Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1914-01-29

SUDMERGING EVELYN
BY BREWER SMITH.

her sisters suggestion to sell her
town house and go to live with her
was accepted gratefully. To be alone
was more than Evelyn could endure
and she looked to Alicia's cheerful
young household to help her bear her
bereavement
In surprisingly short time every
thing was arranged, and it was not UNI
til she had looked her last upon her
familiar old home that the first doubt
as To the wisdom of her decision as
sailed her
But Mrs. Reade was 30 thoughtful
the young people so affectionate, that
her fears soon vanished, and from
strictly material standpoint she was
certainly well placed Everything was
done for her comfort, and during the
early months of her bereavement
nothing else mattered.
At the end of her second year, how
ever, when her nerves had regained
their tone and she began TO feel an In
terest in living once more, she made
the startling discovery that during her
deep mourning the family had by
unanimous consent laid her gently but
firmly upon the shelf
Not yet thirty-one, attractive and
still beautiful, to the young people OF
Alicias household she was neyerthe-
less q pronounced old maid Had they
seen her at home, the center of her
own fashionable circle, this would not
have been, but the black-swathed, sor-
rowful woman who had dwelt with
them for two wears had in their minds
no association with pleasure or youth.
Their attitude at first amused Eve
Ign; 1t seemed incredible in an age
permitting women to be attractive as
long as they so desired, but by de-
grees she felt it's deadly effect.
1t is difficult to stem current I'M
aided and shut away for years from
the pleasant life she loved, Evelyn had
unconsciously lost the vivid interest
in things that had kept her spirit
young When it awakened again and
she prepared to take up her old life,
it was something of a shock to find
herself regarded with youthful con
temptuous surprise. Even Alicia, who
loved her and who well knew what
series of triumphs her life had been,
shared the young peoples views OF her
awakening
1t was an aggressiyely youthful
household household where athlet-
les. motoring, cotillons and clothes
formed the principal topics of
conversation, but to Evelyn it was all
interesting enough until she discov-
cred that her part in 1t must be as
spectator and not as participant.
She could discuss Barbara's lilac
organdie, or Betty's embroidered wolfe
with enthusiasm but order one for
herself, drape her own graceful body
in some of the dainty stufs she loved
--ridiculous
She did not give up the fght supine-
ly, She was too spirited TO fall out Of
the ranks at command. and for time
she strove bravely to keep her footing
and remain in touch with the social
life flowing so pleasantly about her,
but almost imperceptibly the family
had impressed their viewpoint upon
their friends, and her invitations
came almost entirely from older PEG
pie
She who had been the leader of an
envied set at home, found herself ma
king a languid fourth at whist tables
where ancient dowagers wrangled and
revoked, or dragging through dun din
ners, partner to some tagged old man
more interested in his meal than the
slight, aristocratic woman beside him.
She was expected to satisfy herself
with book clubs, charity and music.
When Alicia entertained her daugh
tiers Evelyn helped her with the sand.
Tiches and salads, assisted the girls
to dress, and then, tired of body and
mind, retired to her own room to lis
ten the night through to music whose
echoes awoke longings that nobody
about her seemed either to divine or
understand.
Constant dripping will wear away a
stone, and repeated iteration of the
same idea finally has It's effect even
upon the most independent mind.
Slowly but none the less surely Eve.
Ign began to let go. To retain her own
dignity she was forced 10 do so OF
sparkling intellect and vivid personal
ity. she could not easily assume the
role of onlooker, but the lesson was
at length learned, the impossible &C
complished, and she effectually effaced
herself
When the young people voiced their !
opinions upon every conceivable sub |
ject--when Barbara denounced sui |
fragettes, and Betty with equal ardor
defended them-when John misquoted
her favorite author. and Phil labeled
the brightest modern essayist as
''beaStly commonplace, don't you
know ?"-she said nothing; she lis,
tened with a smile that would have
revealed much to sympathetic by
stander.
II was not that they did not care foi |
Eveiyn-they were sincerely fond OF /
her, but as a maiden aunt and not as
a companion. II never occurred &c
them that individually she had no ex |
under their deadly egot |