Catoctin clarion., 1921-08-04
VALUES
--o
BY CAROL FARMER.

Ok--lilc ciCNutCu IL,
too weary even to try TO protect her
self from the jolts caused by the prox-
Unity Of her fellow sufferers. Despite
her pallor and evident exhaustion her
face shone fiower-like above her shah
by furs.
'"Tired. AliceT
Her companion clumsily tried to
steady her as she was almost swept
Off her feet between the human mael-
strom, those fighting to get off and
those getting OH. like two mighty
streams. each determined to have the
right Of way.
The girl felt that if he touched her
again she would scream. Tonight
more than ever he seemed to typify
all the things she hated with every
fiber Of, her being, all the sordidness
which so far had made up her life
All about her was the same apathy !;
the self-evident signs of struggle for
roof over ones head and enough to
cover ones nakedness Of body If not
of spirit. She tried to bring her hard
won philosophy into play.
She had her health and Joe, and q
monentary pang of compunction
smOte her. In all the world he was
the only one who really cared any
thing about her. To all the hustling,
pushing throng she was nothing but a
mere atom.
In the deep receSses of her soul she
knew that In marrying Joe she was not
being true to her higher self. She
knew 1t would mean the end Of all her
striving for some Of the beauty and
Joy of life No matter how hard she
tried she could never take him up
ward and onward with her; she would
have to come down to his level. While
he secretly admired and stood in awe
Of her motions" as he called them,
they were entirely beyond his compre-
hension.
When she allowed herself to think,
Alice despised herself for giving up
the struggle so ignObly. But she was
so tired Of the eternal loneliness. the
cheeress room. with It's musty damp
ness and single gas jet. Of the bargain
basement with Its tight-skirted gum
chewing. rOuged prisoners, with whom
she felt so. inadequate to cope. And
Joe seemed to offer her the only escape,
her only surcease. Dull. plodding, yet
he could give her physical companion
ship. home better than she could win
for herself. and mitigate the ever
present Specter of the wolf on her
horizon.
But her dreams; they could never
be anything else hut dreams, and she
would have to dream alone. So they
were to be married the next day.
Suddenly, she looked down straight
into the eyes of woman who was the
very essence of all her visions. Svelte,
beautifully gowned, with the pride Of
race in every line, she looked as out
Of place In that throng as lily in Il
potato patch. And as their eyes clung
for one long moment, Alice envied
with an envy that was as poignant as
a knife In an open wound.
Leila had dropped breathlessly into
seat. her pulses tingling with a new
excitement rather childishly proud Of
the fact that she, among all that aw-
ful crush, had secured seat. Not
that she was tired. for she had been
at matinee all afternoon ana AS
usual had stepped directly into her
luxurious limousine, waiting for her at
the close of the performance. But
midway the car had broken down and
she had taken a sudden fancy to go
home on the cars. The experience at
this hour was a unique one, something
beyond her ken.
for seat, even for foOthold, meant
nothing to her. She could not even
sense the crushing weariness of the
tired-eyed women and perspiring men.
For Leila had had ease and beauty
and luxury all her life and she had
But she had had her dreams, too
such wonderful dreams of gallant
lover, tender comrade and laughing
little children-a life above the selfish,
lndolent life worldly mother had
forced on her. And she, too, had had
to give up her dreams; had watched
them drift away day by day like little
errant silver clouds overpowered by
gold and might.
For instead of gallant lover she
had married power; Instead of
cOmrade, money-making machine
and instead Of encircling little arms
and childish prattls, there was a big
house whose rooms seemed filled with
a haunting quiet that thrilled her
soul.
she felt exhilarated, she forgot her
boredom; forgot that she was going
home to a silent dinner to sit opposite
a husband who thought that women
were only dolls to be bought and paid
for and looked upon as a symbol Of
mans material success. These peo-
pie all about her-what interests they
must have, what strivings for dreams
not yet fulfilled, what glorious hopes.
She watched hungrily the tender
solicitude Of the man for the pretty
girl who stood before her, and her
mind painted glowing pictures of their
future together. Oh, to be once again
at the threshold of youth and love,
out of her golden prison, free to
choose and dream again, even as this
girl.
And as the car rounded curve and