The Omaha morning bee., 1922-10-30
SOULS for SALE

BY RUPERT HUGHES.

NA f-tsfh''"Nf
2 disposition u her aud her things
Z She accepted the vacant room ard
made no dsmur az the decorations
lett 10y is Late occnpant-nnapshuia
VI rollirking beach parties. OF horse.
back rides through canons. OF Greek
dancers. ~ postal cards with queer
photographs and queer jokes, pors
ituita Of stars and others, all IN =
high state nf excitement,
During the train ride and Mems
Iehntter Mrs, Stcddnn had been doing
como earnest thinking IN n little pfis
ente brain room just back of the au
ditoHum Her husband had pledged
her a. write him frankly how their
poor child wns and how 9on she
would be strong enough 90 bo brought
back home Mrs steddon had prompt
|ly realized that Mem WIS far too
strong 10 be- brought back h0mo ai
( all. She realized, too, that IN she
wrote her husband frankly Just how
Mem WIS and what she was up 10,
\ pr Steddon would probably fall dcad
IN his study. or have an apoplcxy in
7 the pulpit when he stood up 10
Ihrourpe the sins ~ his congregation
aud frlt hia whip hand stayed by the
fact that his own sheltered pet had
gone WronEer than any girl IN town
Of recent memory
/ Mrs. Steddon did not want 10 com
NIT murder She was not like that
ancient monster ~ Helf.preaeryatlon
who said thnt II oil mankind stood on
Il balance 10 be dumped into hell un.
less he told o lie, IL was his duty 70
tell the truth
Mrs Steddon was one Of those
craven wrctchos who would have
told million lies 10 keep one poor
aoul from being dumped into hell
She had never quite understood the
extraordinary precedence tho truth
had uaurped over love, mercy, c0ur.
tesy. and convenience She never
He'd In her own behalf or 10 save her.
SELF from blame, She He'd to the
children about Santa Claus, about
how quickly bad children are pun.
Ished and how inevitably good chill.
dren are rewarded; about how infilll.
bly, right their father wag, and such
commonplace household perJurios. She
lied 10 her husband necessarily about
how wise La was, how eloquent. She
applied nntrnth generally az n Kind
of nrnica. n hrstaid panacea
Her only heHitance now concerned
Just what untruth IL waH safest and
most satisfactory 10 tell him.
She was wicked woman, and Il
w4s small wonder that she rapidly
lapsod into enormous popularity
among the lost souls Of Hollywood
Fortunately, her daughter left her
alone for "A while and she had time
N her bedroom 10 work out an at
tfactlve lie. She must say that Mem
vas well. That WAS n good solid fact
10 reht the sprlngboard OF fancy on
She must explain that Mem had left
Palm Springs for Los Angeles. why?
Well, because she had chance 10
improve her position--and her doctor
said that Palm Springs. was too full
Of palms or something. A Doctors
advice was the best bet. because n
doctor was the only human power
that her husband recognized as sr.
perior to his own impulses.
Next, what Was Mem doing I'm Los
Angeles 70 support herself? She had
written that she needed no more
money from home. II would be fatal
TO say that she had entered upon a
einematic career. And II would be
adding humiliation TO infamy to adj
nit that she had lost her Job even IN
that inferno.
Mrs. Steddon ehewed the end Of
The penholder into pulp before a llgnr
from some place inspired her. old
Increase Mather, In explaining how
old witches did not always sink when
thrown into the water, observed that
the devil can also work miracles, and
II must have been Beelzebub who IN.
held this old witch OF Mrs. stecdon
ID the deep waters about her.
But the miracles Of hell like those
or heaven, confer only a Temporary
beneht. DR.. Steddon would accept
her falsehoods without suspicion, plr
woe unto her when he should learn
the hideous truth.
for the moment, however. Mrs.
Steddon was inspired to write TO her
trusting husband that she found Mem
in very good health and engaged in