Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-05

80
| tr,,tL VI ruinor spangled with lies and 500
| v'H NAKED. He was naked bineoif
naheo and unashamed. It's hard for nc
| 49,, ,maNe ny, you see, because you did NOT
WIZ on,,i; n; Bodsky was one of those men
| - SSoulu nave accomplished anvthinp-
IiS lily ne didn't. He sfted life through a
pfS uIfS neSh' All the non-essentIals-fbo-
pI,iSilt p,t,n ties-fell through. An act with
no9sky 1 NY was a voltion. measured, weighed
TT, til .@ueh @ hurled. That's why If YOU knew
@ nill you Knew that in his hands a crinc
was not crime. That's why know that
ne Is dead. He never used a stale cart
rluge-his gun never missed fire"
AK mused "I can't see him-I can't
pulje see him. A man who can accom-
a waste" "i0"e-
80 You can't see," said Collingcford.
because you are facing my point Of view
iou must turn around. Bodsky used to
say that all humanity had n soul, but II
LOOK a tragedy to make man. His
tragedy was that life cut him out from
tIIe nerd' lie wasn't n creator, he was a
creation. Generations, races, cons, Gre
ated Bodsky and left him standing like
Scared crag. He had but one mission
10 see and understand. Have you ever
sat IN the desert on moonlit night and
looked at the Sphinx. 1t holds you-lt
n3lus your eyes in vice. You wonder
why I'll tell YOU II knows. That's the
way 1t was with Bodsky He only tow
ed-knew-understood II that is moth
ing Bodsky was nothing"
They were silent Presently Collinge-
FORD helped her out, and together they
passed through the rich foyer, the lat
ticed palm room, ana up the steps into
the latest cry in dining rooms. A little
table in the far corner had been reserved
for them. AS they crossed the crowded
room hush fell over the tables. Some
looked and were silent. because Alix was
beautiful and daintily gowned and Col
lingeford all that a man should be- but
those who knew looked because Alix ,was
AliX and Colingeford was Colingeford
These soon fell to whispering, predicting
n match. AliX bowed abstractedly here
and there as she followed the head waiter
to her seat.
They sat down. each half facing the
room. Alix caught her breath. Whit |
fling the old air?" asked Collingeford.
NO." answered Alix. "Only signing.
feel so out Of it and that always makes
one sigh whether one wants to be in it or
out. / know 1t all so well that this !
amounts to disilluson. Time and abb |
sence have turned into binocular and |
I'm looking through the wrong end. | see |
things clear but tiny There's little Mrs. |
Deathe, pronounced Deet, and she isn't |
day older, But now I see that she was |
born as old as she'll ever be-"
Good" said ColinEeford.
"And with her is Mrs. Remmer. She's |
gone in for the little diamond veil |
brooches. They ruin the effect of sim
ply stunning hat, but, as always, she has |
rushed at the newest, expensive fad. l !
didn't know why before but somehow l |
can tell you now She Is the shopping |
instinct incorporated. To spend money is
her only sensation. The lines of worry
are in her face because she has bought
all and still Graves to spend"
AliX nausea. t'Ctn ~ said CNOllinuefOrd
There are only few men in the room,
but almost all of these women have hus-
bands. The husbands are in two lenses
past and future. There must be a pres
ent but it is nebuous. I didn't know
before, but i know now that in time these
women will go back or forward to their
husbands. Some day they will get dizzy
and fall and the shock will wake them
up. l used to be patronizing to divorce,
like all these, but divorce has taken on
n new face all of sudden. / see that it
Is great antdote to its own evil. While
we laugh and play with it, it is herding
US on to sane adjustment. We are
tearing down the fence of the pasture
and rushing out to scatter over fields that
are free-and barren. BY and by, well
come back tired and hungry and thirsty
and We'll see that the pastures the thing
green and fresh and sustaining-and the
fence nothing"
You see, you understand, you are pro-
1hetic," said Collingeford, smiling.
But do not tower like your Bodsky,"
said Alix, and then bit her tongue at the
slip.
A shadow seemed to fall on them. The
'oom's high, delicate paneling and the
painted oval of the ceiling seemed to
lover over a suddenly darkened empti-
less. The hum and chatter of the throng
became little and far away. Collinge-
ord and AliX felt as though they sat
llone and yet not alone. Collingeford
nodded as though AliX had spoken
Yes" he said, "Bodsky has come back
o us, Don't regret it. | don't know how
I is with you, but feel that we two are
lone with him and that it's worth while
Hes come on us like n cloud.
"But l like clouds" he continued"