The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-13

away your girlhood and keep you at
hon1e,-I admit it. But as for break
ing your heart-you don't know what
it is to have heart until-until-''
"This is banal and disgusting"
"Someday, Mibb, I think you will
be very, very sorry"
"Im willing to take my chances
I'd like a photograph of you and
stood up side by side thirty years
from today. It might tell an inter
esting story"
eyes, agreed Mary, cit might. :"
II came up here in all good friend
ship to see your baby. I have to
listen to a sermon about that moth
eaten theory that woman's place is
in the home sacrificing herself for
race propagation. I won't bother you
again. We think differently. You're
old-fashioned. Your fre-side-and-
family notions are going out of date
There's a new day dawning for wo-
men and I'm not staying in my house
and pulling down my curtains and re-
fusing to see the sunrise. A woman
has the right to happiness; she has
the privilege of living her own life in
her own way as much as a man.
intend to have my day Of happiness
after what I've come up from and
what I've endured. I intend to die
tate what my life shall be in my
Own way. Tell Herbert that, the
re,-t time he comes around here to
see his sister"
"After what. you've come up from,
and what you've endured! o Ma
bel" Mary sighed. "Some day
you may realize that there's such a
thing as happiness that comes from
not debating what our: lives shall be
but in putting the best side out and
mailing the most of things in any and
all situations in which we find our
selves. I'm not at all convinced that
people who dictate their own lives in
their own way are happiest. That
way lies selfishness. 1t seems to re
thai in the case of a woman, strug-
Cling out of poverty, being twisted
cut of shape with pain and work,
losing her girlhood, being tied at
home because of babies-in short, the
sacrifice of herself for others and
especially little children, all comes
under the head of the highest sort Of
service one can render the world and
the fellow-folks in it. How about it,
Mabel? And if there's a new day
davning' as you seem to think, it's
the day when service is going to be
glorifed, and generosity and gentle
ness and self-sacrifce for others con-
sidered the things in life really worth
while. I'm not at all impressed,
Mibb, that you've read or are read
ing correctly the signs of the times
"More sermonizing!" snapped
Nib. Goodbye, Mary Purse!
Both of us may have had common
girlhood and worked side by side at
a typecase. But beyond that, we
have nothing in common. and as for
me / am perfectly willing right here
that our friendship should end
With sad face Mary laid Thomas
Joshua in his carriage and started to
show Mibb the way downstairs.
"You really needn't trouble your
self" Mabel Truman turned at the
door. s'I'll meet you thirty years
from today, Mary Wood, and compare
results!'
Mari did not return at once to the
sprinkling of her clothes. After the
rich woman had gone and the little
sitting-room was quiet, she lifted
Thomas Joshua in her arms and sat
for a long time by the. window III the
creaking rocker, looking down
through the breeze-wafted muslin
, curtains. onto Mrs. Ashley's side
! f1ower-beds. Thomas Joshua went to
/ sleep. Half an hour afterwarH,
when it was entirely unnecessary, she
started humming a lullabye.
/ When Jack came home, Mary said
"Mibb Truman was here this
afternoon. She came to see Thomas
Joshua"
"What did she think of him?" ask
ed Jack
"She called him worm!!
$50 long as Thomas Joshua does
MT turn out a book-worra or an news
paper-office grub, I'm satisfied" the
] husband declared. He was glum be-
Continued on page six)
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