The Washington herald., 1921-04-24
PERDIIA
"Ifs a Lonely World"
Said the Man. "Why
Be Afraid of Happiness?"

Win nrc many Times DeIOEe
fate threw her in the path of Eric
Lenmore. but despite her nature. or per-
haps because of it. she had recoiied from
the scorching flame In time-recoiled
and then waited for Ii to flicker into view
again; inviting it. watching II surge to-
ward her: combating 1t; fascinated yet
fearful; fleeing: then waiting again. For
that was her nature.
And then she met Eric Lenmore.
Her name was Anne-Anne Wells. But
the circle in New York that knew her
best-or. to be more exact, that saw her
.oftenest-called her Perdita- That was
the name . young painter had given her
because OF her eyes. He said her eyes,
gray and slow moving under their dark
lashes yet so wonderfully magnetic for
all their languor, were the very eyes for
Gainsborough's "Perdita-"
The name clung; 1t did seem to suit
her better than the other; for Anne some-
how, connotes repose, tranquility, peace.
and there was no peace about Perdita-
neither about her personality nor her his
tory. She was like the wind which
sweeps over the prairie country from
which she came. like the turbulent flames
which. at times, have surged up there to
devour and destroy. No: there was no
rest in the soul of Perdita. Even when
she used to hide behind that seeming of
gentle acquiescence she so often wore
a mask. there was a hint of something
willful and repressed in her thin, barely
smiling lips; and in her eyes a CLINT Of
something sought for and never found.
She came from the prairie country, but
she was not like the fraiIIy pink bios
SONS which ask but to color briefly the
bare spring woods of that Iand-wind-
flowers, so strangely named Nor though
daughter of the of
built of sturdy pioneer stuff, calm, un.
questioning patience. Even as a child she
was not docile. And when the time came
for her to marry and settle down." Per.
dita-or Anne, as she was still ineptly
calIed-declined to marry and settle
down" Now. parents In that section ex-
pected and desired their daughters, when
come to a proper age. to marry and
Nsettle down" (as though marriage natur-
ally and inevitably signifies settling
down.. especially in q PerditaD How
ever, there were plenty of admirers ready
to undertake that risk for Perdita-tbat
As, Anne-had tried being engaged two
or three times before the breaking OF Of
her most recent attempt brought about q
Definite clash with her mother and I.
memorable conversation with her father
Mrs Wells was loving mother, but
much as q hen views the inexpIica BILE
sosnng she has Matched, she had always
fretted over the offspring she didn't undsr-
STAND AS child Anne had been strange"
and difficult" and now she va.-.u
In her own heart Mrs. Wells didn't oui,a
dare add "wayward"-didn't quite feel
indeed. that wayward' would be n lust
term to use. She avoided defining her
fears, yet knew they didn't stop with
dread of possible old maidhood, q caIam-
nous enough issue to one Of Mrs. Wells
old-fashioned school And when the latest
suitor' who, according to Mrs. Wells
logic, would be anchorage for all
tlme' not to mention his high eligibility
according to local standards, was thrown
into Anne's discard, the mother lost her
patience.
The father was more inclined to len
iency. Between him and his daughter
there had always been a close and curious
bond He did not pet her-Anne was the
type that shuns. seems almost to dread
uemonstrativeness-bu she talked with
MIN ABOUT things she could discuss with
no one else, sat with him in the conn
panionable siIences which can coma "a
those sympathetically attuned and, even
when they were absent from each other
at times seemed to catch his thought 1t
was curious-that. 1t sometimes hap-
pened. when Mr.. Wells would be sitting
on the porch of hot evening, wishing
for cool. refreshing drink, but too re-
laxed to 90 in and ask for 1t. Anne would
suddenly appear.
Here, dad is that nice, long, cold lem.
onade you're wanting"
Merely daughterly thoughtfulness? Per.
haps. But what was it when. as he sal
In placid silence listening to her, she
would suddenly turn on him with:
What have you got against this boy
dadr"
Why. what makes you think I've got
anything against him? I haven't said q
word"
But you're thinking Q lot-and 1 know
what you're thinkingr
And then he would have to confess hi
thoughts which, indeed. Tailed with he
suspicious
The family had become accustomed t.
these little homely manifestations o
thought transference. They had com
to seem natural; not at all strange; wer
taken as . subject for laughing commen
in ths Wells household The close com
munication between the two held througl
the years And Anne continued to d.
anything she wished with him up to tn
time of the storm over the last broke
engagement.
After q wordy session with her mothe
the girl came to her father. He kne,
nothing Of the tempest just brewed, ye
he looked up at her and said:
You want to talk to me about Arthur?
How did you know?" Then. not wait
ing for him to reply, she rushed on: ''Yei
that's til don't want to. marry Arthu
dadY
why. thought It was all settled an
you were the happiest gri In the worl'
What has happenedr
Nothing has happened. but"
Don't you love him thenT' he aske
as she hesitated.
Shs did not answer.