Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-12

we'll, young business woman, has had
an episode in her life which, although
innocent enough, has caused scandal.
She has almost forgotten this when she
meets Anthony Breen, who is stckler
for convention. The two fall passion
ately in love, but Miriam does not real
! ize Anthony's attitude toward life until
! he takes her to meet his mother-Now
! 60 on with the story.
CHAPTER XXVI
Anthony's Mother
= inside it seemed to Miriam that a thick
1 gloom prevailed. The entrance hall was
dark, the wainscoting of somber oak.
She had an impulse to walk softly and to
lower her voice to a whisper, although she
doubted II she could speak at all, for her
throat choked as she followed the black
CARRIED maid across the hail. and down
long corridor to a room at the far end. The
floor was so thickly carpeted that she could
not hear Anthony's footsteps following her
she seemed alone and she tatered for a.
moment on the threshold of what seemed TO
be large library.
An old woman sat in large chair by
the fireplace. She looked at Miriam from
under beeti1ng brows the girl crossed the
room toward her, and then Anthony was
s$ying;S
Mother, this is Miriam. She has prom
Used to be my wife
Miriam longed to be simple and natural
but her face felt frozen as she tried to
smile. She conscious of hard old eyes
fixed upon her, of long Ratchet face and a
thin, dlsa greeable mouth.
How do you do Mrs. Breen?" she heard
herself murmuring, and then. acting on i'm
pulse, she stopped and touched her fresh
lips to the withered cheek
We'll, Anthony, so you've condescended
to bring your future wife to see me-" Mrs
Breen spoke for the first time in a dry tone
that to Miriam sounded like cackle. shes
pretty enough to have shared even Won al
though they say there's no fool like an old
one" ''O
Anthony laughed. mot so old, mother"
"Old enough to have some sense. Bring
chair for the girl and sit down. both of
YOU. / hope you don't belong to the mod
ern school, young woman. Girls of today
don't seem to realize the Importance OF mar
riage, they take everything as Joke"
Il take my love for Anthony quite seri-
ously." Miriams voice was soft 'I love
him. you see."
oh, you love him. do you? Well that
remains to be seen. And now, Marbury will
take you upstairs where you can leave your
things Dinner will be served shortly. I'm
too old to wait for late dinners"
Miriam IOQnQ nSrSolI IOlOWlnS IHe DIdCk-
sarbed maid out of the room and up a long
curving staircase Anthony remained be-
mind No doubt he and his mother would
want to be alone to talk, and Mrs Breen
expected implicit obedience from this out
slider who through good fortune was to
marry into the exclusive house of Breen.
The thought filled Miriam with rebellion,
and yet she felt helpless The atmosphere
of the house was dreary, oppressive. The
large bedroom where she was now standing
was furnished In dark wood, and the bed
had great canopy. over It, Miriam SILVER
ed at the thought of remaining overnight
in this house. She longed to be away from
here, she wanted to be alone with Anthony
In the brightness of her own coy apart
ment, for here she was like an automaton.
moving about as IL in a dream. She was
not expected to show any individuality she,
must be obedfent and dociIe and nothing
more
Downstairs Anthony and his mother sat
silent in the big library, and then finally the
old lady spoke.
We'll, Anthony, | see you've fallen for a
pretty face In that respect you re no differ
emit from most men. I suppose the girl is a
nobody, no family, no social position, moth
ing would have chosen as necessary quail
tiles for your wife. You say she's living
suppose can count ourselves lucky il
she's kept herself free from scandal Are
you sure you know everything there is to
know about her? OF course, you're in love
and for that reason willing enough to be led
around by the nose!"
CHAPTER XVII
Miriam Makes Break
tn Kings were little better during dinner.
Miriam felt the strain of behaving as
Anthony would want her to behave.
1t made her nervous to suppress her real
self, and Anthonys Difference to his mother
made Miriam realize where she. herself
stood with him. OF course, Anthony loved
her, but with him tradition stood first. 1t
did not occur to him to take for granted the
tact that his mother must accept the new
conditions: it was Miriam who must mold
herself into the kind of woman Mrs. Breen
wanted for Anthonys wife.
Miriam said very little. She sat in the
high-backed chair eating food that it almost
choked her to get down She smiled mechan-
ically, she answered questions when they
were put to her-and things might have
passed off rather we'll if the subject of the
wedding hadn't for the moment put Miriam
off her guard.
II suppose you won't want to wait Mrs
Breen was saying. There's no particular
reason for waiting, and the fact that Mira m
lives alone makes it all the more necessary
for you to marry SOON I would suggest,
Miriam, that you come and stay here with
me. The wedding shall be from here, and
after that you and Anthony can remain here
or go where you please. | don't suppose
you'd either of you be contented to live
here.
Miriam was startled. She and Anthony had
made no definite plans for the wedding, they
had been content to drift and there were
many things to be settled before they could
talk of marriage.
oh but I couldn't do that" Miriam
spoke in her ordinary tone of voice she was