The herald., 1917-11-01

S'lltl tIuilCtu 10 meet lot NlllIltE W
fore he could get on the scene. But
apparently nothing discUncertin: Oc-
CURED, and immediately after dinner
Margaret excused herself for an i'm
portant engagement that Blackstone
/ knew to be- II meeting of her suffrage
club. The next night Margaret had
another suffrage engagement, and
BlaCkStOne's mother cluimcd IN en-
Gasement. too, SO IL was not until three
nights later that the three again met
| at dinner after Margaret aud Black
stone had closed their office desks.
Following dinner c;1ne 4 play, and
IN spite Of the fact that Blackstone
had taken his mother and his tiancee
10 an especially diverting dining place,
and in spite Of the fact that the play
was uncommonly good that night, the
evening hours passed slowly and Black
stone felt the effect of the depressed
! spirits of the two usually high-spiritcd
| women.
But he felt even more depressed
when he took Margaret home that
| night after they had seen the mother
| go to her downtown hotel.
Blackstone, I'm sorry" Margaret
said when they had reached the shell
| ter Of her apartment. I'm sorry, but
l can't keep my feelings 10 myself any
! longer. ! feel like II traitor. The
| meeting night before last made me feel
! what q Culprit / have been. and then
| last night at the mass meeting, when
l looked around at those women from
| all over the world working together
for each other, l wondered how had
! been SO despiCable as TO promise 10
| conceal my interest in the cause from
! anyone. You don't know how q meet
| ing like that fires and thrills one"
The fact that Bluckstone's spirits
had already been depressed made Linn
especially susceptible TO take OfenSe.
Then if ii were n question of suf-
frage or Inc, l suppose you would take
suffrage" he suid. Il simply asked
! you to use little tact in order TO
| prevent my mother being unhappy,
and you don't care enough about he
or her to do ii. I'm sorry, Margaret,
but it is better for Us 10 find it out
now than later"
Decidedly" replied Margaret, who
could be just US quick 10 jump at con-
! illusions as her tiance. And when, =
few minutes later. Blackstone was out
Of Margaret's apartment in the street
| 10 with
Margaret was lost 10 him forever.
Somehow, unreasOnably of course. he
blamed his mother for this breach of
his happiness.
The next morning he Joined his
mother at breakfast at her hotel.
well, my visit Is almost over the
mother began over her soft-bOiled
eggs. II had hoped TO get better ac-
Quainted with Margaret, but apparent
ly she does not want to hs alone with
me. l haven't said two words TO her
alone. Blackstone"
| Blackstone made no answer, so his
mother went on. II suppose II is the
eternal barrier that stands between
l
never be able 20 understand the other.
and as the suffrage cause gains moro
and more converts the barrier only be-
comes the higher. But there will al.
ways be some women on the other
side-even when our great victory is
won. suppose it was foolish of me
70 hope, Blackstone. that your wife
would be on our side of that barrier
If she had been then there would never
have been any Of the mOther-in-law
and daughter-in-law feeling between
us. was foolish TO hope il, perhaps.
but, Blackstone, after that wonderful
meeting night before last / felt so
thrilled that il seemed for the time as
II the barrier might he broken down
and that oil women might rally TO the
same cause. / wish that you and Mar-
garet might have been there"
| Blackstone leaned over the table at
which he pnd his mother were sitting
you don't mean you were at the suf
frage mass meeting, do you, motherT'
why. certainly" came quite calmly
How do you think managed 10 come
East and stay at one Of the biggest
hotels If II wasn't ~ delegate from
our section TO the cOnventiOnT'
why didn't you tell me soOner7 p
gasped Blackstone-and for the first
time that morning the sharpness Of
Margaret's scornful glance Of the night
before ceased to pierce him.
You didn't ask me-" was the moth
er's reply, but with the briefest ex-
cuses, Blackstone had left his place
and was encased In the nearest tele-
phone booth to get in touch with his
fiancee before she left for her office.
II want you and mother to have
luncheon today" he said. mo, I'm
lot to be in this. and just for my sake
I want you to tell my mother that you
are a suffragiSt, and | want you to tell
her that I'm one. too. You're n trump
and I'm proud Of you. And you have
taught me one thing. Margaret-that
II is always best TO stick by the cause
even in the face of 4 mother-in-law
TO be-"
race blends and mixed natiOnalities
George w. Gable, a native OF Louisiana,