The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-03-19
Play "For
Women
Only"
BY GRACE p. ABBOTT

20. 1s24. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndlcst.1
Montrose, herself, was very LITTLE
disturbed by the advent to her ancient
halls of learning of one Frederick Lee
Won Slecht. In fact, she seemed to
remain In her usual state of serena
tranquility due a centenarian, even
though so great parsonage trayersed
her picturesque campus. But the small
world that buzzed and hummed and
swamped her stately brick building
was thrown into the greatest Juror of
its time because Of Frederick Lee Won
Slecht
A stock company of the variety that
visits the small cities was playing its
usual repertoire before packed houses.
consisting, no doubt. chiefly of the
Montrose numbers. Nevertheless the
program had gone along smoothly. The
college boys had, to be sure, sat we'll
down front, the better to watch the
unusually pretty Heading lady" cough
her way through Camille to come out
the victorious, albeit, abused heroine
= of East Lynne, while they favored the
orchestra with generous showers of
peanut shells. The college girls had. of
a necessity, sat farther back in giggling
groups of shamefaced admiration for
the not-to-be-denied charm of the "lead-
Ing man." hero of each and every oc-
casion. The program had gone well,
until Thursday when it was announced
that "for the Thursday afternoon en-
gagement we will present the social
problem play, why Girls Leave Home
for-ahem-women only"
The dean of the girls of Montrose
had given her ultlmatum Wednesday
night directly after dinner, not a girl
from MontrOse was to go to the Thurs
day afternoon performance AS if one
of them had had the slightest idea of
doing so-until they had heard the
ultima tum
Honestly, Betty, it makes me sick.
It is so foolish"
"As if it would really be any different
or any worse than any of the plays"
Its just the being forbidden like
children"
81 know it, OF course, the boys
aren't allowed, either. In a way they
are forbidden more than we are. 1
wonder how they feel about it,
'They wouldn't have gone anyway"
"Well, Betty, that's just what you
said about US. Neither would we-it's
the being forbidden"
"That's right l wonder how they do
feel about it." And so lost did the two
girls become In their speculations as
to the state of mind of the masculine
half of Montrose, they quite forgot
their own loss of liberty.
The buzzing of subdued voices
ceased. A profound silence filled the |
room.
The president rose. "My dear Mrs. |
Golfer, Professor Bromfeld, Doctor |
Hastings, and Miss Osterham, let us
give this matter our united efforts
let us reach safely and honestly con-
clusion based on sound facts. You say,
Mrs. Golfer, that you announced that
no one girl was to attend. 1t was we'll
by all?
"Yes, President Robinson, did, and
Martha Hollis and Betty Lawson were
at my table within my very reach at
the time. I can't understand-they
never seemed" and with a deep sigh
for their apparent duplicity, Mrs. Col
ter sat down.
"Now, Bromfield," the president re-
"you say that you found this
note on the floor Of your room after
class Thursday morning and that
neither Won Slecht nor Harold Bett
showed up for lab work Thursday
"Yes"
The note reads
"Ah, yes-T hear you girls aren't al
owed to find out why girls leave
lome'; then in different writing: Well,
neither can you boys and in the first
writing again, But we can If you Will
lelp us-in fact, we'll show you how
We can take you in and thereby take
EN- all in"
Miss Osterham, you say that on
our way home from-er-shopping
LHuTSudN yNu S<' N0 |
iris in question, heavily yelled, come
oddly out of the theater, and walk to-
yard the college?"
"Yes, shopping, yes, out of the thea
er. l would know Betty's suit any
where, and I'm not likely to be mis-
aiken about the only chinchilla coat
q town."
"And yet, you, DR.. Hastings, say that
Hiss Lawson and her friend were in |
our Spanish class until 3 80 at leastT' 1
Exactly; the hour was more likely t
o'clock" {
at is indeed strange. Here is what t
ne theater manager has written me. I
he two girls went in, heavily veiled' '
nd, suspecting trouble, he kept close 8
-atch. His letter reads: AT the end OF
ne of the most tragic scenes a deep, 2
ruff voice was heard distinctly TO c
~. "Oh, forsooth." I went to the j
,ene of the disturbance, which was e
,e extreme right of the hall, and there o
fnr