, 1922-02-23
Her Husbands
Namesake
'By MARTHA MAcWiLLIAMs

1922. by Mcclure 10 wspaper Syndicate

All the west was q cOlor-rlOt-
masses of flame. and crimson, and
purple-pennons of Furnished gold
streamed almost to the zenith, chang
Ing shape momentarily as ruffling
winds tossed them about. Rain had
fallen a mile southerly-the smell of it
came fresh and sweet across the sweet
briar hedge.
Norma rejoiced in the winds touch
1t brought something of GOODNESS TO
her flushed face, her aching head. If
only she could lie prone on the deep
grass and let it lull her to sleep. But
that was out of the question. In
twenty minutes. at the outside, she must
be back. the center and pivot of
hurly-burly.
She was glad of the train blockade
that had made the house party
late in arriving. They were due around
8 o'clock-so she had two hours more
for the press of work, and now this
blessed interval of sheer idleness. She
had not dared hope for it as she
hustled into her white frock and
twisted up her masses of bright hair
with no more than a glance in the
mirror.
Aunt Jane, had done her work
thoroughly in making her niece free
of such sins as vanity and self-con-
sequence. She had impressed upon
her all the five years since she came
to live at Lone Elm her supreme un-
Importance In the scheme of things,
also how imperative it was that she
should rejoice to serve as foil for
Jean, her brilliant and beautiful
cousin. Norma had no blood claim
upon Mrs. Burton-she was niece to
her first husband, poor young Stanley,
who had died when Jean was a baby.
Money had come with the Burton
name-by way of a stern and tyran-
nical coal magnate, who In place OF
dying In n year or so, as his new wife
and his doctor reasonably expected,
lived on and on. prisoner to a wheel
chair, clutching his money bags with
a miser's grip a matter of fifteen years.
He accounted logically for much
that was unpleasant in his wife. Hope
deferred makes the temper sick no
less than the heart. Freedom came
near to going to her head. Luckily
Miss Jean had a stronger will and
way, so kept her mother off the rocks
of n third and impossible marriage.
In reward the mother was permitted,
indeed all but forced, to take her
ease, revel In luxury and the sweetness
of doing nothing. also in the onse
quence of possessing great riches. For
1t could be said of the late unlamented
Burton: Nothing In his life became
him like the leaving It," All his
wealth came to his wife in fee. ITO
give her a whip-hand over that mink,
her daughter" he had explained to
his lawyer. The money had been put
into n flexible sort of trust-alI the
income could be spent and so much
of the principal as his legal advisers
thought needful. Mrs. Burton could
will the fortune exactly as she chose
failing to VIII 1t, 1t reverted to
charity.
Jean laughed her ARREST over that
provision. A If I'd let such a thing
happen" she said impertinently to her
mother. i've made you do as ]
pleased almost ever since / was born
how else did you scrape for the money
l needed with Old King Coal? No;
l don't wan a settlement-now. II
makes the men so much nicer to both
of us to feel they have two to please
IF they get anything. Then nobody
can say when my true love comes he's
marrying me for my money"
Suppose he does not Gomez" Aunt
Jane had protested, half angrlly. Jean
had locke at her as though doubling
her sanity. You're a nice one-to
overlook the pull of great expecta.
TONS" she laughed.
A friendly pair. Jane and Jean.
They remained so notwithstanding
James lapse into sentlmentallty. AL
belt they nearly quarreled over this
handsome, titled fortune hunter. after
II they ran In couple beautifully.
hunting each In her own line, yet with
due regard TO the others inclinations.
Some daring spirits tried to veer from
mother to daughter. and vice versa.
These afforded sport to the pair OF
charmers in their moments of con.
fidence. Norma they minded no more
than n chnlr or a dressing table, so the
girl who quivered spiritually like a
hound In leash, wondered II ever there
would rise n day that would see her
recognized as human.
Hope of such n thing had grown
faint and dim. Nobody was oyer-rude
TO her. but there was insult In the
easy ignoring of her on every hand
She was simply part of the back.
ground FOR her klnfolk. spending her
hot youth in their service for bread
and n roof.
II there Is patience fate may shuttle
the cards. Norma was To prove e.. AS
She stood facing the soft-scented
wind a voice behind her said defer.
entlally "Will you kindly make II
possible for me to speak privately