Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-04-06
ARTENlSIA

BY JANE OSBORN.

dependence Of women. am going to
start the first day Of our nfe together
by being being independent. am
going TO get job and have wages,
and then | shall never have TO ask
you for money
Sounds as If you had cribbed that
out or one Of Mrs. Catts best
speeches. said Walter. trying to be
facetious in spite OF the surprise that
his little wife had just sprung
Artemisia's cheeks were red and her
brown eyes flashed Ere y aa sure
shall never be parasite. II ! don't
know how TO support myself ] shall
learn. YOU know that what little
money ] had left me was almost used
up in my education What remained
/ spent on the suffrage campaign and
my trousseau"
What do I care? demanded Wal
ter Thank goodness. I'm no pau
per. and I've got a Job besides, But
what about the little apartment
Don't you like that any more?7
Certainty. We intended 10 keep
a maid anyway. Well. she can keen
house just as well when ! am not
there as when / am We can both
give her orders before we STAR out
to work IN the morning"
II was o month after their return TO-
their apartment aud thirty aays Of
worry they bad been At last, nfter q
reign OF four perfectly worthless
maids, they had managed t. induce
a fifth to accept tho position Arte
misia had found thar u WIS no easy
matter for an unframed. inexperi
enced girl te get work in the busy city
and Walter, for some reason, had Civ
en- her no recommendation 20 his
friends.
But now for three weeks she bad
hard work To be sure, Il offered only
s minimum wage aud az counter
girl in one Of the large publishing
houses she stood very small chance
Of advancement. Thanks TO the
eighthour law, she worked only
from nine TO six, bot even AZ that abe
returned home At night an hoar after
her husband and through sheer
weariness on her part and the i'm
patience Of the cook to have tho din.
ner things Dat Of the way She always
dined IN the clothes she had worked
in The pretty house hresBea on
which she had expended the lass %
her small Inheritance hung unused
in the wardrobe aud there was emnl
chance that she would ever use them
Then. one day, things went wrong
from the morning % night Ariemiala
started out in the morning with her
husband and together they boarded
the surface car To her surprise, he
paid only his own car fare
You forgot me. she whispered ~
the conductor held his hand out TO
her.
oh. haven't you any cash with
you? he asked in surprise.
Yes answered Artemiaa slowly
though she bad barely enough 10 pas
for her meageF luncheon, and as she
of'ered her own hard.earned nickel tu
The conductor ahe imagined tnat thc
entire company hae noticed tho int.
dent AZ a matter of fact iile con
dnctor smiled pityiagly and under his
breath said, Pretty rough aiat it
lady2"
When Artcmlsia returned homo ihat
night she found Walter waiting FOR heI
az The apartment door
Now don't get excited. little girl.
he began, putting his arm around her
but that fne cook OF ours has len
with all The silver There was nobody
home when / came. 40 I naturally
looked around I'D you leave any
jewelry?"
Yes. my engagement ring in ny
jewel box The rest Is IN tae safe de
post don't HE 70 wear diamonds
at work"
Wen, there's nothing Left In your
Jewel box now. but don't worry. dear
have telephoned the police"
Together taey prepared lttlo sun
per and with all the delightful ccmnau
ionship Of the two Young lovers that
they were they sat down 70 the iFat
meal that they had ever had alone 20
gether.
= should think you wouid De- crosa
Artemisia said at length = should
think you would tell me that Il had
been at home where ! should be Il
wouldn't have happened"
Why should H. asked Walter eYou
are only living Up TO your convictions
Yes, but you we're 50 very, very
cross TO me this morning / felt just
miserable about it al day ana could
hardly do any work, ~ ou had slapped
my face in the car ! wouldn't have
felt any more mortified
but l was only letting you live up
TO your convictions, too. The man who
is economically independent pays bla
own car fare. The idea that men must
pay wcmen's way Is oaly survival Of
the middle ages. isn't itgr
But, Walter. I'm tired OF my congic.
tions. Walter. don't laugh at me. but
I've lost my iob and I'm tired Of being
independent and / want to stay home
and be old-iashioned That 8Irs Cats
idea may be all right for some girls,
but I'm not educated up 70 IL
And when TIE telephone rang 70 tell
Walter that the detectives had cap
turcd the thief literally with the goods
on Walter was TOO absorbed ia EN-,
bracing his new.fcund oldsfashionsd
wife to hear until the bell had rung ~
least i've times.
/ Copyright 1915, ~ Mcclure Newspaper
Syndratel
Different Nov.