The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-01-30
Confessions ofaM1fe

not my own. but the very intimate.
personal experience Of another"
II confess the modern woman In n
puzzle 10 me-" said Hsryey's father.
who had again taken on the more or
l~ns sarcastic manner with which he
greeted mo. "But there In one thing
you have demonstrated TO me. mad
anne" no said. as he touched tho
buxzrr at hin elbow. -And that II
that the modern woman does not
lack courage. I win 20 tonight 10
my son. I am an old man. he add.
81. hut I don't think that nwc has
blinded me 20 beauty or 10 courage"
and he bowed mo out.
There you have u. little book.
Isn't II b~assiy kind Of world that
make. a man think he can get away
with anything with a woman II he
only flattsrs herr That old man
down In his heart thought he had
r~habilitatcd himself In my mind by
that bit OF flattery thrown out To
me M I left.
did no, get hack 20 Donna's IN
III late that afternoon. and when I
got In found her engaged IN a mys-
tic and mystifysnK rite.
She ~as rowned In deep mourning.
no, n bit Of white anywhere to re-
Iicve the sombcr hlackn~ar. Her
hair. In Its beautiful Wilderness
had somehow contriv~d 10 make II
quite white Rgain-was the only
thing that was not sober about her
Her lips were unsrniiing and her
eyes were not only sad but little
hard. as tho the grief she had un.
dcrwone had crystaiiix-d her soui
little
was cudgeliing my brain 10 think
II u was an anniversary OF Bins
death she was celebrating. but soon
came to the conclusion that was
on the wrong tack. for Biil died.
distinctly remembered. In the spring
OF the year.
I went into Donna'a own little sit.
ting room and found her placing n
bunch of violsss under a fuil.iength
picture OF herself when abe was n
girl Of 1s. Beside the picture she
had drawn up a chcval mirror. and
from time to time she looked from
ott ttaAaAfa MI W htt Wv ~ AAtf
form In the mirror.
! had come up the stairs unan.
nounced. and she did not hear me
until ] was in the room. IA I turn.
cd suddenly to so Quit seemed to
mo that had surprised her doing
something that was not for the eyes
of even her devoted friend-I made
a little noise. and she turned.
With a little sigh that might have
been hugh or a groan. she turned
to me and put out her hand. Come
on in. Margie." she said. You have
inadvertently caught me Mt n little
ceremony that have gone thru with
on the recurrence OF this day for
years. Ever since my first birthday
after had left win. when found
that he was In love with Kitty Mai
ram. have been foolish and senti.
mental enough to go back over my
life on my birthday. and also by
placing a few flowers under this pic.
ture l have tried to tell this dead
girl pictured here that I remember
her"
But. Donna. have always
thought this was your portrait"
1T In portrait OF me painted
when was is years old. but the
girl in that frame Is just as surely
dead az tho she had been buried and
had crumbled away to dust"
looked Mt the picture. little book.
and then looked at Donna. She
had told the truth--the i6.year-old
girl was dead and the woman sitting
near her was some one quite differ.
ent.
l wondered. little book, II we're
30 changed from the girl who way
back In the old days had taught
school and who had fallen so des-
perately in love with Dick at sight.
(To BE Continued