Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-21
MIXED REFLECTIONS.
CHAPTER x

CHAPTER x.
| As we turned toward home I forgot
the man who had reminded me of
George. 1t was silly. He never would
be uptown to a fashionable restaurant
in the middle of the day. But did not
forget Merton Gray, nor the look of ad-
miration l had seen in his eyes.
He was young too. Perhaps he would
be more tolerant of mistakes, my mis-
takes, than Georges older friends. He
was nice-looking, too. He was tall and
dark and slender. There was none of
the affections of dress of the usual ar
tist. He looked like my brothers,
and the boys at home would look if
they were dressed in the fashionable
garments he wore. l was sure l should
like him. liked his name, too. "Mer-
tom 1t was different, and some way
seemed to suit him.
Then my glance fell on the books.
Why had Madge Lor1ng laughed 50 up
roariously when L told her they were
etiquette bookss Don't people, smart
people, need to read them, and was
that the reason she laughed2 Perhaps
they were not what l needed after all.
But it had not seemed nice to be laugh
ed at, and not know the reason. Oh, this
social business was so hard to learn.
Would | ever be able to make George
proud to take me out instead of asham
ed2
1 wondered if 1 better tell George l
had bought them. He would know II at
the end of the month when the bill
Int ahA 1
and let him find it out that way, or
tell him now! L was becoming SO afraid
of doing the wrong thing-of annoying
him-that l hesiUated over the sim
plest matters. 1 was fast losing all in
itiative; fast having all individuality
absorbed because q my anxiety to
please my husband.
l had been pleased as a child over
my purchase; over the thought that COM
pelled it. But now L -.as chilled and
frightened. Had 1 again done something
l should notl Surely Mrs. Loring had
some reason for her merriment.
Books On Etiquette Prove an
Annoyance
Then l thought of what | had said
anent Merton Gray, at which she had
again laughed. l had said that he did
not look at all like a famous person.
l really had meant it as compliment;
but she had seemed to think it was
funny, to be laughed at. If
she repeated it to him would he also
feel in the same wayl Or, the thought
left me aghast. Would he feel insulted,
that l had belittled hint Oh, dear, 1
sighed, would l ever learnt And was
life worth living when one had to be
so particular what one said and did9'
When we reached home, instead of
carving the books into the library, the |
natural place, 1 had Annie take them
into the guest room. L had not decided !
what to do about telling George; and |
he wouldn t see them in there. !
All the afternoon l pored over their |
contents. 1 read SO many rules for be-
havior, so many silly-so it seemed to |
me-direetions how one should act, that
by the time l dressed for dinner my |
mind was in whirl. On the morrow |
l would take only one subject, and try |
and find out all there was to learn
of it before l proceeded to another. In
that way I could remember what 1 read. |
l wanted to be good form - as
George called it. Wanted to for his sake,
more than for my own.
Dinner was ready when he came in.
So we had no time TO talk until we met /
at the table.
A Dinner Table Conversation.
"How's s your arml'' was his first
question.
'FiRel and oh, GeOrgel I saw Mrs.
Lering today, took her to the Elite
in the ear. She had an en-
gagement there I could not fail to
notice the start he gave, but I was
so interested in what had to tell him