Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1920-02-05

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1 their daily needs. IL. too. would soon
b. exhausted. and Irene was confront.
81 with the serious business Of fnding
a means Of livelihood for herself and
her mother.
She discussed her problem with Bcrt
Morrison. with whom she had formed
considerable friendship. She won.
drrri whether she might be able to
Set position on one Of the ncwspa.
pcrS
Don't think % it, said Bert "If
you want 60 keep q sane. sweet out.
look On humanity. don't examine u too
closely That's what We have TO do In
the newspaper game. and that's why
we're all cynicS Keep out OF a."
"Rut I must earn a living Irene
protested.
Ever contemplate marriager' said
Miss Morrison. with disconcerting
fFaukncss.
The color rose In Irenc's checks. bu,
she knew that her friend was discuss.
Ing = serious matter seriously. "why,
ycs." she admitted. Il have con,em.
plated IL: in fact. I am contemplating
t. That's one OF the reasons I want
90 start earning my living. When !
marry want 10 marry as q matter 81
choice-not because It's the only way
cut"
"Sow you're talking" said Bert
And most Of US girls who marry ns
matter Of ohoIce-don't marry I've
only known one man from whom
proposal would set me thinking. And
hcll never propose 20 me-not now.
Not since Miss Hardy came West"
"oh." said Irene. slowly. "rm-rm
SO sorryi"
ITS all right" said Bcrt. looking
out ~ the window. Just another Of
lfcs little bumps We get used 10
'hcm-ln time. But you want a Job
Let me see you draw. don't your
Jus, for a pastimc. can't earn a
living that way"
I'm not 81 sure. Perhaps not with
art In the abstract. You must CONNER.
c,alize u. II you. on the one hand.
can make a picture Of the Rockies
which you can't sell. and, on the other.
can make a picture Of a pair OF shoes
which you can sell. which. as q woman
81 good sense IN need 81 the simolconS,
are you going 10 dol You're going to
~ gHA.a-anA sHa VNaW.h.4ak
Now ! think ! can set you started that
way. on catalogue work and al cuts
Try your pencil on something-any.
thing at a!l-and bring down q few
samples"
So lrcne's little studlo.room began
10 take on practical purpose. II was
work which called for form and pro
portion rather than color. and In these
Irene eXccllcd. she soon found her.
self with as much ms she could do. In
addition % the duties u the house
hold. as maids were Injuries which
could no longer be- afforded and her
mother seemed unable 90 realize that
they were net still living In the anu.
encc Of Doctor IIardys Income To
Irene, therefore. fell the work Of the
house, as well as It's support.
But her success in earning n living
did not seem In the slightest degree
TO clear the way FOR marriage she
could not ask Dave 10 assume the
support Of her mother; particularly
in view OF Mrs. Hardy's behavior
toward him. she could not ask that
She sometimes wondered II Coward
For "A long while She refused To com.
plete the thought. but at length. why
not? Why shouldn't Coward marry
her mother7 And what other purpose
could he have in his continuous visits
TO their homer Mrs. Hardy. although .
no longer young. had by no means
surrendered all the attractions OF her
sex. and Coward was slipping by the
period where a young girl would be
his natural mate. IL they should
marry Irene was no plotter, but It
did seem that such q match would
clear the way for all concerned. She
was surprised, when she turned Il
over In her mind, TO realize that Con.
ward had won for himself such a place
In her regard that she could contem-
plate such consummation as very
much to be desired. Systematically.
rather than from specific motive. she
assumed still more friendly attitude
toward him.
Irn mr. cnNyrtNtyrnN