Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-01

would be packed. That, at the end OF
her first season, the new Mrs. Otis
found it necessary to pack her house
by this impersonal method was a bit
ter comment on the futility Of mil
lions; but apparently no one heard
On the eighth the block was massed
with motors and taxicabs and elabor.
ate ladies slipped in on foot, hoping
that no one noticed Here and there
among them were earnest looking
women who came in plain, business
like fashion and appraised the gath.
ering with a cool eye.
eve ought to take in five hundred
at least" these said to one another,
and during the speaking they retired
into corners and held whispered com.
mittee meetings. To Chloe, looking
on with vivid interest, they were like
the dark, busy engineers of a big boat;
Sabra, on the bridge, was the captain
and the rest were the passengers. AS
Sabra's lieutenant. she ran back and
forth with messages, helped people to
find seats. answered questions about
the program, and youthfully enjoyed
her activity. Then she settled in a
window recess whence she could look
into the intent faces and perhaps
catch some Of their high fervor-for
Chloe had reverent heart that be-
lieved the best of others and mourned
the worst in herself.
1t was puzzling afternoon. Sabra,
of course, was splendid, but the long
poem, Clouds of Glory, written for the
occasion by Cyril DeKay, was hard to
follow, and no one more than six rows
back could have heard much, owing
to the scraping chairs of the late COM
ers. The next contributor was hand
some young woman who spoke on The
Child of the Future, with biological
clearness that made Chloe glad of her
curtains She felt horribly sorry for
Sabra, pilloried up there on the plat
! form while this awful accident went
on When she dared look at the audi
ence, she saw with bewilderment the
cool. complacent listening of the
ladies; it was the semi-occasionaI man
who twisted his feet and stared at the
ceiling and bit or blew out his lips.
Sabra was calmer than any one. She
actually seemed to like it.
well, she has to, poor SOUL" was
Chloe's plying explanation. Il sup
pose they are all pretending; and
women do it better than men,
An old gentleman whose brilliant
name had survived his powers rose
next and babbled Unfortunately, ex-
planning woman's sphere in terms of
1S80-being evidently under the i'm
preston that he was assisting at SUI
frage debate. He was too famous to
be checked; the stream of platitude
flowed on and on and Chloe felt chiv-
alrous longing to go up and stand by
Saba and so share the notifying fail
ure.
The audience sat packed, hot, cour-
teously still, but Chloe's acute disap,
pointment for them presently received
a curious check; for in their placid,
well fed faces she seemed to read the
thrilling truth that they were no more
bored than they had expected to be.
No one left or wriggled or whispered;
and also no one cared. Chloe came
to the knowledge, reluctantly. asham-
eddy, but she could not argue it down.
Sabras fineN rousing words mattered
no more to them than the old mans
chatter. They applauded her enthusi-
astically, but they did not care. The
vision of world purified through it's
offspring left them cold. This was
not for them a world movement; it
was party. Perhaps causes were al
ways furthered in this fashion, Chloe
reasoned: few cared. and the neces-
sary mass worked or paid for other
lat h sf,fr nj nd n &c
illusioning revelation.
my father really cared" she told
them "and Sabra-" The words fall
tered. Did Sabra really care? It was
shocking question. and the ring of
Sabra's final address triumphantly an
swered it, And yet Chloe could not
quite forget her moments of doubt.
Mrs. Taller Otis, who had vanished
during the conference. reappeared with
her mechanical, hostess smile while
the audience was being rewarded with
food, drink and the freedom of the ia
nous rooms. Chloe thought that in
the midst Of her grandeur she looked
strained and disappointed, and felt a
compassionate desire to tell her that
bread and milk on the kitchen table
were just as much fun as all this if
you had the right person, discovery
that the poor lady had obviously
missed. Then she saw Sabra coming,
and marveled at the way she was car
rying the days bitter disappointment;
she had expected such brilliant things
of her program! She went up to Mrs
Otis with both hands out.
I'VE have to thank you for an in.
spiring afternoon" she said in her
clear. rich voice when we get to-
gether an audience like this, we make
history! Their sympathy was like an
electric current; l felt it all through
the speaking. Did you know that thir-
ty-seven new members have been en-
rolled?"
How very NICE said Mrs. Otis.
'Oh, yes; this afternoon puts the
society on a new. sound basis" Sabra
affirmed. IF year from now you are