The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-08-09
1t Was a Word
in Season
By MARTHA WILLIAMS


mothers daughter name such a word;
you shouldn't even know that such
such creatures exist"
He meant to be crushing, but Sarah
laughed softly, answering nothing be-
yond the laugh. Which moved her
caller to say solemnIy: "If you spoke
In Ignorance, please look in the die
tionary before using that word again
at least in mixed company"
"OdalisQue, you mean? Maybe you'd
better look 1t up!" Sarah flung back
with spirit, her color rising. Rev.
Aaron Linton also grew red.
II know what 1t means-perfectly,"
he said
Then please to tell me-" Sarah said
audaciously. II think 1 know already,
but am willing to be instructed"
This is shameful-shameful |" the
minister interrupted.
Sarah went on unhseding: 1.-THE
odalisQue, the woman Of the zenana,
IL brought up to believe that her rsa-
son for being 10 to charm, to enthrall,
to influence her lord and master, love
and serve him, bear his children and
keep faithful to him only 80 long as
they both do live. Maybe she doesn't
always live up to that straight creed
but how about ourselves? Divorces
are plentier than blackberries. Some
times after peculiarly disgusting
case I've wondered II the sack and
sea- wasn't really better for morality
and family happiness"
Il won't listen to such stunt" from
the angry minister. Anyway, you
are all wrong. An odalisque IL a dane
Ing woman, almost nude, and opium
drunk, who makes herself the most
revoltingly sensual spectacle for the
captivation of bloodthirsty barba-
rians"
How do you know?" Sarah asked
placidly.
"From books-and men who have
seen them," the minister flung at her
curtly.
"It is likely you are thinking OF
Nautch dancers" Sarah said reflec
lively. 'It seems unlikely that ths
most daring or most favored travel.
ing scribe would be permitted to see
favorites of the sultans, or even those
Of high dignitaries, thus delightins
their lords"
young women should be forbidden
to know such things-much less speak
Of them." Linton said-by this he was
glassy-eyed with rage
"Why, Mr.. Linton! How else would
we ever get up enthusiasm for mission
work." Sarah tantalized. you know
1t is the heather horrors that we cap
italize-if we didn't, where would the
fun come from-also the money!"
Truly it Is enough to stir Christian
souls-the thought of women paradins
and posturing for the favor of sensual
tyrants!" Linton said angrily. Sarah
chuckled. do you reckon it's so very
different from the way women act
say when the minister comes to a tea
fght?" she asked demurely. "Of
course you rather expect 1t now, when
you have to make a new choice-but
I remember even before you were free
how you were surrounded-you must
surely have splendid digestion. or
else all the cakes and pies, and salads
and things you had to taste and Judge
between, would have made you dys
peptic."
Il recall nothing of the Sort" Lin
ton said stlffiy. Maybe not-but
do. 1 remember, too, how you liked
it-actually you purred under 1t some
times. l knew all along why you didn't
like me. l never asked your opinion
Of my fruit cake any more than Of
my morals"-this with a rogulsh smile
N Jt
pied the cleric from his pedestal of
austerity. He reached for her hand,
saying as he caught 1t. Sarah-Saily
darling You-you quite misunder.
stand. / don't like you-but it's be-
cause l love you so hard"
"Cat's foot |" snapped Sarah, snatch
ing away her hand and springing up
right, placing herself defensively be.
hind a tall chair. From this coign of
vantage she went on, her voice cool
and deadly: "You must be trying to
trap me-pretending to make love all
on sudden this way. Pm not full
sister to Solomon, but l do know a
little too much for that. And even
though l am rising thirty, alone and
none too well off, I'd be dlsgusted, not
fiattered. even IL you meant what you
say"
81 do mean it. Honest to God l do"
Linton cried, making as If he would
kneel. Sarah lifted the chair threat
eningly. "None of thatl" she said.
"This has gone far enough-a heap
too far, indeed. Your hats handy by
take 1t and vanish"
81 won't-until you hear me-" Lin
ton said obstinately. "You don't know
how much I need you. Think of 1t
Six children and every other woman
in the congregation at me to tell me
what and how to do for 'em. You've
never said a word-thats partly why
come asking you. It's sinful
worse'n wicked. you going to waste all
lonesome here-and me and my family
needing you so much. When wife
went l thought 1t was heavy provi-
dapca. ~ you'll tako har nlara shall