot far
from Van Ness Avenue where The
wellto-do and SoCiaIly-aspiring crowd
themselves into a floor Of seven
rooms, and eAGrive satisfaction from
the proximity OF yneir distinguished
neighborg who refuse TO know them.
IL contained four flats, each with
rarlor hay-window and front door.
all four doors tu i9Gigbboriy juXtaposi-
ton at the sCp OF flight TO six
marble steps
Dominick's WIS the top fat; he had
TO ascend II ioNZ. earpeted stairway
with Il turE halfway up TO get TO il.
Now. looking at Che Oay-window, he
saw lights gIf2Dling from below the
drawn blinds Berry was still ND. A
lingering hope that she might have
gone to ted oies1. and his sense of re.
Iuctance gained In force and made
MIN ltHt 9tll,1iIS SiSF. he WAS tLCrC,
however. arui hE had to go up. Fit
ting his heT FAfm the locl he opened
the fslD Csooz
II was very quiet as he mounted
the long stairg, but, as he drew near
the top. lac OecznDe aware Of windy
whistiinE noise aud looking into tho
room near tire 'staiT-head saw that all
the gas Jets were fit anG turned on
full cock. amt chat the gas, rushing
out FROM the burner IN ragged ban
ner of fame, EsIasie the sound lie
was about tp sgIle1- and lower il VIXEN
ne heard his pFife's voice coming from
the open ticoT Of her room.
EFT tl5at yoD, Dominica" size called
Her vDacs was stcaGy and high.
Though IT. wns hard, with a sort OF
precise cfsaFpCss oF uitelance. ii was
not cons,icucas1y wratlful,
"Ycs." he aHSwercd, MS l." and
he forgot Tive Eas-1ets and walked up
the ben. he lid not notice that in
the Other rOOn1s he passed the gas
was tureesl cn t. Lhc same manner.
The Vibrating yusn OF is nsc3pe made