The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-23
The Story Of Julia Page-By Kathleen Norris

Tt wasn't anything you didn't know pose?" asked Richie, with what Jim thought unearthly prescience. ''No," Jim answered, with a startled look.
 '.Nor anything you'd particularly l care to have the world know or sus- pect?'' pursued Richie. Not any thing Julia could changer" "No," Jim said again. Richard | leaned back in his chair.
 Some scrap with her people, or some old friends she wanted to hang on to-" he unused. Jim did not speak.
 We'll said Richie. there would be plenty of people glad to be near Julia
 on any terms.''
 "Oh. know that" Jim said. And after a moment he burst out again:
 Richie, am I all wrong? Is 1t all on my side?"
 Lord, don't ask me-" Richie said hastily. '~The older I grow the less I think I know about anything. There was a silence. Richard clamped the arms of his chair with
 big bony fingers and drowned InOuSupIIu1ly SbI lAS hoOA-
 ''I wish to God I did know what to advise you, Jim,'' he said presently. ''I'd die for her-she knows that. But she's rare, Julia; it's like trying to deal with some delicate frai1 little lady out of Cranford, like trying to guess what Emily Bronte might like, or Eugenie de Guerin! JulIa'S got life sized up, she likes it- don't know whether this conveys anything E1,4 much as if it was part of a play. r ou don't matter to her any more; don't; she sees things too big. She's quite extraordinary; the most eXtraordin- ary person I ever knew, I think. There's a completeness, finish about her. She's not waiting for any self defence from you, Jim. It won't do you any good to tell her why you did this or that. You thought this was justified. you thought that was-cer- tainly, she isn't disputing it. You did what you did; now she's going to abide by 1t. You never dreamed thus and so-very well, the worse for you! You want to hark back to something that's long dead and gone; all right only abide by your decision. And after-ward, when you realize that she's a thousand times finer than the women you compare her to, and try to make her like, then don't come crying to heri"
 A long silence, then Jim stood up.
 Well, I've made an utter mess of it, as I began by sayfng!" he said, with a grim laugh. "Going to dine here, Rich? Let's eat together. Here" -one big clever hand gave Richard just the help he needed-''let me help | you, old boy!''
 'I thought I'd go home to Mill Val | ley," Richard said. "I can't catch | anything before the $40, but the | will scare me up some soup and a | salad I'd rather go. I like to wake | in my own place.
 'I wish you'd let me go with YOU. | Rich," Jim said, with a gentleness | new to him. I'm so sick of every | thing. I can't think of anything I'd | like so wel1.'
 Sure, come along.' Richard said. | touched. "Everything's pretty sim p1e you know, but I'll telephone 1 Bruce and have him--"
 Cut out the telephoning." Jim interrupted. Bread and coffee'n do. | And a fire, huh?"
 Sure" Richard said again, there's | always a fire"
 Great" Jim approved. we can SInORe, anu IdlR dDOul-
 About Ju,' Richie supplied. with a gruff little laugh, as he paused.
 About Ju.' Jim repeated. with long sigh.
 Two days later he went to see her, to beg her to be his wife again He asked her to forget and forgive the past, to trust him once more, to give | him another chance to make her hap py. He spoke of the Harley Street l house. of the new friends she would | find, of Barbara's nearness with the boys that Julla loved so well. He spoke of Anna; for Anna's sake they l must be together; their little girl must not be sacrificed. Anna should have the prettiest nursery in London, and in summer. they would go down l to Barbara and the cousins should | play together.
 Julia listened attentively, her head a. little on one side, her eyes following the movements of Anna herself, w:lo | was digging about under the rose | bushes in the backyard. Julia and | Jim sat Ion the steps that ran down | from the kitchen porch. It was a soft hay afternoon, with fln1y streaks of white crossing the pale blua sky, and sunshine, thin and golden, lying like a spell over Ju1ia's garden.
 T was a fool" said Jim. There T can't say more than that Ju. And I've paid for my folly. And, dearest, I'm so bitterly sorry! I can't explain 1t. I don't understand it myself only know that I'd give ten years off the end of my life to have the pasG five to live over again. Forgive me- Ju- It's all gone out of my heart now, all that old misery, and I never could hurt you again on that score It doesn't exist, any more, for me. Say that you'll forgive me, and let me be the happiest and proudest man in the world-how happy and proud taking my wife and baby to Eng land,"
 Gro Be Continued)