Evening star., 1915-05-29

hair from her crimson, angry face.
Presently she began to walk back
and forth quickly. Her head was held
high, her nervous fingers clutched the
cashmere shawl which clung to her
shoulders. If a chair got in her way
she thrust it aside with her foot. She
wanted to rend, destroy. to hurt some
of these inanimate things as her own
thoughts hurt her And ever her loneli-
ness crowded closer, n1ocking her who
hated it.
She came to a pause at length out
of clear fatigue. The room was grow
ing dark, and she could not bear dark
ness 1t was too full Of all the things
she had lost: it rustled with old mem
ories, disappointments, heartbreaks. she
crossed to a copper plate in the wall
and began to switch on lights one after
the other they flashed out, beginning IN
the crystal lamp upon the table near
her and ending in the attic. She never
pulled down a shade or drew a curtain
She lived in the sight OF any curious
passerby An night long until broad
daylight her house blazed as if afire. She
silent In the light when she had read
herself quiet enough to sleep. The nelgh-
bors sighed at the sight Of that glowing
house And she knew that they felt
she was afraid to be alone with herself
After she had turned on the lights
she took up her chochet work and sat
down again Sometimes she felt that the
constant motion of the steel hook kept
her from growing mad II acted as
governor upon the restless energy or her
being. The supper hour approached. but
she felt no hunger She dreaded to go
into the dining room and eat alone. Her
icebox was stored with dainties which she
had prepared with her own hands ana
would throw away on the morrow because
she had no taste for them Once she
had found much JOY in her skillful COOK
ery Now it was only a means of passing
the time.
Then came a sound-an unusual sound.
Some ones knock Could It ne possible
She went to the door. The light poured
out upon a woman who had stood there
with something in her hand.
"Good evening. Mrs Hume!' she said.
cheerily And then as Mrs. hume stili
stared. Don't you know me2 I'm your
ne;ghbor. Mrs Lisle I'm going to have
beef stew for supper, and I've brought
YOU some" She held out bowl covered
with a plate. It's hot" she laughed.
Beef stew" Mrs Hume said a Sne
steamed up into her face 1t brought a
noignant recollection. Beef stew" she
reneated. my son-I used to make it
for him 1 haven't tasted any in years
Her manner seemed to give the other
woman confidence. How warm and
bright you are in there" she said.
s'Mayn't come in-just for moment !!
I called once, but you weren't in. You
nrobably found my card, unless the
wind blew it away. I tried to secure 1t,
but it was terribly blustery that day, l
remember. I've always meant TO come
again"
was the woman lying? Mrs. Hume
had grown used to lies BUT somehow
those blue eyes were too frank for de-
ceptfon She moved aside Come In.
she said. Take that chair" She mo-
toned to one. Il didn't know that any
body ever came to call upon me-. she
added bitterly-.1east of all you"
y "Yhy least of all me?" the other
woman inquired gently. She leaned
close to Mrs. Hume's hard eyes. She
reached forth and laid small hand
firmly upon Mrs. Hume's arm. why
least of all meg she repeated.
And then Mrs Hume burst forth BE
cause you are happy and satisfied. Be
cause you've never known sorrow or
isappointment or misery. Because
you've walked on roses all your life,
while + oh, my God! You call me
wick ed. all you happy women. Do you
know what makes me SO? The sight
Of Won being happy-you who have
no more right to happiness than !.
Was happy once I was pretty girl, |
and married the man loveo- we nad
n son. and I thought l had everything |
anv woman could have to live for. One |
day at the seashore my husband and |
the boy went in swimming. The un- |
dertow got them and they drowned be- |
fore my eyes. Oh, I've hated happiness
since then! I've hated people who had
If / came here to get away from the
kinds of happiness I'd been used to in
NV native town. And 1 found you hap
n;er than any one I'd ever seen. And l
hated you for 1t.
Mrs Lisle was down on her knees.
with both arms holding her. You poor,
moor woman" she said, and her tears
fell fast You poor, bereft, mistaken.
lonely woman! l suspected this. !
wanted to be friends. for / felt we
needed each other. And we dove do.
Oh, you have misjudged me. l am not
the happy woman you think me I've