Evening star., 1922-01-15

V loyal. conscientious and self
1 i sacrificing in the highest de-
gree. Eut she was poignantly aware
that certain ambitions dear to her
heart had not been realized,
Even as Mrs. Ward was a good
woman, so her husband. Robert, was
a good man and a good lawyer. But
Just being good wasn't getting the
Wards anywhere.
Her husband, with all his industry
and the fine talents she knew him
to possess, was making no more
money at forty-seven than he had
made at thirty-fivc. Socially she had
gradually lost contact with the OLD
aristocracy without catching step
with the flourishing makers of brick
and other articles of commerce that
were carrying the fame of kernville
into new territory They had been
unable to send John to rhr Harvard
Law School, but he hal made :
fine record in the school of the state
university. and his name now .ap-
peared beneath his father.' ON the
door of the law office.
1t was remarked 2oout the court
that John had more punch than his
father, and was bound to suc"eed.
Helen Ward was quite as admir-
able and interesting as her brother.
The finishing school had lone ner
no harm and she returned 10 KerD.
willie without airs, assumptions "r
afectations The humor that was
denied their parents was HeleE's
and Johns portion in large measure.
They were of the Twentieth Cen
tury. spoke its language and knew
all it's signs and symbols.
John reached home from the Of
fee one day early in January and
found Helen preparing supper.
Great Scott. sis; has that last
girl faded already"
UCkIPPED, vamoosed. vanished.
~ Helen answered, looking up
from the gas range on which she
was broiling a steak. The offer of
q dollar more a week transferred her
TO the kirby's. The jokes on them.
She's the worst living cook. and not
even a success in hiding her fail
ures."
II hope" said John meditatively.
II hope the Kirbys suffer the most
frightful tortures before they die of
indigestion. Haven't invited us to
their party. have they?"
Not unless our invitations got lost
in the mails"
Look here, sis. that's rubbing it
In pretty hard, But in a way it's an
: act of reprisal. Mother didn't ask
Mrs. Kirby and Jeanette to the
tea for that National Federation
swell just before Christmas
"Oh. don't be so analytical, We're
An old family and mamma refuses 10
see any merit in people whose grand
parents didn't settle here before the
Indians left. And as We haven't the
money to train with the ancient aris-
tocracy we've got to huddle ON the
side lines
"Snobbery" said John ITS as
plain as daylight that we've got to
do something to get out Of the hole
or we're stuck for good. My pro-
fessional engagements don't exhaust
my brain power at present, and I'm
giving considerable thought to ways
and means OF improving our state,
condition or status as a family of
exalted but unrecognized merit"
You're doing nobly. John. Tom
Reynolds told me they were talking
Of running you for prosecuting at
torney. And there's Alice Hovey-
I understand all about that, John. I
think you're mistaken about the 1Io-
veys not liking YOU"
"Ah. Alice" he exclaimed mock
quite other ideas for Alice. But I
won't deny to you that I'm pretty
keen about Alice. Listen to me,
Helen" he went on with an abrupt
change of tone. You and Ned
Shepherd were hitting 1t off grandly
when something happened. He's
hne chap and I rather got the idea
that you two would make a match
of it,
"oh. no." she protested quickly but
unconvincingly.
His famiIy's trying to switch him
to Sally Pickett, but you do see him
occasionalIy?"
There were tears in her eyes as
she swung around from the range.
1--WE got to stop that. John! I'm
ashamed OF myself for meeting him
as Two been doing-walking with
him in the back streets and letting
him talk to me over the telephone
when mama isn't around. didn't
know -"
well. I just happened to spot you
Monday evening. and I meant to
speak to you about it. Not exactly
nice. sis. Ned's really a manly chap,
and I don't believe he'll be builied
into giving you up"
"All over now. john" she an
swered.
well, the course of true love never
did run smooth. Now give me the
potatoes and the coffeepot. Precede
me with the bread and butter.
There's mother at the front door
now"
MRS. WARD was the corresponding
secretary of a state federation
which used the mails freely. She
ate In silence. absorbed In her let.
ters.
John began talking of a case they
were to try shortly. They were ex-
planning 1t to Helen, when they were
silenced by an exclamation from Mrs.
Ward.
Here's news. indeed! This is
note from Mrs. Campbell. the Ruth
Sanders who was my best friend at
school-Mrs. Walter Scott Camp.
bell" she added impressively "It's