Evening star., 1922-10-01

TT KAS quarter to that
morning. full fifteen minutes
pas, the usual hour-when the
Il door Of Redmond's bedroom
opened and Redmond hastily emerg-
ed In the same haste he hurried
toward the stairs. He was late, that
was all there was to it--late at break
fast: and as he reached the stairs.
his eyes on the hall clock as he
brisked along. his absorbent. sone-
what boyish face wore on it look
of concern not unmixed with guilt.
Dear. DEAR" he chuckled.
To be late at ones own breakfast
table is. Of course, not so hefnous an
ofrense: but, as Redmond's haste
denoted. the case here was different.
Tifne-and with it promptness-
naturally concerned woman as
active and influential as Redmond's
wife. At any rate. in the life, the
career she had made for herself. Mrs.
Redmond long had found it necessary
to regulate her day to schedule
every minute OF which was actively
employed. She was, in fact. that
Mvrta Redmond whose prominence as
president of the women's state civic
federation was statewide. II not
national; and with the demands this
and her other activities made upon
her. it was only reasonable that Red
mond should do nothing to conflict
with her appointed plans. He was. 1t
seems. the minor Official Of an insur-
ance company in the city.
An absorbed and reticent, self
eftacins person. Redmond seldom If
ever came in contact with his wife's
official life. Even if he had, how
ever, it's unlikely that he would have
made much Of an impression on her
wide circle of acquaintances, her
social and political associates. Among
people Of affairs, the selected active
set that surrounded Myrta Redmond.
he would have been adjudsed obscure,
perhaps ineffectual-in a word, one
they termed domestic"
X i ~
THAT, indeed. was the word. True,
it was only once. Redmond had ap-
peared as honorary secretary OF
meeting Mrs. Redmond had convened,
the original appointee having Sec
cumbed at the final moment to q dis
tressing attack of migraine. His shy
embarrassment. however--hts ignor-
ance, too, Of the mere fundamentals
Of parliamentary law-at once had
betrayed his unfitness; and propelled
from one embarrassing blunder into
another, the ladies. his wife's as
sociates and herself included, had
automatically relieved him of the
place Afterward, II ever he ap-
peared at one OF the gatherings pre-
sided over by Mrs. Redmond, 1t was
in the role merely Of one Of the
audience-that, or in the back Of the
convention hall he was to be seen
lowering dimly-a shy and silent
figure, mutely distributing the hand
bills, the dodgers and other 'litera-
ture" Myrta Redmond had caused to
be printed.
"A mere husband" was Mrs. Hattie
Farrell Tuppers term for him. She
was vice president of the civic federa-
ton and q close political associate
of Mrs. Redmond's. 1t Is perhaps
shocking, though. to reflect that the
term she used fitted. Obscure and
self-effacins. John Redmond filled the
bill. A mere" husband! He essen
TALLY was that.
The hall downstairs was long and
spacious. 1t was. in fact, in character
with all the house-spacious not only.
but even vast. However. though
there were only these two to occupy
it--they, John Redmond and his wife
this, too, had it's explanation.
Space-or. as Myrta termed 1t. scope"
-MyrtA in her active life needed
naturally, and it was for this the
house had been selected-a habitation
suitably roomable for COMMITTEES
meetings. for cacuses and the like.
But then, this air y. largeness, Of
scope" was due not entirely to the
size Of the structure itself. The
furnishings-thato or. rather. the lack
of. them, accented this; and as Red
mond hastened along the hall, the
sight of it's present bare emptiness
pricked him with another thrust OF
conscience. a stab. Tonight meet
ing. a committee caucus, was to be
held. Myrta's candidacy and her CAM
paiRn. for a state ONCE were to be
discussed; and already the man-of-
alf-work, prompt at the task, mad
begun to move out the chairs, the
tables and other furnishings. Later.
they would be replaced by rows Of
folding stools chartered from the
local undertaken.
Redmonds concern grew more
evident. He was still hurrying. but
al he reached the breakfast room
and stepped inside. he stopped
abruptly.
"Hsllo" he exclaimed.
The breakfast room was vacant.
Mrs.. Redmond was neither there nor,
as 1t appeared. had she already
breakfasted and gone: and staring at
her empty place. Redmond's astonish-
ment grew.
ST%HE day was one OF vital impor-
tancs to his wife. At 8 pm. the
caucus would be called; and from now
till then every moment of her time
would be taken-planning, arranging.
seeing fellow members. mArshaling
all her forces for the night. The
offloA she sought was that OF state
supervisor-the peak, the apex to all
her present activities and ambitions;
and, as Redmond knew too, her
candidacy for the place was to be no