The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-03-17

frdnkneSS. M
Miss Morrison, with disconcerting
frankness.
The color rose in Irene's cheeks. but
she knew that her friend was discuss
ing a serious matter seriously. why,
yes" she admitted. II have contem-
plated Ii; i'm fact, am contemplating
It. That's one of the reasons I want
to start earning my living. When !
marry want to marry as q matter of
choice-not because it's the only way
out"
Now you're talking" said Bert.
"And most Of us girls who marry as a
matter of choice-don't marry. I've
only known one man from whom a
proposal would set me thinking. And
he'll never propose to me-not now.
Not since Miss Hardy came West"
"Oh," said Irene, slowly, "rm-Tm
so sorryl"
'It's all right" said Bert, looking
out OF the window. "Just another of
life's little bumps. We get used to
them-in time. But you want a job.
Let me see you draw, don't your"
"Just for a pastime. ! can't earn q
living that way"
"Tm not so sure. Perhaps not with
art in the abstract. You must CONNER
cialize it, If you. on the one hand,
can make a picture of the Rockies,
which you can't sell, and, OF the other.
can make q picture Of pair of shoes,
which you can sell, which. as woman
of good sense, in need of the simoleons,
are you going to do? You're going to
draw the shoes-and the pay-check.
Now think i can get you started that
way, on catalogue work and ad cuts.
Try your pencil on something-any-
thing at all-and bring down a few
samples"
So Irene's little studio-room began
TO take on a practical purpose. 1t was
work which called for form and pro-
portion rather than color, and In these
Irene excelled. She soon found her.
self with as much as she could do, In
addition to the duties of the house
hold, as maids were luxuries which
could no longer be afforded and her
mother seemed unable to realize that
they were not still living in the affiu-
ence of Doctor Hardy's income. To
Irene, therefore, fell the work of the
house, as well as its support.
But her success In earning a living
did not seem i'm the slightest degree
to clear the way for marriage. She
could not ask Dave to assume the
support of her mother; particularly
In view of Mrs. Hardy's behavior
toward him. she could not ask that.
She sometimes wondered IL Coward
For long while she refused to COM
plete the thought, but at length, why
not? Why shouldn't Coward marry
her mother? And what other purpose
could he have in his continuous visits
to their home? 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. If they should
marry Irene was no plotter, but 1t
did seem that such a match would
clear the way for all concerned. She
was surprised, when she turned 1t
over in her mind. to realize that Con-
ward had won for himself such place
In her regard that she could conten-
plate such a contamination as very
much to be desired Subconsciously,
rather than from specific motive, she
assumed a still more friendly attitude
toward him.
Bert Morrison's confession had, how
ever. set up another very insistent
train Of thought in Irene's mind. She
realized that Bert. with all her show
Of cynIclsm and mascullnity, was
really a very womanly young woman,
with just the training and the insight
into life that would make her almost
irresistible should she enter the mat
rimonial market. And Bert and Dave
were already good friends; very good
friends indeed, as Irene suspected