The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-04-13

you the whole thing-T want you TO
understand :" she said. eagerly Rich
ard looked at her in some anxiety;
there was no acting here. The rich
hair was pushed carelessly from the
troubled forehead. She was huddled
In the enveloping coat, a different fig
ure indeed from his memory Of the
superb and angry girl Of last night in
the library lamplight.
"Mr. Carter, never knew my moth
er-" she began. But he interrupted
her.
MY dear" he said. In a tone he
might have used to Nina. He laid his
warm. fine hand on hers. and patted
It soothingly. "My dear girl. II you
feel that you would like TO 60 to that
motherly sister of yours-if you feel
that It would be wiser"
"Oh, am going to Linda at onceI"
Harriet said. feverishly. hurt to the
soul. 81 had planned that! But-but
won't you let me tell your" she plead
ed. She had framed the sentences a
hundred times in the long night; they
failed her utterly now, and she CROPPED
for words 81 was only three years
old when my mother died" she said.
"Of course I don't remember herr
only remember Linda. I was shy my
father was q professor, we were too
poor to have very much social life. I
lived in books, lived in my fathers
shabby little study really: never had
an intimate girl friendi Linda was
always good-angelical1y good-talk-
ing of the Armenian sufferers, and Of
the outrages in the Congo, and Of the
poor in New York's lower East side
she never cared that we were poor,
and that we hadn't clothes!'
81 know known Richards eyes
were smiling as II he knew the pic
ture, and liked It.
"Well, Linda married when I was
ten, and Josephine came. and then
Julia came. I still lived for books and
babies. But, unlike Linda. I cared"
| HaYriet's whole face glOwed; she
looked off into space, and her voice
| had a longing note. 81 cared for
clothes and good timesl" she said. 81
| adored the children. but I dreamed
ments! I knew that other women did
| It"
81 remember feeling that way"
| Richard commented, mildly, as she
| paused
"Wel1," Harriet said, 'I met Royal
| Blondin one night. He lived in our
| town-Watertown. He had a dreadful,
artificial sort Of mother. My sister
didn't approve Of her at all. A friend
Of his named Street was an artist, and
he had a nice little wife, and baby,
and they lived in a big. barnlike sort
| Of studio. It seemed wonderful to me.
| They loved each other and their baby,
but they were so free! They would
have the whole crowd to dinner,
twenty Of us, bread and red wine and
| macarOni and music and talk; II was
wonderful-or I thought so! II was
so different from Linda's ideas, Of
frosted layer-cake. and chopped nuts.
and Five Hundred. loved the studio,
and they-they all loved me, and he
-Royal-loved me especially. He used
to talk about Yogi philosophy and
Oriental religions and poetry. and aft
er awhile 1t was understood among
J them all that he loved me. and him.
And we were engaged. OF course
Linda suspected. and there was Oppo-
sition at home. but in the studio, help
ing the Streets get their suppers, 1t
seemed 80 right-so simple! Royal
said he did not believe in the orthodox
ceremony of marriage. He argued that
no one could live up to its promises,
and 1 believed him. Miriam Street
the artists wife, was a poet, and she
wrote the ceremony by which we were
married. We had a big supper, and
they were all there, and this poem
this marriage poem-was beautiful. II
was published in a magazine, after
ward, and called A Marriage for True