The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-03-29
REBELLION
BY SUSAN Z. clAoETT.

"You rail against convention" the
man ut the wheel said, "but you have
not told me what you would offer In
Its place. There Is no need for you to
20 into the byways and hedges In
search Of the creature man. ] can
name four who would deem II a priv
ilege to spend the rest Of their lives
In your company and I 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
in Mexico. Why did you do lit"
Sophia Isham looked ut her com
panion with somber eyes. She could
not smile, although the note Of amuse-
ment in his voice would have been
contagious II the subject Of their talk
had not been vital one to her.
Tf tell you that not one Of them
has asked me to marry him, would you
believe mer
certainly notr His reply was en-
phatic.
$50 supposed. Neither will you be-
lieve me when / tell you that l have
never been asked in marriage, humiliat-
ing as is the admission. But II Is true,
nevertheless. Men find in me a pleas
ant companion, q good comrade. 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-
sciOusness and resent the attitude Of
the world toward the woman who
would strive for her happiness by seek
ing II for herself. II is a man-made
world, with man-made customs and,
perforce, she who finds no favor In
his sight must bow to the inevitable
and accept the fate thrust upon her.
Convention forbids the least little step
across the boundary Of his dominion,
even though she may see happiness
reckoning to her from the farthest cor
ner. Why should she be looked upon
askance II she venture over that line
Of demarkationT
swell, what are you going to do
about it," he asked with evident
amusement as he brought the car to
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 I cannot imagine
you taking the initiative In such mat
ters."
"Why not?" she retorted with pas
sionate warmth. Because I am
passed by must forever give up the
thought Of love, Of companionship, the
feel of a warm little body within my
arms? Or, II not passed by, must
take what is offered when, unOffered
there is a better which might be mine
II could but overcome the reluctance
entailed by convention and my woman
hood. to ask for itT
'sThere is a possibility, you know
that you may meet with rebuff. Have
you thought Of that?
She drew In her breath sharply. u
have q right to happiness" she an
swered stubbOrnly. IF 1t will not
come In the accepted way will fight
for 1t. 1t will be hard, but must"
Until now he had not taken her seri
ously, but there was a strain In heI
face, in her figure, In her clasped
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 heI
every within and caprice, but this In
tensity. underlying her usual COO
friendliness, took him unawares. HI
was frankly uncomfortable.
"You told me there were four" she
said presently, breaking the silence
that had fallen between them. "They
were not lovers, but IL they had beer
my choice would not have been made
from among them. They were goot
dancers, perfect escorts. desirable al
comrades, but nothing more"
"How can you say that when yo'
know what they are doingf" he asket
gravely. do weaklings 60 to the bat
tlefieldT
mo. But there was lack hard Il
explain. What they are doing will de
velop traits that would have foreve
lain dormant but for the horrors o
this awful war. But when they lief
they were not the men to whom
would give my hearts blood and thinl
nothing of the giving" She turned 4
him suddenly. "What Is your defni
ton Of manT
He looked at her thoughtfully
"About the same as yours, i think
Force. integrity. honesty Of purpose
gentleness, consideration for others,
carrying out Of the right as he sees
no matter at what cost to himself"
She nodded. "rhat Is what want,
she said tensely, "a man. not the pre-
tense of one."
"You have found such a onef"
"Yes."
"You have told him that you carer
"Not yet. but will. I must" Tn
, answer came haltingly. "I-I-oh
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