Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-04


Amy,s things! Oh, yes, indeed. Fanny
is clever enough II only she would
ia tske e,ans MS n ,mmoney--and get out and leave
ne bthei a,h had t some lonely srapplss with
herself, IN wanting to 60 slowly until
she could discover real friends; but on
the other hand she admitted that Joe
haa a. resS9n tsir3n,nb Tor being impatient.
TO change his habits, and Amy had
accustomed Joe to crave excitement
every night. Even Ethel herself, in
sGe sbost OF ana ner nn moods. felt restless to
again the youth In her rebeled against
the trap into which she had fallen
me minute 1 even propose a play, I |
snoT AnS tssn h,m I'm In s. well enough to 60 out.
friendsY' And he remembers the mean
little things that Fanny Carr fnust
nave told him--the beast and so he |
sISfs,ng says i See, see i al; Ethel is only
to make me drop the friends and ths
memory Of the wife who stood bv me
when ! was poor" ~ "'e
Ethel even went out twice to their
detestable parties, in the faint hone OF
finding one woman at least she Would
care to know. But IL there had been
any such Fanny was careful to leave
them out. W 'e"'o
Friends, friends, friends of her own
g..
she went about at her shopping she
saw 80 many attractive people. and she
drew their glances, too. She had de-
yeloped sle since her marriage she had a
how TO foster that. Almost ALWAYS she |
felt the hungry eyes OF men, good, bad |
and indifferent, rich mon, beggars. |
Christians. Jews. But that of course was |
only annoying. Ethel wanted women |
friends On the street, from her elegant
little car. she could see women who we're
walking glance at her with envy, lust as
she herseif had done In her first year
IN the city. The thought brought a |
Ing at the constant stream of motors
passing, she inquired. How many Of
US are there, in this imposing process
sion, who haven't q single friend in
town.? How they all passed on. How
coolly Indifferent, self-absorbed Was
| there no entering wedge to their lives
:. But her youth would rise with a sud.
den rush In her warm body, so snartiy
dressed, 80 tinsiins with ardent health,
and making a little face at herself, she
would exclaim:
"oh. fddlesticks! All this is going
70 sawe a nice fine, happy ending!
At one such time, as though interrupt-
| cd, she leaned quickly and graciousiy
forward, as she had seen women do in
ne. the park, ark and bowed with a cordial
| then
turning back to the imagined friend al
her side. she said sweetly:
saying? Why. yes, we'd love TO- TO-
What time do you diner" A lump
rose In her throat. "Now, Ethel. Ethel,
you scft little fool--youre only twenty,
Eve, you know. And of all the adorable
babies waiting in q nursery"
One day she founa Fifth avenue
rade. She had her cHauffeur a "usy set Pas as
close as he could. and with intent and
curious .o eyes she watched the suffragists
women, how jolly and how friendly. Oh
what lark they were having together !!
Why not join them. then and there !
her car and falling right in with some
they, won't turn me DOWN. She waited
and lost courage. Soon she saw march
dressed woman whose photograph she
had often seen In the papers At this
Ethel's courage oozed again, and with
a pang of envy she thought.
oh, yes, this Is all very fine for you
You're SO safe and settled here; you've
got position-everything
In moment she felt this was small
and mean: The envy and the bitterness
passed. She watched other women, such
confident. easy. bright looking creatures
not at all like Amy's set-who looked
as though they could preside at big
meetings or at their own tables at home,
and be gracious and say witty things to
J the clever men at their sides Behind
them came whole regiments of women
and girls Of a simpler kind. Some OF
yes, and had to work hard to do it.
wouldn't they do? Look at that
one? Wouldn't l like her for friend?"
. In fash Ethel remembered the little
history prof at home. who had begged
Now, Ethel Lanier, you're going to
get right out of this car and fall into
, line-friends or no friends!
nerve. she was pushing through tho
standers-by right out into the avenue !;
and feeling like a public sight, she tried
quickly to get into line.
You can't march here Our line is
full - q voice said sharply. Ethel gasped
; behind. 49,
somebody asked.
: FAN right in. That's right, my dear
you're awfully kind !"
, "Hooray for the vote -
Through eyes a little misty Ethel saw
striding along at her side a sturdy little
old lady In black. And she blessed her
fervently. 1t was thrilling. marvellous
time. In less than ten minutes she felt
herself boon companions with every one
: in her line. But then. before she realized
. what 1t was that had happened, her
group had reached the end Of their
march and had melted suddenly into a
throng of chatterlng laughing women
Ethel stared about her blindiy.
Never mind she decided. I'm going
to see more of this!'
And the next day she presented her
self at suffrage headquarters.
, ."I want to work." she said to a girl
at a desk. The girl looked up at her
!, busily.
"All right, 60 to that table" she an
swered.
dozsn women and girls. Ethel folded en-
velopes and addressed them for about
three hours. Down at the end. two girl
companions chatted and laughed at their
labor. But the rest were Just busy
Hand me those envelopes. II you
. please" And so II was all through the
room, She came back the next morning
and the next; and as she worked, her
expression was grim: ''It isn't then
fault" she decided, "They want the vote
they don't want me"
And she turned forlornly back to the
, work Of moving up to her new apart
The first OF May was drawing near
and she saw signs of restlessness,- as
: thousands of New Workers prepared to
, change their quarters Moving, always
, place and make It a home? The big
! building in which Ethel lived took on al
impersonal air, as though saying What
do | care? I'm all concrete, with good
hard steel inside Of that" What queer
place for peoples homes People NOV,
= Ing in and out! Curiously she probed
/ into It's life. She had icng ago made
l frtRnha xxyitI h. hn tx,Ifa 80 hn ~