The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-08

IN and out with youthful indifference
10 domestic regulations. 10 that ON
Rachael. as housckeeper. there fell no
light burden,
She carried u gracefully. knitting
her handsome hrowa as the seasons
brought about their endless problems,
discussing bulbs with old Rafael In
the garden when tho snow melted.
discussing paper and paint In the
first glory OF May. experimenting the
making OF iced drinks on the hot
summer afternoons. and in October
filling her woodroom duly with the
great logs that would blaze neglected
IN the drawing room fireplace all win
ter long. The house was not large. as
such houses so. too much room was
wasted by a very modern architect
In linen closets and coat closets. hath.
rooms and hail space. drcNning rooms,
passages and hooks and corners gen.
orally. Yet Raehaci's guest rooms
were models In their way. and when
ahe gave n luncheon the women who
came were always ready 10 exelaisn
In Departing admiration over the
beauty Of the gardens the flower
fllied, airy rooms. the table appoint.
mcnts. and the hostess herself.
HUT when they said she was wen.
dorfui'i--and Il was the inevitable
word for Rachael breckenridge the
general meaning went deeper than
this. She WIS wonderful In her pride.
the dignity and the silence % her at
utuae toward her husband. she had
been wonderful mother TO C.ar.
encc's daughter. not a loving mother.
pcrhaps--she was not loving 20 any
one--but miracle Of determination
and oiearneas Of vision.
who else. her friends wondered.
could have cleared the social horizon
for Faula Brcckenridgc's daughter 80
effectively with what brisk reao
lutsness tho new mother had cut
short the airniesa European wander
ings. cropped the ehlid'A artlncially
curled hair. given away tho insult.
lous frocks and hats Dliiy. shoFn
and hewlidcr~d. had been brought
home. had entered Miss Proctor's So
lect school, entered Miss Rogers 80.
iect dancing class, entered Prof. par.
ilng's expensive riding classes. Biliy,
In dark blue Peter Thompsona. In
black stockings and laced boots. had
been dropped IN among other little
girls in Peter Thompaons and laced
boots. little girls with tho approved
names OF Whitaker and Dowdlica.
Moran and Msrrlde~ and Parmai-e
Billy had never doubted her step
mothers Judgment. like all % tire
new Mrs. Breckenridgr'a friends. She
was deeply. dumhiy impressed with
that iady's amazing efficiency. She
had been n spoiled ana di.rontsut-d
little rowdy. She became an entirely
self satisfied iittle rentiswonan.
Clarence. icaiousiy watching her
progress. knew that Rachael was do
ing for his daughter Gar more than
he could ever DO himself
But Rachael. II she had expected
reward. rcaped none. Her husband
was a suprcmciy selfish man. and
his daughter Inherited his sublime
ability TO protect his own pleasure al,
any cost. Carol admired her step
mother. but she waa an irdoient and
luxury loving little soul. and even as
early a. her 18th or 18th year she
had been deeply fiattercd By the cvi
denees Of her own, power over her
father. Into her youthful training no
reverence for parent--reai or adopt.
ed--had been infused. she called her
father Clancy" as some OF his init.
mate friends called him. and he de.
lighted 10 take her orders and bow
TO her pretty tyranny.
Before she was &c he began 10 take
her about with him: to dances. 10 the
theatre, and fer long trips In his car.
lie entered eagerly into hcr young
friendships. frantic 10 prove himself
rs yours at heart rs she. He paid
her the exiravngant compliments Of
n lover. and gave her her grand
mothers beautiful jewelry. as well as
every irinket that caught her eye
And Billy accepted his attentions
with finished coqueiry tina, was
far from chililike. a flush on her
satin cheek. n dinple puckcring the
corner Of her mouth. and silky lashes
lowered over her satisfied eyes. She
was inevitably prccocious In many
ways. but she was young enough stlil
20 fancy herself one % tho irrexis,i.
bile beauties and bellies OF the world
and 10 naunt perfectly conscious
arrogance IN the eyes Of all other
women.
al this was bcwiidering and pain.
ful TO Rachael. She had never loved
her husband--love entered into none
OF her rclatlonships--her marriage
had been only n step in the steady
progress OF her life toward the. posi.
ton she desired In the world. But
size naf liked him. She Ind liked his
child. and she had come into the new
arrangement kindly and CALAMITY dc.
termined 10 make the venture at
least as profitable to them both as II
was to her.
To be ignored. TO be deliberately
set aside. 10 be insulted By n selfish.
ness 80 calculating and so deliberate
as TO make her own attitude seem all
warmth and generosity by compari.
son. genuinely astonishcd her. A.
first, Indeed, n sort OF magnificent
Impotence had prevented her from
feeling any stronger emotion than
astonishment II was too ridiculous,
said the bride TO herself tolerantly. Il
could not 10 on. of course. this pre-.
posterous consideration OF a child OF
10. this belittllng consideration Of her
own place In the scheme as less
Clarence's wife than Biily's mother.
II must adjust itself with every
week that they three lived together.
the child slipping back 10 her own
life. the husband and wife sharing
theirs. When Clarence's first fears
for his daughters comfort under the
new rule were set Mt rest. when his
confidence in the wisdom and effi.