The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-05-18
A Pillar of
Salt
.x*x*x*x*x*x*x*X*x*x*x*x*i
BY WILL T. AMES
g. 1872. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

closest friends were calling her "The |
Pillar of Salt" That was because, as
birdlike little Rhoda Fellows had |
phrased it, she had driven all the |
sweetness out of her life by standing
stock still and looking back, like Lots |
wife, The looking back was nt long |
closed chapter-a romance now many
years in the past.
There was no venom In Mrs. Eel
lows's description of Anne only regret
and little impatience-that a girl
as attractive as Anne, with brains in
her head and so much better looking
than most" should shut away the full
ness of life from herself because of a
memory, "even," to quote Rhoda again,
''if she did make a mistake In not
marrying Lloyd Penning"
"No man on earth Is worth 1t - ex-
claimed Myra Hawley, whose adora-
tiOn of her husband was notorious In
the set. Unless, of course, you're ac-
tually married to him." she FASTENED to
amend. And then you don't have TO
nope because you didn't, do your" she
added as an ambiguous afterthought.
Thus for almost eight years had the
friends of Anne Huntington concerned
themselves out of their affection and
loyalty, with the state of her heart and
her prospects of happiness.
At twenty-three Annes life had
opened its arms to love. 1t was some
thing quite aside from the girls voli-
tion. She was carefree, heart whole.
I-tp tntr xasit ha tAts Of
NAL, happy, enthusiastic young crea-
ture to whom the problems Of life
seemed to lie remotely ahead. Then
came Lloyd Penning. And in a day, as
II by magic, the girl found the balance
of her existence overset. Her life no
longer proceeded along the straight line
of normallty; it revolyed dizzily about
this new sun.
The women Of her set declared Lloyd
Pennlng tremendously fascinating. 1t
was not surprising, they said, that
Anne Huntington should fall deeply
In love with him. The men protested
that there was nothing so wonderful
about the young fellow. Except his
hair" qualified Dicky Fellows. Hes
got the loveliest halr" and Dicky
rolled his eyes in burlesque ecstasy.
The set had never experienced a
more dynamic love affair. 1t lasted
three months. And then, with a crash,
it ended. There was another girl, II
seemed-a girl who even then wore
Lloyd's ring He had failed to tell
Anne about her, and 1t was this failure,
more than the existence of the girl
herself, that caused Anne, white faced
but implacable, to send him away. He
had comeback 10 the city whence he
came, and back to the other girl.
Anne Huntington took up the round
of her life as IL had been before. All
but its kernel and core of joyousness
Look here, Billy" demanded Rhoda
Fellows, "why don't you just make
Anne Huntington marry you? It's q
sin and a shame for you two to so on
this way, year after year-neither OF
you growing bit younger-wher
you're the most wonderful match that
ever was. Geel II 1t wasn't for Dicky
and the tots could wish i were mar
myself"
"Rhody," replied big, kindly VII
Forbes, you're dear, and | love yor
like brother, but you don't know
much-about your nearest girl chum
1t simply can't be done. l flatter my
self Anne likes me-she seems to bC
able to stand my hanging around her
and I'd give py-well, i guess yoI
know. But | can't reach her, Rhody
/ can't reach her. Somehow | don't be
lleve there's anybody who could. Sh
won't let herself care"
GAY little Rhoda Fellows was yer.
near to tears when Forbes, hastll!
finding an excuse, took himself or t.
the smoking room. 1t was at coun
try club afternoon"
1t was Mrs. Fellows and Mrs Haw
ley, conspiring, who brought Lloy'
Penning TO town after an eight years
absence. Through an out-of-town gues
Mrs. Fellows learned that Penning ha
grown rich In automobiles and ha
been widowed for two years. Hawle
built automobiles. Urged by Myra, h
wrote to Penning about potentia
agency, then invited him TO the factory
Rhoda gave little dinner, keepin
Pennlng secret, and summoned Ann
Huntington to the feast
Anne, lovely. self-contained, arrive
as usual at the last permissible mir
ute. "You know everybody, Anne, e'
cepting-oh, yes; including-Mr. Pei
ming" said Mrs. Fellows, trembling II
wardly at her temerity, for well sh
knew how outrageous was this thin
she was doing.
"Know me? Anne Huntington? Wei
I'll say SOL" exclaimed Penning. "Elgl
years isn't a lifetime-folks don
change much In eight years. do the.
Amer He had crossed the room an
taken her hand, holding 1t while b
spoke.
"Perhaps not" replied Anne calml
with what effort none there kney
"Perhaps less than, just ut first, "
think"
n A