Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-11-01
BRIAN SUGGESTS THAT MoLEIE
BE HIS TEACHER.
Bl Jane Phelps.
CHAPTER LXXIII.

When Mollie had asked Brian to
come and see her often, she Hda mot
thinking so much of the pleasure his
visits would give her, as of the happi-
ness she might perhaps give him. He
was lonely, ~unhappily married. She
liked him, why shouldn't she make up
to him for all he missed by marrying a
women who was, to say the least, not
eongenial9 1t meant giving him a lit
tie of her time, in return for which she
spent a pleasant evening, and-had a
good dinner. Mollie IS income was such
that the prospect of a good dinner
which cost her nothing, was welcome
even when it did not also mean tie So
ciety Of the best looking fellow she
knew.
It seemed to- Mollie hat the fault
must be all Ruth's. Who couldn't get
along with such a boy as Briana All
he asked for was sympathy and under
standing. So she figured. He vas SO
generous, too. Why, if she would let
him, he would take her to the most ex-
lpensive places in town. But to be
truthful, Mollie enjoyed the village en-
vironment far more than that to be
found north of Washington square. In
the village they knew everyone. 1t
was rather jolly to show them that
Brian had not forgotten her entirely,
simply because he had married. Up
town she scarcely ever saw anyone
whom she knew, and Brian had not ex-
planned to her that that was the reason
he SO often proposed leaving the vii
lage purlieus.
Mollie had gradually urged Brian to
tell her of his business. She was ambi-
tious. She TOLD him she was ambi-
tious for HIM. She made him promise
to work hard, to study whenever lie
could. She even went so far, in her at
tempt to encourage him to greater eff
fort, as to offer to read dry law books
out loud with him when he complained
he couldn't fix his mind upon what he
read after five O'Clock.
Temperament, Brian. That is what
your wife doesn't understand in you
and LIDO. 1t is one reason you like tt
come down here"
Brian laughed. The thought of TEN
permanent in connection with Ruth,
conventionality, was amusing.
''Then too, y Mollie went on, "she'
had so much, that poverty is a sort o.
nightmare to her. That's the yearor
she went to work, I imagine. Will,
you and l have seen nothing but power
ty, So have become accustomed to ii
We have learned not to banker afte
the flesh pots, as expressed in expen
sivc furniture and fashionable clothe
lin exotic flowers for the table, an,
expert cooks in tn kitchen. The tw,
worlds are as far apart as the poles
Brian.D
~ like the old world best,' he re
torted, neither Of them appreciatin
they were talking i~ncidious propagan
da. Propaganda tending to break up
home.
FRANKLY, SO do /. 1t seems to M
we get more out of life when we are no
wrapt up in convention. 1t docsn
take much to make up happy, and
ga loaf of bread and thou,' 1}ria.
quoted dreamily.
"Half a loaf sometimes" Mollie re
turned.
"Say, Mollie, l need a stenographel
| use Clark's now, but it looks bette
to have one of my own. You don
know of someone l could get to com
to me for part of the day, do you
Someone who wouldn't want a big sa.
ary?"
"How would I do, Brian7 1 I'M
/, good typist, and can type very fasr
My stenography is bum. But if you
letters were well written, I shoul
think that might do for now. If yo
don't talk too fast, I can take them o
the machine nearly as fast as you ca
dictate" Then, "Why haven't yo