Evening star., 1924-01-20

prociated her abilities--but they ran
their own homes. and sooner or later
this had always n cant friction with
the powerful spirit disguised In sub
servient gray mohair and white lawn.
Gloria, after three days of amazed
wonder II 1t were not too good to be
true, had uttered an internal shout
OF Joy and signed a check book full
of blank checks.
There. I'll give you another when
that Is used up" she explained. Run
the place your own way. but as IL you
were poor, you know. Poor but nice.
Bring me my lunch on a. tray and
don't ever let anything come near me
before o'clock
And, shutting the door OF the stu
dio, she had modelled a fountain that
took the Oscar Reed prize at the
spring exhibition and founded the
steady prosperity OF the past eight
years.
When friends bewailed their house
hold difficulties, Gloria said with
blithe cruelty. Get a Mrs. Dutton"
She said it one night at a Sunday
supper table and the man opposite
Ell up with q quick smile.
sAii, get IL S3ts' itiS' IAC eS%iS'
The topic hung pleasantly between
them the rest of the meal. The min
ute they rose from the table Jim
Lawrence was at Gloria's side.
'You tell me about Mrs. Pine and
I'LL tell you about Mrs Dutton," she
said instantly.
So they turned to q couch at the
far end of the great studio and he
told her about the fine woman who
Fad managed his house and brought
Up his two motherless little boys.
cooking and cleaning with a giant
case, yet insisting on table manners
and small refinements that man
cverlooks. keeping always her place,
hut so dignifying II that big boys now
in college were not shade less de-
voted to their Piney.
she Is like your next-door neigh
Dor in a New England village" he
explained "a lady by refinement.
yet simple. SO that It doesn't embar-
rass you TO have her in the kitchen.
Good plain education, strong on
morals and spelling-'
Folks" Gloria interpreted.
Exactly. a robust shortcut al
ways gave him a. laugh al himself.
"Her only flaw is that she cant work
with any one else and So"
"Neither can Mrs. Dutton," Gloria
put in. and they laughed over it. en-
joyed 1t hugely. And once. when 1
had a trained nurse, the feud between
them was SO bitter that had to get
we'll at once"
''oh. should never dare bring
yn% 11yifh piraz-' q
admitted. when Bobs had scarlet
fever she consented to get in a cook
while she did the nursing. but she
took care that 1t was a rather poor
cook! She has the jolliest laugh in
the world. When the boys and Piney
get laughing together it's rather
nice" he confided.
She understood with a curious pang
q little like inconsistencies.
Mrs. Dutton doesn't mother ME.
She owns and exhibits me-" she
thought 1t out. ~ am her career.
And she has really made my career.
She Is like those efficient wives to
whom successful men point--they
owe II all to her"
"Is she folks. too?" He was gen.
uinely interested in Mrs. Dutton.
"Oh, no. Oh. never" The idea made
Gloria laugh. She had another short
cut for him. "She isn't friendly, you
know-shes Napoleon. She never
laughs. She has such a well-bred
voice that when she says The wash
has went. Miss Penrose.' you think
she is being humorous
Frank O'Brien then came up and
wanted to know what was so anus
ing them.
'tLet ME In on IT," he begged.
Gloria turned to him likingly and
Jim Lawrence's heart missed a beat,
tut she did not tell.
"Oh, domestic life" she general
ized. Frank. do your collie story
for Mr.. Lawrence-the one about the
yellow dog"
So Frank did his Chinese act and
Gloria laughed the way she listened
with all her heart and soul--and
Jim Lawrence thought him a deadly
bore Lawrence left at the first pause
and Gloria, who had wanted to show
him Mrs. Dutton, went home abb
surdly gr.evcd.
For a week work Jagged and
gentle melancholy lay on the face Of
life. IN her headlong pursuit of the
escaping day Gloria had seldom
paused to look at herself. and now.
checked for q sober stare, she was
dismayed at what she saw.
I'm a meSs," she said solemnly.
MY work isn't developing-substi-
tuting a duck for q turtle isn't
growth! I'm not read. I'm not think
tng-I'm just having a good time. A
fyl rHfIS rf rt - ha
poked disgustedly at the pillar Of
clay that was waiting to blossom into
the fat. naughty. riotous baby Of her
pubIic's delight.
"I'm q failure. I'm a. Then she
took n Jump of clay and began to
mold her trouble into a tiny group
the flesh and the spirit.
It was the beginning Of her new
manner, but OF course she did not
know that at the time.
THE spring academy was holding
It's private view that afternoon.
and Gloria's latest fountain-with the
duck--would be on exhibition. Mrs.
Dutton came to remind her at (
o'clock. Mrs. Dutton was at the front
door to let her out and to cast q COM
petent look over her handiwork.
There Is dinner for three. Miss
Penrose, but not for four" she said.
Three, but not for four" Gloria
repeated with vague docility. then
woke 70 understanding with a hasty,
"oh, I'm not going to bring home any
one tonight. don't feel like COM
pany."
IT can handle three" Mrs. Dutton
repeated. But chops cannot be