The Springdale news., 1914-07-17
AT THE OLD TAVERN
Rich Married Woman Visits Country Home and Finds
 Former Lover Dead.
By BGYMER CHAPMAN.


 deed she looked 1t. The wife of the wealthiest man in the city, who eager iy gratitied her every whim beautiful, possessed of faultless taste and the means to minister unto it; courted admired, acknowledged the social leader with every avenue of pleasure, travel. dress, society, philanthropy everything open before the magic touch of Mansons millions and Man son more than willing to use the magic of his millions for any purpose she de- sired-what more could any woman want?
 And yet Margaret Manson sat in her blue and gold boudoir with leaden heart and looked out into the shim- mering sunlight and shiyered as might prisoner in dungeon who saw the golden gleams of the sun outside, but knew it never could be hers.
 It was one of her blue days-that is about all there was about it-and yet she had had so many blue days of late that the sunlight did hot appeal to her as 1t used to in the old days The worst of it was that the luxurious sur roundings had begun to pal upon her and she had fallen into a dreadful habit of late of asking herself con- tinually: Was 1t worth whle?"
 h vain did she shrug her patrician shoulders and reply; "Of course 1t is worth while; what else could have done?" Ever and again came back the question: Was t worth while? ?"
 This afternoon there was upon her the smell of the new mown hay and the smell of the new milk in the clean little dairy and the smell of the grass and all the growing things-aye. and the smell of the barnyard and all the living things therein including lake the hired man. And these smells and the visions they inspired carried her back to the old place out in the Genesee valley and to all the happy days of her youth when she trailed ever in the wake Of mighty star whose name was ideality and over which towering so far into the heavens a4almost to be lost sight of. rose her castles in the air
 Ah, finally these castles had been reduced to one-but that one castle had been much more splendid than al the rest that they all looked cheap beside it. And then-but why pursue saIn=regrets and drag back the skele- tons of the past
 Anyway the mind of madame was thoroughly upon the countryside old Genesee valley this afternoon and it seemed to her that II she could not get a whif of the sweet. fresh air she must sti1e
 Of a sudden she arose with deter mination and rang for her maid
 Pack one trunk with the simplest things am going away for few days. There will be no society. no oc- easion for any clothes excepting the most simple-do you underestimate ?"
 Felice understood-that was why Felice had lasted 50 long in madame's service
 iH fAe meantime Mrs. Manson had descended to the apartments of her Heee ord
 If you have no objections. sir" she said. T think I will run down to the old place for day or sol am hun erf for whih of the old Genesee air"
 Why. sure," he replied, heartily, turning from his market reports to IeVour his handsome wife with his eyes Awful sorry can't go along but that P c. T X l.. E. deal is com ing off In the next few days and daren't take my eye off the gun. Take the maid with you"
 No she replied. decisively. T want to go alone, "
 All right he replied. indulgently Then pickering his brows Where you goin'? You know the old place is-.ho the thunder owns the old place. anyway-nobody know"
 'I do not intend to stop at the old place, she said, calmly q just want 10 go down and see 1t all again-and smell it. l shall stop at the tavern"
 He received this with a peal of laughter. .Oh, get away" he snort ad between his laughs. Not that old unpainted barn in the town. Why, woman alive. you are not thinking of going there alone?"
 Exactly" she replied There Is 10 danger nor any disgrace possible IS 1t is most respectable place The only thing that could possibly happen to me would be a little discomfort and that can't hurt me much in q few days"
 "Oh well. as you please" he replied, turning back to his market reports. Then as she swept from the room he looked up and sighed puzzled sort of sigh.
 And she might go to New York and stop at the Waldorf and see the opera just as we'll The women certainly do beat all time
 Hence it was that Margaret Manson found herself on the platform of the little red-painted station, day later and negotiating with old Bill Simpson