Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-02

ed that Joe had not had the nerve to |
ASK them TO his wedding. Ethel could |
feel herself burning inside.
mistake not to have asked then?
no! What had they to do with It? What
had been a mighty poor lot of friends, |
with empty minds and money hearts, |
just clothes and food, late hours and
wine! They had been decidedly bad for
him, had drawn him off from his real
work and plunged him into the rusll to
be rich voice within her. from un-
derneath. was asking, "Or was II Amy?"
But she paid no heed to that. 1t asked.
you taken the trouble to And out :" But
angrily she answered that she wanted
friends of her own, that she couldn't be
Just second wife. i've got to be all
different % viii ne% she bye sgOo.t got TO seand earnd
Besides. 1t was what Joe needed exactly
He showed already what Il had meant
to be rid Of such friends Had he ever
talked Of Paris before, or his dreams
and ambitions or anything real? But
the voice retorted sharp and clear,
why hide It then2 why let this fool
ish. dangerous habit of never MENTIONING
Amy's name keep growing up between
you and your husband? It may do
afraid Off"
Nothing whatever, she replied. She
decided 20 speak of II then and there.
She would be perfectly natural and ask
him, Who are your friends over there?
Some people Amy used TO know" And
she grew rigid all at once. Her throat
CONTACTED and felt dry. Angrly she bit
her lip. But the habit Of silence
| carefully pleasant smile she was at
| tending to his talk and by her questions
drawing out more and more of his life
abroad.
Ills work." she thought, that's the
strongest thing to hold his mind away
from those people" And soon she had
him talking Of the Beaux Arts, archi-
styles" things she was quite vague
about, but she did not have to listen
now. That was always so safe, she told
| herself. She was even a little jealous of
this puzzling, .engrossing work. which
| could so hold her husbands mind. She
| frowned. That was as 1t should be; a
mans work was. his own concern. But
| his living, his home, what he did at
night? ~
There will have to be friends for both
Of us. / need them, too. oh. how need
find her? Somewhere in this city there
must be just the people want-if only
| could reach them "
And presently she was saying aloud in
| n lazy careless tone of voice,
Sometimes I get wondering, Joe. II
there isn't Paris in New York"
Early one evening Joe came in with
sheath of roses In his arms. and when
she had exclaimed at them and breathed
| deep of their dewy fragrance, he nent
over and kissed her, and said a little
huskily,
i've got some big news for you, lit
tie wife. It's big. It's going to mean
/ so much"
What Ia it, Joe?"
She stared up intently into his eyes
| He was telling her he had made money.
He was telling how the approaching
birth Of their small son had made him
feel he must put an end to these ups
and downs. and how he had worked and
! racked his brains. He told of heavy bor-
rowing, of anxious weeks, of a wonder
full stroke of luck at last which not only
made him rich for the moment bu,
was speaking of what this would mean
| to them here. He knew how hard 1t had
been Tor her and how pluckiiy she had
come through without, ever asking for
He had made money! What was the
matter? She heard it all In fragments,
topsy turvy. What was wrong? Here
is a Joe I've never known" Still star
I strange exultant lights the excitement
in his husky voice struck into her SER
sitive ear and Jared and she nearly
shrank from the clutch Of his hand. She
till suddenly she saw in his face his sharp
disappointment at the way she was TAX
ing his news With a pang of alarm
she reused herself and said,
| "Oh, Joe, it's too wonderful! It's Sc
sudden It strikes me all of a heap!
And she laughed unsteadily, seized his
hand and kissed ii, talking rapidly her
eyes glstening all the while with foolish
| tears. Fiercely then she asked herself
why can't YOU enter in and be gay?'
But though she was doing better now
and had him talking as before, again
and again she felt he was thinking how
different Amy would have been-how
in an instant, laughing. and crying. she
would have thrown herself into his
| arms
Yes, indeed, Joe she had never
| known, shaped and nodded by the wife
who had had him IN those early years
when a woman can do so much with q
man: can do what sets him In a groove
in work and living. tastes, ideals. And
thought | had done SO much" But
Amy,,s hand had still been there; he
1t was relief to have him gone.
Alone she could think more clearly.
what are you so frightened about?
OF being rich, you little fool?" No, she
to forget it existed, money to open al
the doors But this money Is coming
too soon! I'm not ready. I'm too young
And he'll expect so much of me now
|
for going slow til ] find what I want
He'll expect me to find friends at once
But where shall | find them all of a
sudden? It isn't as though We were
millionaires. really big ones. all in a
minute. The newspapers won't be very
excited the town will take II quite calm
ly quite And for the life of me | don't
see any friends rushing at us And YET
he'll expect 1t! SO much he'll expect
He'll give and give and give me things
and then wonder why | don't get any
where!" The angry tears leaped in her
eyes. Because he's different now, he's
changed! Al bursting with his big sue
mad Oh. how ] hate his business
and that detestable partner, too :"
A wave of rebellion swept over her a
the way she had been caught, tangled
into the life of a man and the fortune!
of the son she had borne him, and thi
brought quick remorse and tears, iron
which she fell into a deep sleep. Anc
when she awoke she found the nurse
And the days which followed witt
their peace, their slow return of health
and strength, brought assurance too
and she laughed at herself for having
been such a foolish child,
who needs friends so all OF a sud
den?''
But one day Emily came In and grimlS
remarked: There's a woman outsld,
WHO owns tnlS apartment
"What?"
"She acts that way. She's walking
round that sitting room-picking things
up and putting things down" Emily''
voice was rising in wrath.
Emily! Sh-h She'll hear you, Who
Is she? Didn't she give her Nance
Here's her name ~ And Emily pokeC
out a card at which Ethel looked in 9
startled way.
Fanny Carr! Now why has she come
here2"
will you see her or shall | tell hel
the fiat is already rented?"