The Washington herald., 1922-09-19
The Beautiful
And Damned
Continued from Yesterday.
By p. Scott Fitzgerald.

uounCcu- lnpdEIlnB ner ucuBhihui
secret Though she must have been
older then than any of the boys in
college. she managed always to 'e-
cure some sort of invitation. imag-
ming vaguely that at the next party
would occur the Irritation which was
to end at the romantic altar,
.'where've you been?" inquired
Anthony. unfailingly amused.
I've been at Hot Springs. It's
been slick and poppy this fall
more men,
Are you in love. Muriel?"
What do you mean Iove'?' This
was the rhetorical question of the
year. I'm going to tell you some
thing" she said. switching the sub
ject abruptly. Il suppose it's none
of my business. but I think it's time
for you TO settle down.
why. we are settled down"
Yes. you are!" she scoffed arch
ly. Everywhere 1 go 1 hear stories
I have an awful time sticking up
for you
You needn't bother" said Gloria
coldly.
. Now. Gloria" .ne protested,
you know I'm one Of your best
friends,
Gloria was silent. LIuriel con-
tinued:
It's not so much the idea OF
woman drinking, but Gloria's so
pretty. ard so many people know
her by sight all around. that it's
naturally conspicuous-
what have you heard recently?"
demanded Gloria. her dignity going
down before her curiosity.
We'll. for instance. that party in
Marietta killed Anthonyis grand
father"
Instantly husband and wife were
tense with annoyance.
Why. l think that's outrageous"
That's what they say" persisted
Muriel stubbornly.
Anthony paced the room. IT'S
pTeposterous." he declared. The
very people we take on parties shout
the story around as a great joke
and eventually it gets back to US
IN some such form as this"
GIorla began runEing her finger
through A stray reddish curl. MurieI
licked her veil as she considered her
next remark.
You ought to have a baby"
Gloria looked up weariIy.
We can't afford it,"
All the people in the slums have
tLem." said Murial triumphantly.
Anthony and Gloria exchanged a
smile. They had reached the. STAGE
of violent quarrels that were never
made up, quarrels that smouldercd
and broke out again at intervals
or died away from sheer indffffr-
ence. but this visit of Muriel's drew
them temporarily together When
the discomfort under which they
were living was remarked upon BY
third party it gave them the I'M
petus to face this hostile world to-
gether. 1t was very seldom now
that the impulse toward reunion
sprang from within.
Anthony found himself associat-
ing his own existence with that of
the apartments night elevator man,
pale, scraggly bearded person OF
about 90. with an air of being some
what above his station. 1t was
probably because of this quality
that he had secured the position: it
made him pathetic and memora BILE
failure. Anthony recoIlected, with
out humor, hoary jest about the
elevator mans career being a mat
Ter of ups and down-it was, at any
te' an enclosed life of infini;s
dreariness. Each time Anthony
& inf
breathlessly for the old mans We'll.
l guess were going to have some
sunshine today" Anthony thought
how little rain or sunshine he would
enjoy shut into that close little cage
In the smOke-colored, windowless
hall.
A darkling figure. he attained
tragedy in leaving the life that had
used him so shabbily. Three young
Sunmen came in one night, tied MIN
up and left him on a pile of coal in
the cellar while they went through
the trunk room. When the janito"
found him next morning he had COL
lapsed from chill. He died of pneu-
mOnia four days later.
He was replaced bv glib Mar
Unique negro with an incongruous
British accent and a tendency to be
surly, whom Anthony detested. The
passing of the old man had APPROX
imately the same effect on him that
the kitten story had had on Gloria.
He was reminded of the cruelty of
all life. and, in consequence, of the
Increasing bitterness of his own.
lie was writing-and in earnest at
last. He had gone to Dick and lis
tened for a tense hour to an eluci-
dation OF those minutiae of procedure
which hitherto he had rather scorn-
fully looked down upon. He needed
money immediately-he was selling
bonds every month to pay their bills
DICK was frank and explicit:
SO Tar as articles on literary SUBJ
Jects in these obscure magazines go.
you couldn't make enough to paw
your rent. OF course, il a man has
the gift Of humor or a chance at a
big biography or some specialized
knowledge he may strike it rich.
But for you fiction's the only thing.
You say you need money right
away?"
Il certainly do"
Well, it'd be a year and a half
before you'd make any money out of
novel Try some popular stories.
And, by the way. unless they're ex-
ceptionally brilliant they have to
be cheerful and on the side of tbs