San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-01

| He leased: well, little sis, how's
your friend Westermarck?
She tilted her head with a capri
cious haughtiness, her mind peerins
back eagerly TO Natalie and Dane.
They stopped at bookcase. Natalie
said: 81 want to talk with you about
this idea of mine. Dane. want to
begin at once. I'll come and see you
this week-please have an hour free"
'The whole afternoon or the whole
day il you want it, Natalie."
DANCE OF BOREDOM.
The next sentence was swallowed
I'D in a blare of music. Then they
sauntered to the gallery and looked
down into the sala illuminated goldenly
with some 500 candles. Few couples
swayed slowly in a dreamy one step.
The women seemed bored; the men
| dutifully gallant. On a divan in one
corner was a girl nearly 80. She was
painfully coquettish and was making
| Joven, the artist, excessively uncom-
Portable with her f1attering eyes: herI
| all too obvious intention to ensnare
him.
In another corner Joven's wife
drank from the same glass with the1
geologist. They we're now tenderly
beaming at each other.
Natalie leaned against column,
| her slender form etched in the severe
black Of her gown; her fingers toying
with the feather of gold. She waved
her hand toward her guests and be-
came melancholy.
Wealthy with leisure and money
all of us But destitute OF capacity
to enjoy the one or the other: what
a mournful thing it is to see human
ity at play, How respondent is the
| realization that we have devised no
glad ways to fill these living rooms.
Existence could be made such brll-
liant and satifying experience, but
here We are flinging it away in these
I flat and boring trivialities
WORK AS MEANS.
She seemed not t. care who heard
the faint contempt in her tones. She
went on dreamily: MAX. | sometimes
wonder what would happen If the
world had suddenly no longer any
need to work: or If work became
what il should be-merely the means
and not the end Of life.
Suppose electricity or radium or
magic should abruptly free the human
race Of the necessity TO toll. And we
we're all turned out TO live and re-
ioice. Could we do it? Could we make
life a miracle Of happiness and ease
: Invent heavens and. outgrowins these.
invent still higher Edens!
"Or. would all Of US. free OF the
ache of necessity. flop back to the sea
-iellyfish and weeds? ! fear it!'
Max answered whimsically; Dane
Knocked. Natalie was lost in her OVID
reveries. She stood there murmuring.
her voice taking on a note OF eternal
WEAKNESS. like the distant boom oil
waves. These waves seemed to Nora
Lee tangible things and they rose and
were filled with hidden amber lights.
They lured and engulfed them-all
four together.
SOUL POISONED.
She was drawn and held by that
slender figure: but that face OF haunt
ing sadness. She fell Natalie's charm
exciting and then bduing her. -.
NO" the dreamy voice intoned
tell them I'm right, Mrs. Herrick
We women know because they have
robbed us Of the need TO work. And
. in doing this. they have poisoned the
soul in US. We need the scourse oil
tyranny or persecution to make us
grow. Where do YOU find the dreamer
Of the world and the revolutionists'
The great poets and philosophers! In
America f.,
"Ah. no. We are not hungry enough
here-nor naked. Such minor itches
r as we 5aye afford merely the pleasur
. able exercise Of scratching"
This is our tragedy, isn't II, Mrs
Herrick? They give us food anc
E splendid raiment 50 that our brains
, no longer need TO scheme nor oul
2 spirits to burn with the white fires Of
/ resentment and Indignation.
SALVATION IN BATTLE.
I'VE women Of America are called
the pctted darlings Of the earth. Blu
, our glory is our ruin. All is handed
10 US: we're glutted with leisur'
we've not earned; We have no Deef
10 think: no urge - strive. Ours u
, tie fatality that will come TO all il
8 REORGANIZATION. For heaven, full
filling our dream, robs US Of it.
! 81 think. Max. that We might com
back 10 a million years and find tn
human tribe still battling with crUelt.
. | and oppression and merciless toll. An.
! this battle Is, perhaps, humanity's sal
!. | yatipn."
! Her voice trailed. She smiled a
q Nora lee. With characteristic abrupt
=. ness she went alone down the CALLER.
. TO the stairs.
I Her words, her thoughts, echoed Il
4 Nora Lees mind. As she danced sh
! felt again the compelling and vita
magnetism Of Natalie's tones, Ma
. tales face.
> "Sbe is uncanny," she said TO Dan
q as they we're driving home. He KEEP
4 his glance directly on the white, moon
Il lighted road and w6s a long time an
a swering.
/. "Yes-one does feel her force II
e added quietly, And her tragedy"
]. What do you meanF, She won
Il dered If Natalie had confided to bin
e the cruel breaking Of her life.
| a. n.