The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-10-11
Chapter 10

the big one.
Chapter 70
II was very smart place, my new
apartment. 1t was not large and had
belonged to wealthy artist, who had
built it over to suit his tastes, before
he had been called to Europe for a
year He sublet it to me through my
aunt's acquaintanceship with him.
Il fancy he had more money than
artistic ability" / remarked when we
first visited the place.
1t was very charming but scarcely
the sort of place where one could work.
1t was place to be idle in, to sit and
read and dream, to have tea, to receive
friends. to talk lightly-to give little
dances and dinners Everything was
designed for ease and pleasure, moth
ing for work.
NY living room was the so-called
studio" room two stories high with
a fireplace and balcony with great
India shawl flung over the balcony rail.
Great low couches and many cushions
were about and seat ran along the
big window in the front. Bear skins
and Turkish rugs covered a polished
floor When they were taken up, there
was room for several couples to dance,
with small orchestra on the balcony.
And the piano is excellent" said my
aunt, pointing to an exquisite ebony
baby grand that stood near the great
window.
! ran my hands over the keys-it
was lovely in tone Suddenly felt at
home-my new apartment had spoken
TO me. | thought of the operas and
concerts to come, when the season
opened, the musicians who would be
in the city. ! thought of the beautiful
music | might hear-and the hours |
could spend practising.
No, | was not cut out for the small
town. Ella disapproved Of Wagner,
Martha thought opera wicked, though
she played ragtime on her photograph,
and had the musical comedy hits" on
her piano and listened to songs with
very doubtful meanings in the tiny
vaudeville house in Wellsville.
| sat down, playing a few bars. On
consciously my fingers found some of
the Love and Death" music from
Tristan. I remembered the night
had played it for the strange musician
Nardonski at Gwendolyn's-withG Gwen
and my husband standing in the door
way listened-and the picture of them
walking away, his hand finding hers
as | saw it in the polished mirror-like
wood of the piano casing.
| broke off the music. and walked VI
The stairs, past the tiny room that was
the balcony, and into the bedroom
There were two-mine, which was
charming, and one for my maid Below
a handsome dining room was fitted tC
serve delicious dinners to guests
DO you like it?"
Yes | answered Il can't keeI
Connie here-but her mother write:
she wants her back, and of course,
must let her go
II think you'll be too busy TO mis-!
her my aunt observed.
She was right. had no time to my
self for weeks. Aunt Harriet. who's,
enormous energy kept her going lon!
after I was ready to drop. arrived eacl
day as Ellen was serving me a break
fast. This she insisted ] have in be,
and | found soon enough | needed tn,
extra rest it gave me.
Then she took me in her car to
dressmaker or a milliner. or a boo
maker. We spent our mornings vast
ing money and time. We lunched a
some smart restaurant with her friend
or some of the girls used to know.
We spent our afternoons at mat
nees, or shopping again, or at teas
People began to drift back to towr
and we made a round of calls tina
consumed hours.
In the evening. it was theatre:
dances, dinners. The opera opened an
| enjoyed that. My aunt managed t
secure a box TO herself after terrifi
struggle with three women of grea
social position and social climbe
with unlimited money.
But Harriets clever" my father ri
marked one afternoon. She can mar
age anything if she tries hard er
ough.'
How did she do this" | asked i'd,
] liked the music as we'll from a sea
below. or a bench at the very top {
the house as from a box-in fact, like
il better. for the boxes were public an
| hated being stared at. People wit
opera glasses leveled them at me. an