The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-12-26
CHAPTER l-Contlnued.

your shirts right Oh, anu "Aon
.ashed em they lasted whole year.
They amt ironed right, either"
aOh. my God!" groaned Slade, help
,aesly, plying her lack Of understand
ips rather than being angry with her.
Il wish you'd forget, Mary, that l
had to let you wash and scrub once.
we're up now. Let us kick the lad
ler ont from under us and stay up
brget how we got here"
.But l don't want to forget" remon-
syated the little wisp Of woman op-
rAsite him. Il was perfectly content
= those days. l amt now. l hate
"a house. hate 1t. It's too big.
Se help scare me, so many OF 'em.
\ like Jest one hired girl and my old
lkting-room set" She stopped medi-
htiyely, her thoughts wandering back
the early days when her husband
III his pick and dinner pail and
1amped off to the mines, and she
kng as she bent over the washtub
ID busted herself at the kitchen
hove.
Her husband sat with face averted,
~ Imagination carrying him far into
- future-a vision Of honor as chief
1Recutive of the state and power in
<oeping with the untold riches he had
accumulated.
That's It," he finally exclaimed, Il
Nant to go ahead and you want to
(esick over your washtubs. need the
support of big people-got to mix with
Fem, and be one of 'em. And you
won't"
mo, I don't have to-" replied Mary.
"a needn't"
"You don't see the necessity of join
hg me?" he asked, testify.
II don't know how"
do you want to know how?" he
ersisted.
NO., cams the provokingly indif1er-
mt answer.
You're putting the bars up In the
middle of the road" he continued.
and I'm making up my mind to
change things"
Suddenly Mary's lips quivered and
i hurt look showed h her eyes behind
the misty tears as she realized that
whatever she did irritated her hus-
hand. She started to speak, but was
interrupted by the entrance Of serv-
ant, who announced that Senator
Strickland and his daughter had just
phoned to say that he and his daugh-
ter would call on their way to the
opera.
SHADES face flushed and paled at the
thought-flushed at the pleasurable
1urprise at this unlooked-fOr attention
from the senator, and paled as he
f4hought of the senator's stunningly
sowned daughter arriving to find his
wife in a cheap, ill-f1tting dress that
would have looked badly even for
horning wear.
MARY, you look like steerage pas
| SINGER" he exclaimed suddenly, turn
| liz on the fustered little woman, who
VAS aghast at the very thought Of a
! call from the senator and his daugh-
Ter. Go upstairs and dress. I'll
make excuses and hold them till you
same down."
n can't" she gasped. II amt got
time, anyway. and l haven't anything
togo to the opera in"
Elade leaned forward and struck
Ne table with his clenched fist. Don t
you understand? You must see these
Deople Tonight's paper names me for
psernor. Strickland's influence ie
IRE necessary to me than any other
ms in the whole state. He controls
~ party. He's bringing his daugh-
to my house. You're meeting them
tally. Come on, now, come on
became persuasive-"puto on nice
1ttle gown and come along and show
Nm you can do something. Well
~ . reception here and it'll be a
lect answer to Wesley Merritt's slur
y you in tonight's paper"
60 to the opera with Katherine
1ickland-with q women who had
- returned from Europe-the WON
who had dined with queen and
IN feted all over the cnntinent Hold
feception-hostees In this house
1ere she felt. save for her Dan. q
nnger. Meet people who spoke In
~ to her was q strange and alto
her unmanageable fashion.
Nary caught her breath with q sob
dlsmay. The very thought para
her. Il can't. Dam" she finally
aged to blurt out I'D do any
I else for you-but not this"
not ask you again." replied