Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-08-08
.BEs7OW PRAISE NOW FOR HER HAPPINESS
Story That Contains a Moral to
Be Needed by the Socially
Ambitious.

|
It was very happy life In the
small town when the husbands salary
was SIS month and the unpreten'
! tious white house set back among the
trees was their own. The house was
| full OF laughter and love In those
days. The wife's parlor was the pivot
around which the towns social life
revolved. Her sway was unquestioned.
Yet 1t was she who urged her hus-
band to 60 to the city. She had
friends in the city. Some OF her
friends were on the outer edge Of
what is termed society. But she
found that that fact did not put her
on the outer edge. Her husbands In
come was FIVE times what 1t was In
the small town; yet 1t was not large
enough. They had pretty apart
ment and competent servant, but
that was not enough-in the city.
She could not do the things she want.
ed to do. She could not buy the
things she priced.
IT had your chances" she would
sigh, II could make more money:
could do more for my WIFE"
That was her refrain; that was her
grief. She belonged to that great
army of nobodies who long to be
somebodies. Her end and aim was
to be among those present" Yet she
did nothing to mend matters. She
merely sat and fretted She had no
resources within herself nor did she
care to have any. M, 40 =
III we are to be anybody, at all, we
must have an automobile" she told
her husband at dinner one night.
| But, Leoia, dear, It is pushing me
pretty hard to meet our necessary OK
penses." GE wi
"An automobile is q necessity these
days, Ralph"
"But, my dear" Looking up, the
man saw the fretting lines in the
woman's face, and the hunger In her
voice went to his heart.
I'll do the very best can." he re-
piled slowly. ~.
In a month they had an automobile.
Yet Leola was not satisfied. She must
have a chauffeur. She was perfectly
right. The car was Of little use to
her without somebody to run 1t. In
another month thefe was chauffeur.
The husband was frequently late to
dinner, but the wife hardly noticed
that fact; she was often late to din
ner herself. There were tired. anx-
ious lines in his face, but the woman
hardly noticed them There were
tired lines in her own face. come from
trying to do what was expected OF
her"
Really, I can't entertain in this lit
tie apartment" complained Leola. II
must have larger and more modern
apartment or q house"
! ''Leola, we have reached our limit
n cannot make another cent honestly"
Then make It dishonestly, but
make IT," the woman smiled half
teasingly, half-eagerly.
Her husband looked at her long
and earnestly. He saw the feverish
desire in her eyes; he saw the ambi-
tion-racked plea Of her mouth. When
he took her in his arms, q privilege
for which he found little time now,
he felt the CULVER of her nervous little
body. .-...
A month later they moved into q
ffrteen-room apartment In a huge
apartment building, topped with a
magnificent roof garden and where
the twentieth floor was given over to.
a playground for the children and the
nineteenth floor harbored swimming
pool, Turkish baths and other proper
fittings for the wealthy. ;
But Leola was Unhappy Still she
had not pierced the magic circle that,
SO attracted her. ..s-.... - -
Ralph, we must have q country
place." she coaxed. .-.-. e.
1T is absolutely impossible" re-
piled the husband. I'VE are hopeless
ly in debt. lam involved in tran
saction now that makes me blush to
think of-and just because ! must
have the money. can't 80 step
farther, little girl"
It was seldom that he called her
little girl now. Old pet names sell
dom crossed his lips these days.
But, Ralph, nobody stays In town
in the summer, and the Giesys have a
place at Sweet Forest, and II we
mean to keep up our end we must
have one, too. Couldn't We save q
little somewhere else to make up for
it," ...., -,.,a.s
Ralph Blair smiled family, kissed
his wife gently on the forehead and
/ went downtown to figure 1t out.
j "Your signature means just $780,
000,' said the dark-haired, sharp-eyed
man. s.s.ss,<s III t"g5s ~ ]ss. g Is pa
"But I can't, sign 1t honestly" said
Ralph II think your scheme is un-
lawful. I think 1t is thievery."
I'LL give you thirty thousand for
i your signature" purred the soft, per-
suasive voice, and will see that
| those notes that are bothering you at
the bank are taken care Of"
Ralph paused. Other men that he
knew did questionable things and
they were accounted responsible, hon
est citizens. Why not he? A vision
Of worried, unhappy face rose be-
fore him. His wife's plea for coun-
try place tugged at his sleeve. His
back was against the wall. He was
fighting for--her happiness. n
; "I'll, think it over" breathed Ralph
Blair hoarsely, while beads Of per-
spiration stood out on his forehead.
Then he sat for hours at his desk
mumbling incoherently over q photo
graph OF an unpretentious little white