Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-19
Read This Story
Every Day In
The Journal

compelled to lead the sort Of exist
eace most of these people do" ne re-
t0rted, 'Td take measures to be broke
as soon as possible"
you're awful" Hazel commented.
Bill snorted again.
Tomorrow. you advise or hostess
that we're travelling" he Instructed.
"When we come back we'll make head
quarters at hotel until we locate
place Of our own--if you are sure you
want to winter here"
Her mind was quite made up TO
spend the winter there, and she fra k-
~ said so--provided he had no other
choice. They had to winter soine-
where.
ooh, yes, 7 suppose so. All right;
we'll winter here" Bill acquiesceu-
"That's settled
And, as was hts habit when ne had
come to a similar conclusion, he re-
fused to talk further on that subject
but fell to specializing idly on New
York. In which he was presently
aided and abetted by Hazel. who had
never invaded Manhattan, nor, for that
matter, any of the big Atlantic cities.
New York, she was constrained TO
admit, rather overwhelmed her. she
traversed Broadway and other world
known arteries, and felt trifte dubi-
Gus amid the unceasing crush. Eih
pil0ted her to famous cafes, and to-
equally famous theaters. She maue
sundry purchases in magnificent shops.
The huge conglomeration OF sights
and sounds made an Unforgettable In.
preston upon her. She sensed keeniy
the colossal magnitude of 1t all. But
she felt distinct wave Of relief when
they were Granville bound once more.
In a week they were settled COM
fortably in q domicle of their own
Eve rooms in an up-to-date apartment
house. And since the social demands
on Mrs. William Wagstaff's time. grew
apace, a capable nnid and cook were
added to the Wagstaff establishment.
Thus she was relieved of the onus OF
homework Fer time was wholly her
own, at er OVID disposal or Biii's. as
she elected.
But by imperceptible degrees they
came to take diverse roads in the swirl
Of life which had caught them up.
There were so many little woman af-
fairs where a man was super1uous.
There were others which Bill fatty re-
fused to attend. "Hen parties" he
dubbed them. More and more he re-
NAMED at home with his books.
Sometimes Hazel caught herself
wondering If they were getting as
much out of the holiday as they should
have gotten, as they had planned TO
get when they We're struggling through
that interminab'e winter. She was.
Put not Bill. If she ventured to give
q tea. he fed the house as If from the
plague. He made acquairitances OF his
own, men from God only knew where,
Individuals who occasionally filed the
dainty apartment with malodorous to.
hacco fumes, and who would cheer
fully sit up all night discoursing ears
nestly on any subject under the sum-,
Put so long as Bill found Granville:
habitable she did not mind.
She wished fervently that Bill would
take up some business that would keep.
him in touch with civilization. He had
the capital, she considered, and there
was no question of his ability. Her
faith In his power to encompass what
ever he set about was strong. Other
men, less gifted. had acquired wealth.
power, even measure of fame. from
a less auspicious beginning. Why not
ne?
But she could never quite bring her.
self TO put it in so many words to Eli.
-
The cycle of weeks brought them to
January. They had dropped into some-
thing of routine in their daily lives.
Bill's interest and participation in so
cial affairs became negligible. When
lie was not absorbed In book or
magazine, he spent his time In some
downtown haunt. having acquired
membership in a club as a concession
to their manner of life. Once he came
home with flushed face and overnight
eyes, radiating an odor Of whisky.
Hazel had never seen him drink TO eks.
cess. She was correspondence
shocked, and took no pains to hide h
feelings. Bun Bill was blandly und
turbed.