The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1914-10-15
CHAPTER I--continusd.

fails to Rise 70 the new conditions
CHAPTER I--contInued.
Dan" she said, "ITl tell you some
thing. These expensive laundries ruin
your shirts right off, and when ]
washed 'em they lasted whole year.
They ain't ironed right. either"
ooh, my Godl' groaned Slade. help
Iessly. plying her lack of understand
ing rather than being angry with her.
II wish you'd forget. Mary, that !
had to let you wash and scrub once.
We're up now. Let US kick the lad
der out from under US and stay up
forget how we got here"
But don't want to forget" remon-
strated the little wisp of woman OPP
posite him. Il was perfectly content
ed those days. | amt now. hate
this house. hate 1t. It's too big.
The help scare nae, SO many OF en-
I'd like Jest one hired girl and my old
sitting-room set" She stopped medi-
tatively, her thoughts wandering back
to the early days when her husband
took his pick and dinner pail and
tramped off to the mines, and she
sang as she bent over the washtub
and busted herself at the kitchen
stove.
Her husband sat with face averted
his Imagination carrying him far into
the future-a vision of honor as chief
executive of the state and power in
keeping with the untold riches he had
accumulated.
That's it," he finally exclaimed, u
want to go ahead and you want to
stick over your washtubs. | need the
support of big people-got to mix with
EN-, and be one of EN-. And you
won't"
mo. I don't have to-" replied Mary
II needn't"
you don't see the necessity of join
Ing me?' he asked. testify
Il don't know how"
'sDo you want to know how7" he
persisted
NO" came the provokingly indiffer
emit answer.
You're putting the bars up in the
middle of the road" he continued
and I'm making up my mind tc
change things"
Suddenly Mary's lips quivered ant
a hurt look showed in her eyes behind
the misty tears as she realized thai
whatever she did irritated her hus
band. She started to speak, but was
interrupted by the entrance of serv
ant, who announced that Senator
Strickland and his daughter had JUS
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-fushed at the pleasurabls
surprise at this unlooked-for attention
from the senator, and paled as hi
4 thought of the senator's stunningly
gowned daughter arriving to find his
wife in cheap, limiting dress tina
would have looked badly even fol
morning wear.
Mary, you look like a steerage pas
senger," he exclaimed suddenly, turn
ing on the Mustered little woman, VIII,
was aghast at the very thought of
call from the senator and his daugh
ter. go upstairs and dress. II
make excuses and hold them till yo
come down."
Il can't" she gasped. 81 amt go
time. anyway. and haven't anythin
to go to the opera in
Slade leaned forward and struc
the table with his clenched fist. Don
you understand? You must see thes
people. Tonight's paper names me TO
governor Strickland's influence /
more necessary to me than any othe
mans In the whole state. He control
the party. He's bringing his daugl
ter to my house. You're meeting ther
socially. Come on, now, come on
he became persuasive-"put on a mic
little gown and come along and sho
, them you can do something. We
] hold a reception here and it'll be
} direct answer to Wesley Merritt's slu
] on you In tonight's paper"
Go to the opera with Katheriu
Strickland-with women who ha
Just returned from Europe-the won
an who had dined with a queen an
been feted all over the continent. Hol
eception-hostess in this hous
where she felt. save for her Dan,
stranger. Meet people who spoke
!. what to her was strange and alt
gether unmanageable fashion-wii
, an accent she did not recognize as b
longing to her own plain westel
: speech.
Mary caught her breath with 81
OF dismay. The very thought par
4 lyzed her. Il can't. Dan." she final
/, managed to blurt out. 'Td do an
thing else for you--but not this"
"Ifn not ask you again." repli,
y Slade, ominously, and poor Mary. t
/. excited to interpret the threat. pick
/ up her sewing and her newspape
and made for the door.
Tell them she exclaimed breat
Iessly. tell them | had headache
that's fashionable enough excu:
, anyway" And. terrified. she fed o
: OF the room as Katherine Stricklai
a aud her father were announced.