The Washington times., 1923-12-06


as any natural Christian woman
would. It was not only mys-
terious and terrifying but subtly
indecent. Mrs. Vane drew back
from her eager poise. Almost
it seemed to the amused Mrs.
Oglethorpe that she withdrew
her skirts. DrHma was for the
stage or the movies; at all events
drama In private life, among the
elect. was objective, external and,
however offensive. particularly
when screamed IN the divorce
court, It was, at least, like the
old diseases, remarkably normal.
But an interior drama; not to
put too fine a point on it, q
drama of ones insides, and espe-
cialIy one that dealt with the
raising from tho dead Of that
section which refined women
ceased to discuss after they had
got rid OF fit was positively
ghoulish. Drama OF any sort In
this respectable old drawing.room.
which might have been photo
graphed 90 the sarcophagus of
all the Responsibilities, was sx-
trenely offensive. And what .
dramat Never had these old
walls listened to such tale. Mrs.
Vane and others like her had
long since outgrown the prudery
OF their mothers, who had al
luded in the most distant manner
to the most decent of their I'm
ternal organs, and called . leg .
limb; but the commonplace was
their rock and they had q sense
Of sinking foundations.
Madame Zattiany. who knew
exactly what was passing in their
minds, continued placidly: "Al.
most suddenly at the end Of the
fourth or fifth week, It seemed
to me that an actual physical
weight that had depressed my
brain lifted, and experienced
decided activity Of mind and body,
foreign to both for many years.
Nevertheless, tho complete re-en.
energixing Of both was very slow,
the rejuvenation Of appearance
slower stiIl. WORKOUT cells do
not expand rapidly. The mental
change was pronounced long be-
fore the physical. except that
rarely felt fatigue, although I
spent many hours e day at the
relief stations
She paused and let her cool
ironic glance wander over the
intent faces before her. mot
only" she went On with q slow
emphasis. which made them prick
up their ears, twas the renewed
power manifest in mental &C.
tivity, in concentration, in mem
DRY, but that distaste for new
ideas. for reorientation, had en-
tirely disappeared People grow
ing old are condemned for preju-
dice, smugness, hostility TO prog
press. to the purposes and en-
thusiasms Of youth but this at
titude is due to eging glands
alone, all things being equal.
They cannot dig mp the sunken
tracks from the ruts in their
brain and lay them elsewhere;
and they instinctiveiy protect
themselves by an affectation OF
calm and scornfnI superiority, Of
righteous conservatism, which de-
ceives themselves: much as I had
assumed-and learned to feel
an attitude of profound indiffer-
ence to my vanished youth and
refused to attemp. any trans
parent disguise with cosmetics"
Relief Again
Intentness relaxed once more.
Twelve pairs Of eyes expressed
at least half al many senti-
ments. Mrs. vane gazed at Mary
Ogden, whose insolence she had
never forgotten, with indignant
hostility; Mrs. Poole. who always
dressed as II she had q tumor.
but whose remnant Of a once
lovely complexion indicated per-
feet health, maintained her slight
tolerant smile: its effect some.
what abridged by the fact that
the small turban Of bright blue
feathers topping her large face
had slipped to one side. Mrs.
Goodrich looked startled and
gazed deprecatingly at her friends.
Mrs. Lawrence's eyes snapped,
and Mrs. de Lacey looked
thoughtful. Only Mrs. Tracy
spoke.
Wonderful! I feel more like
Methuselah than ever. But 1t
certainly Is a relief to know
what is the matter with me.
Do go on, Mary may call
you Mary? I only came out
the year you were married-and
you cannot imagine what a salts
faction 1t is to know that I am
younger than you-were once.
I've never done any Of those
things one reads about to keep
looking young except cold cream