Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-13

Half way up Palmer lane she turned ir
at the cement path between borders OF
early perennials which led to the white
Wheeler house. She was flushed ant
angry, hating Glare for her unsolicited
confidence and her malice, hating ever
Hoverly, that smiling, tree shaded sub.
urb which talked"
She opened the door quietly and went
in. Micky, the Irish terrier, lay asleep
at the foot of the stairs. and her fa
ther's voice. reading aloud. came pleas
antly from the living room.
Suddenly her sense of resentment
died. With the closing of the front door
the peace of the house cnveloped her
What did it matter IL, beyond that door
there were unrcquited love and petty
gossip. and even tragedy? Not that
She put all that into conscious thought
she had merely sensation of sanctu .
ary and peace. Here, within these four
walls, were all that one should need
love and security and quiet happiness
Walter Wheeler. pausing to turn q
page. heard her singing as she went
up the stairs. In the moment of the
turning he too had fash Of content
Twenty-fiv" years of married life ant
ali well; Nina married. Jim out of co, :
lese. Elizabeth singing her way up the
stairs. and here by the lamp his wife
quietly knitting while he read to her.
lie was reading PARADISE Lost
THE mind is its own place, and in It.
self can make a heaven of hell, hell
of heaven"
lie did a certain amount of serious
reading every year.
On Sunday mornings, during the
service. Elizabeth earnestly tried to
Danish all worldly thoughts. In spite
OF this resolve. however. she was al
ways conscious of certain regret that
the choir seats necessitatcd tuI ming hcr
prohle to the congregation. At the nge
OF twelve she had decided that her nose
was too short and nothing had hap
pcned since to change her conviction.
She seldom SO much as glanced at the
congregation. During her slow prog =
ress up and down the main aisle behind
the Courtney boy. who was still n So.
prano and who carried the great gold
cross. she always looked straight ahead.
Or rather. although she was uncon-
sciocus of this. slightly up. Sne always
looked up when she sang. for she had
commenced to take singing lessons when
the piano music rack was high above
her head.
So she still lifted her eyes as she
went up the aisle. and was extremely
serious over the whole thing. Because
1t Is Il solemn matter to take a number
OF people who have been up to that
moment engrossed in thoughts of food or
golf or servants or business, and In the
twinkling of an eye, as the prayer
book said about death, turn their minds
to worship.
Nevertheless although she never
looked at the pews: she was always
conscious of two Of them. The one
near the pulpit was the Sayrss' ana it
was the social calendar of the town.
When Mrs. Sayrc was in 1t. 1t was the
social season. One never knew when
Mrs. Sayre's butler would cali up ana
say: II am speaking for Mrs. Sayre.
Mrs. Sayre would like to have the pleas
ure of Miss Wheeier's company on
Thursday to luncheon. at 80"
When the Sayre pew was empty. the
town knew, II it happened 10 be winter,
that the Florida or Santa Barbara sea
son was on; or in summer the Maine
coast.
The other pew was at the back Of tic
church. Always it had one occupant; |;
it had three. But the be-
haviOr Of this pew was very erratic.
man with white hair and fierce eye
brows would come in when the sermon
was almost over. Again, hand would
reach through the grill behind it, and
u tall young man who had had bis eyes
fixed in the proper direction, but not al
ways on the rector, would reach for his
hat. get up and slip out. On these oc-
casiOns, however, lie would first iden.
tify the owner Of the hand and then
bend over the one permanent occupant
Of the pew, q little old lady. His
speech was Yea. yea. or Nay, nay,
for he either said. ''I'll be back 70.
or Don't look for me until
you see me.
And Mrs. Crosby, without taking her
eyes from the sermon. would nod.
OF late years Dr. David Livingstone
had been taking less and less Of the
Don't look for me until you see
me" cases, and DR.. Dick had acquired
a car, which would not freeze when left
outside all night like a forgotten dog,
md a sense of philosophy about sleep.
That IL, that II y. NJ. was bedtime to
some people, but was just II o'clock
for him.
w Dpn WtHl W CfuICtl ll6teneu
to the sermon, but rather often he look
ed ut Elizabeth Wheeler. When his
yes wandered. as the most faithful eyes
will now and then, they were apt to
rest on the flag that had hung. ever
since the war, beside the altar. He had
fought for his country in sea OF rlud,
never nearer than 200 miles to the bat
tie line, fought with surgical kit in.
stead Of a gun. but he was content.
Not to all the high adventure.
Had he been asked, suddenly, the
name Of the tall blonde girl who sang
among the sopranos. h, could not have
told It,
The Sunday morning following Glare
Rossiter's sentimental confession Eliz-
,beth tried very hard to Danish all
worldly thoughts. as usual, and TO see
he kneelng, rising and sitting con-
,regation as there for worship. But
'or the first time she wondered. Some
u the faces were blank, as though
behind the steady gaze the mind had
wandered far a6eld, or dept. 81 Some
we're intent. spms even dsvout. But