Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-31
ONE WOMAN'S
STORY
By Carolyn
BeeCher

was unbearable. l would find out where
he was and so to him.
Just as 1 came TO this conclusion
Martha opened the door and ushered
in Harper Carleton.
"Why-you-" 1 stammered, con-
fused. 81 expected Myrtle and Ned!'
II hope you are not disappointed"
he replied, looking curiously at me.
''No-of course not" l returned. try
ing to compose myself. "But aren't
they coming?"
mo, they had previous engagement;
so 1 called the party off save for our
selves A party a deuX instead of a
cinq. as 1 had intended. I hope you
are not afraid of being bored"
"Oh. no! Butt was about to say
something about what might be sai5
when l caught myself. Why should /
give expression to a thought which
might make us both uncomfortable and
conscious? Robert wouldn't care. 1
thought bitterly. And why should I
mind what others might say? So l
Finished 81 shall have to keep you
waiting for a moment; L want to speak
to Martha"
LAS long as you like. little lady, so
long as you come to me in the end"
1 thought l detected a peculiar smile
on his face as he spoke, but forgot 1t as
and when 1 saw my flaming cheeks 1
didn't wonder that he looked at me Curl
ously when he came in. l had worked
myself up into raging fever. l bathed
my face with cold water, careless of the
work of the girl in the beauty parlor,
then busted it with fresh powder and
Joined him.
He rose Immediately and held my
opera cloak for me, remarking as he
did so:
you are very lovely tonight! I am
very proud"
| made some careless answer, and
with an effort dismissed Robert and
the harrassing thoughts he had evoked
from my mind. Harper had taxi at
the door and we were soon at the the
alter, where he had taken a box. l was
delighted at this. as l thought If l cared
to l could sit back out of sight of the
audience But he Immediately placed a
chair for me at the front of the box, he,
himself, sitting in the shadow.
shrugged my shoulders and sat down.
What difference did it make. anyway?
1t was a problem play, in which the
woman always suffered, especially when
she tried to do right-as she saw it.
was interested and almost forgot Har-
per in trying to see a similarity be-
tween the woman in the play and my
own.
ut interests you"
1t was a statement, not a question;
but 1 answered:
Eyes, intensely"
81 am glad" And we did not speak
again until the curtain fel l for inter-
mission That was one comforting
thing about Harper Carleton. You
didn't have to talk unless you felt like
it when with him.
The intermission was a long one and
Harper and / discussed the play. He
with so much animation that uncon-
sciously 1 found myself, as I often did
responding to his mood. There wer,
only two acts, and the second was ever
more gripping than the first l leaned
forward, resting my hands on the rail
ing fearful to lose a word or gesture
Harper did not speak until the play was
over, then only asked me If l woulC
like supper at "Cline's," quite fash
ionable restaurant
81 should enjoy it," l replied absent
", as he laid my cloak over my shou!-
ders. The woman in the play had been
neglected. A man had tried to make up
to her for that neglect. Our cases SEEM
ed to me analogous-up to a certain
point The man in the play had started
in to be her friend. but had ended by
being her lover. That, of course, could
never happen to me