The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-03
REBELLION
b. SUSAN E. cLAeETT.

tAdA al the Wlleel SAID, DuC you nave
not told me what you would offer in
its place. There is no need for you to
60 into the byways and hedges il
Search of the creature man. | can
name four who would deem it a priv
ilege to spend the rest of their lives
In your company and l know that you
have sent them to the corners of the
earth. Ralston is in Japan, Howard
and Lawrence are driving ambulances
In France, Chapman is with Pershing
Ia Mexico. Why did you do it?'
Sophia Isham looked at her COM
panion with somber eyes. She could
not smile, although the note Of amuse-
Hment in his voice would have been
contagious if the subject of their talk
had not been a vital one to her.
IF l tell you that not one of them
has asked me to marry him, would you
believe me?"
certainly not" His reply was en-
phatic.
$50 supposed. Neither will you be-
lieve me when ! tell you that have
never been asked in marriage, humiliat-
ing as is the admission. But it is true,
nevertheless. Men find in me pleas
|ant companion, good comrade. l am
their confidant, but our friendship has
never crossed the dividing line between
pleasant friendliness and the deeper
feeling. That / cannot arouse admira-
ton love, has cut deep.
"That fact is burned into my con-
seriousness and I resent the attitude of
the world toward the woman who
would strive for her happiness by seek
ing it for herself. 1t is a man-made
world, with man-made customs and,
perforce, she who finds no favor in
his sight must bow to the inevitable
land accept the fate thrust upon her.
Convention forbids the least little step
across the boundary of his dominion,
even though she may see happiness
| beckoning to her from the farthest cor
lner Why should she be looked upon
askance if she venture over that line
of demarkationW
| "Well, what are you going to do
about it?' he asked with evident
amusement as he brought the car to
a standstill to allow a heavily loaded
wagon TO pass on the narrow road.
| "What would you suggest that will
take the place of the old-established
order of things? You are SO essen.
TALLY feminine that / cannot imagine
/ you taking the initiative in such mat
| ters."
4 "Why not?" she retorted with pas
| sionate warmth. Because / am
passed by must forever give up the
thought of love, of companionship, the
lfeel Of a warm little body within my
II not Tasased by, mus !
lEalze what is offered when, unoffered,
lIthere is a better which might be mine
llif / could but overcome the reluctance.
llentailed by convention and my woman
hood, to ask for it?"
/ There is possibility, you know,
that you may meet with a rebuff. Have
you thought of that?"
| She drew in her breath sharply. Il
have right to happiness" she an
swered stubbornly. eff it will not
come in the accepted way I will fight
for 1t. 1t will be hard, but must"
| Until now he had not taken her seri-
Dusly, but there was strain in her
face, in her figure, in hcz c'asped
hands that made him feel her earnest
ness He had known her for many
years, had been a constant visitor in
her home and thought he knew her
every within and caprice, but this in
tensity. underlying her usual cool
| friendliness, took him unawares. He
was frankly uncomfortable.
"You told me there We're four" she
said presently, breaking the silence
that had fallen between them. "They
We're not lovers, but if they had been
my choice would not have been made
from among them. They were good
dancers, perfect escorts, desirable as
comrades, but nothing more"
"How can you say that when you
know what they are doing?" he asked
grayely. "Do weaklings go to the bat
tlefield?"
"No. But there was lack hard to
explain. What they are doing will de-
velop traits that would have forever
lain dormant but for the horrors of
this awful war. But when they left
they were no. the men to whom l
would give my hearts blood and think
nothing of the giving" She turned to
him suddenly. "What is your de'inir
ton of a MANI"
He looked at her thOughtfully.
~About the ssme as yours, l think.
Force, integrity, honesty of purpose.
gentleness, consideration for others,
carrying out OF the right as he sees it
40 matter at what cost to himself"
She nodded. "That is what want"
she said tensely, "a man, not tho pre-
tense of one"
"You have found such a one?"
Eyes"
@You have told him that you careW
"Not yet, but 1 will, l must" The
answer came haltingly. "I--I-oh.
Don't Won know" She threw out her