The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-05-20
7@e
Certainty
r.
By JOSEPHINE PAGE WRIGHT
(Copyright.)


Il don't want to hurry you away,
my DEAR" ventured Marian, ''but if
you do not start soon you'll be late
for your train"
Nonsense" scoffed her husband (;
plenty of time"
And then Ann appeared on the
threshold-Ann, radiant in one of her
astonishing breakfast gowns. Glenn's
suppressed cry of satisfaction did not
escape Marian, and the peril stood
| naked to her eyes.
When her husband arose at once and
came to her side to give her cordial
impersonal good-by kiss, she returned
it gaily and began to banter her young
guest on the conquests of the night be-
,, fore.
you are a remarkably beautiful
woman, Ann" she concluded with gen.
uine warmth.
The front door closed softly and
Marian fancied her husbands retreat
ing footsteps were reluctant She real
lied now that he had lately more than
once missed his train to the city that
he might breakfast with Ann, or, at
least, say good morning to his guest
before he left.
AIMS pleasant voice recalled her
hostess to the present.
Beauty counts a lot, Marian, after
ALL" the girl was conceding. 'But it
has its disadvantages. 1t attracts the
admiration of many interesting and de-
sirable men. But sometimes it draws
the other kind, the dull and the impos-
sible."
"Even married men," suggested
Marian.
"Why, yes" admitted the other light
ly, "even married men. Sometimes
their attentions are annoying, some
times they mean nothing"
'They always mean something to the
wife," pronounced Marian.
There was no bitterness in the
words, no subtle meaning. 1t was the
plain statement Of truth, the applica-
ton of which the wife was not only
willing but anxious to have her friend
discover. Between these two women
was a bond of love and unusual I'M
Outstanding.
you are not afraid" gasped Ann
in dismay.
"Just that, my dear. I am afraid.
suppose that every wife is always
afraid until she has the absolute GER
tainty."
"But for six years Glenn hasn't
thought of another woman" protested
Ann.
"For six years." said Marian, "Glenn
has had very few opportunities of see
ing or knowing another woman. He
has worked hard. He has helped me
with the children. We have had no
time for our friends or for society,""
ut has been very Fortunate" muir
INJURED Ann conventionally.
ut has been very pleasant" cor
rected her hostess, "but it hasn't
proven anything except my husbands
dutifulness."
"That's a lot" insisted Ann.
tits everything to some women"
admitted Marian, "but it doesn't mean
q thing to me-"
at should mean something to the
mother of his children"
'It doesn't count even on that score"
confessed the mother. Listen, Ann.
This struggle for the love and interest
of man is world-old and doesn't end
at the altar, not ever, no matter how
! fine and clean and honest the man
may be-"
Marian watched her young guest
keenly and noted the serenity of the
girl with satisfaction. This friend had
never failed her yet, would not fail
her now, although she had never tested
the friendship as she now had it in her
heart to test 1t.
She was not surprised, however,
when Ann suggested the wisdom of
cutting the visit short.
"On the contrary" denied Marian,
you must remain even longer than
you had planned if necessary. For
my sake, you must stay until know"
Ann paled. "But if the worse"
Nothing" protested her hostess,
nothing can be worse than uncertain
I ty."
They left the breakfast-roofn and
strolled arm in arm to the nursery.
"Come," begged Ann, outline my
wretched task for me- 1 see your
viewpoint and, for your sake, I will do
as you ask. But it is horrible"
ut need not be so. Treat him as
you would treat any normal man.
Glenn" she boosted, sis the most nor
NAL man l know"
During the days which followed
Marian fought many battles with her
self.
On the other hand, the growing in
tereSt of her husband in Ann made
her feel that she must reach the truth
at any cost.
The beautiful young guest was very
popular socially and had few evenings
to devote exclusively to her hosts.
When she had, she gave freely of her
talents for their enjoyment. One eve
ming, after she had been playing ant
singing for some time, Glenn turned tt
his wife.
"Why don't you keep up your music
Marian?" he demanded.
81 haven't much to keep" she apollo
gized lightly. 81 never sang well and
cannot play as Ann does. l doubt Il
my playing or singing would give
pleasure to any one"
"Our talents are not the same,
laughed Ann. "You could come nearer
to playing and singing well than
could to writing poem"
"SOngs in a home make more musi
than poems in a magazine" observed
Glenn sourly. "You would be sur
prised how many poems don't get int,
magazines, moreover. They don't max
much of sound anywhere save tn
post Office"
Only now Marian wondered whethe
he really meant to tease her or to seri
ously disparage her. Ann, with he
usual tact, had changed the subjec
and the incident passed off.
"Why don't you dress your hair ak
Ann's?" asked Glenn several days late
as he sat at dinner alone with his wife
She laughed aside the demand a
the time, but in the privacy of he
rooms that night she stood before he
tall mirror and faced herself and he
problem bravely.
She was only year or two olde
than Ann, and she looked ten.
and shook the loose strands over he
shoulders. Once heavy waves ha
hung below her waist. Glenn had bee
proud of 1t then. -
AS she stood before the glass nov
she tried. with patient fingers, to twis
sXez-