The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-18

the manner of this couple that seemed
to extend from them to those near
them. and although Alfred and Mabel
tried to keep up their little converse
ton, it in no way 1nterfered with
their hearing every word said py
their neighbors-
goes on an hour longer" The hand
some woman had her hands clinched
in her lap.
Ounce of yourself, if you're not care
full said the man, with quiet sar-
casm.
what do I care for this room full
of people? I'm sick of them and OF
everything. We've made complete
mess of our lives"
and who made the mess, won
der? How many women know Mne slt
thew are we'll off? / dare say most
people who would see you living IN
this big hotel with nothing to do but
dress up and come and go as you
please would think you were having
things pretty easy. and yet you Iaak
of collapsing. You have had homes,
but none of them suited, and now
with the finest suite in the pest nolel
in town you are less contended THAN
ever"
seWeIl, you have thought of nothing
but making money and have lcft me
nothing to do but spend IT.
when we had our first home out
in Woodlawn 1 had to hustle TO meet
tine PAYMENTS, but it was TOO qulel
and the days were too long FOR you ;
then moving from one apartment 70
another and taking up with a SWlIIer
set of people at each move, we We
finally landed where we are, with not
| a single real friend about US just De-
| cause we haven't been real ourselves,
I'd have been glad enough to be at
home many a night that we nave peeh
| galIiva nting around.
of 90 woman
poets to be blamed when things so
wrong; since Adams time men nave
been entirely consistent in that one
way
Just at this point an elderly gen
| tleman diner called the head waiter
land sent him to the orchestra leader
with a message written on visiting
card. A moment later, the singer,
responding to an encore, smiled IN the
direction of the elderly gentleman and
| in her clear voice began to sing Home
| Sweet Home"
Mabel was fascinated with the face
of the handsome woman who had been
qua rr-eling with her husband. At the
| first few words of the song her eyes
had a sacred expression, then a
faraw&y, infinitely sad one, and grad
ually her head sank lower until he1
chin rested on the roses at her cor
sage. The man lighted three cigarettes
/ and threw them aside in an incred-
| IDLY short time. When the singer
reached that line about IAN exile from
home, splendor dazzles in vain," the
woman's head came up quickly ane
she looked appealingly at her husband
| Then she attempted to rise, bu
grew white and swayed, the man JUS
| barely managing to catch her as she
fell. Many diners rose, but the hus
band held his wife with one arm and
held out the other hand warningly tt
those about him. Again the tense
ness extended to all the people neal
him. Just as the singer concluded the
song, the woman raised her head ant
without seeming to know that an.
one but her husband was later, salt
in a pitifully tired voice. Our exil
is over, Harry; let's go home.'
Mabel and Alfred were perhaps tn
only ones who knew all that sh
meant. When they were putting OF
their wraps afterward Alfred say
tears in MabeFs eyes, but neither o
them spoke until they reached tn
sidewalk.
I've seen enough of glitter tonight
let's not go to the theater,' said Mabel
And when they reached her it'll
home in an old-fashioned flat Alfre,
told of his promotion and secured he
promise to help him build a home lik
which no place would ever be found
Copyright, 1915, by the McClur
| Syndicate