Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-10
BEHIND socfETNs CURTAIN

life. Published by the Wadsworth
Mealy Company
Publishers Note.-Mr. Snodgrass,
believing that no author should write
of matters wherein he is not fully in
formed,S and being, moreover, a firm
believer in the literary value of '1ocal
color. spent two days in New York
City last winter. He visited the pur.
lieus Of wealth, and even looked in
the windows of some of the houses
in Fifth Avenue. The results of this
indefatigable research he has embod.
led in this novel, which, while posses.
sing all the charm of romance, is,
nevertheless, ruthless exposition Of
the terrible state of affairs existing
Behind Society's Curtain"
Chapter |.
1t was evening. The beautiful par
lor in the palatial residence of the
Eyersleys was brilliantly illuminated
with three large lamps. Before the
sickering freight of the CRATE sat
Seraphita Eyersley, Reginald Eyers-
ley's lawful welded wife. Her white
hands were folded idly in her lap. She
was the child Of luxury and those ex.
quisite white hands had never been
condemned to the drudgery of hard
v Nork. She kept two hired girls, so
that she did not even have to make
the beds or sweep off the front stoop
A ring was suddenly heard at the
front door bell. A moment later the
hired girl appeared at the door and
said: "It's him, Miss Eversley."
"Tell him to walk right in," com.
manded the lady, imperiously.
A moment later man entered the
room with the grace and figure Of an
Adonis.
take a chair" said Mrs. Eversley,
smiling sweetly at him, but trembling
little, though she did not know why.
Don't care If do" he replied, air
lily; and, laying his hat and coat on
The piano, he drew a chair to her side
in front of the fire and lighted fra
grant havana cigar.
where's Reginald" he asked,
scrowling fiercely into the flames.
"Ohl He's at the club, as usual"
she replied, YEARLY. 'He seems to do
nothing else in the evening except 60
10 that dreadful club and play cards
and dominos for money, and drink
whiskey and beer. It's horrible she
exclaimed.
"Yes," agreed the man, whose aris.
tocratic sounding name was Francis
Rlessineham; Eyes he ought to be
learned better-but it's all the better
Ior me-"
"Wny what are you thinking of"
she asked, raising her eyebrows. gent.
Iy
'I'm thinking that you are just too
sweet for anything" he compliment.
ed gracefully, speaking the French
with an almost perfect accent.
How lovely you speak French"
she observed, toying with the charms
on his watch chain. "You speak al.
most like a French person."
"Yes," he replied; people often tell
me so. 1t may be because the room
:! was born in was furnished with
Louis ounces furniture"
There was long silence, while he
puffed away on his cigar and watch.
ed the freight playing among her
beautiful tresses, where it looked like
little red grasshoppers jumping
around.
At last he threw the butt of his Gig.
AZ into the fire and burst out: my
angel My dear one! love youl Let's
murder your husband and run away
togetheri"
She raised her blushing face to his.
and he knew that Reginald Eyersley's
fate was sealed.
And thus It was that the snake OF
evil squirmed into the home of Regi.
laid Eyersley bearing upon its back
n terrible burden of woe, shame and
expense.