The Washington herald., 1920-11-27
The Marriage Mill
BY Mildred X. Barbour
Copyright, 1920. by The Wheeler
Syndicate. Incl
wOMAN's MEMORIES.

~ "oS idte "Hth AllSOu returned
home. Barbara Wales had retired,
but her mother gave her an account
OF the evening in her little sitting
room before a cheerily blazing fire.
When Alison. in turn. recounted
her experiences with her father.
Mrs. Atherton turned away with
rather more color in her cheeks than
the firelight warranted.
Il promised to see him about
getting loan from Barbara" she
murmured. He seems to be in some
financial difficulties"
Il was rather young when we
dropped father by the wayside but
I seem to recall that he was always
in financial difficulties" remarked
Alison dryly. Surely you're not
thinking of taking him back?"
"Oh. no. no. of course not" re-
turned Mrs. Atherton rather too
quickly.
After a pause, she said:
He has aged well. don't you
think? 1t is surprising to find him
looking so young"
Her daughter looked at her
searchingly across the freight.
Mother. ] believe you actually
care for him stifi."
WI <ttntFton
and forced a light laugh.
You see. my dear. II is hard for
a woman to be utterly Indifferent
to a man who has been her husband
at one time, no matter how brief
that time may have been"
Alison considefed this with deli
cately wrinkled brow.
Il wonder IL that is so? Here.
Larry and / have been married
less than a year. and am con-
WINGED that I am Indifferent to him
and yet-The thought of his play
ing around with that Evans girl
does make me furious"
II dare say he's raging about
father" she added after a minute.
Mother, I'll have to tell him who
my supper guest really was. Do you
mind?"
Mrs. Atherton shook her head.
She was Staring into the fire dream
iy.
Tell him tomorrow by all means"
But Alison was unable to act on
the suggestion. for on calling his
office next afternoon, she was in
formed by Larry's secretary that
Mr.. Osborne had gone to Canada on
a business trip which would keep
him away the best part of the week
She hung up the receiver with a
shrug.
''Kismet." she murmured, and chin
in hand. sat staring out of the win
dow across Kate Gibson's wind
swept garden.
1t was a grey lowering day, with
the feel of snow in. the air. A day
that called for a cozy room and a
blazing fire. and shining brass ket-
tie singing on a well-provisioned
tea-tab1e.
Alison had a swift vision Of her
own charming living room with its
rose shaded lights defying the chill
greyness of the outdoor world. She
saw herself in the primrose-and-
heliotrope chiffon tea gown, with
her satin-shod feet resting on a
cushion before the fire, and a box
of bonbons at her elbow, waiting
for the sound of Larry's three steps
at-a-time ascent of the stairs.
She could almost feel the breath
of frosty air that would cling to his
great coat as he entered the warm
room. A little thrill went through
her at the thought of his arms and
his kiss, as he greeted her.
She would divest him of his coat
anu anu pciSh oh tnC drIn
of his chair. her cheek against his
hair, while he told her the gossip of
the day, drawing her down to him
afterward for a rapturous embrace.
Moments like that were life-and
she had known them. She came out
of her day-dream and shook her
self, as though to rid herself of
visions.
Reality knocked at the door of
memory.
Instead of the warm, rose-lighted
room with the dainty woman by
the fire, Larry had more often come
home to a dusty, ill-kept apartment,
with a sareless maid to greet him.
And mostly. she. Alison, had
waited impatiently for Larry who
came home after convivial seance
at the club with Tony Grant, or re-
mained away entirely on some err
rand of his mothers and Jane Ward
well.