Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-10-16
Prudence's Daughter

can JUST lmaglne-ln neaVeu-Slle
would be laughing to think of the joke
she had played on US. It's what The
resa would p
Jerrold would have gone away then,
taking Prudence with him, feeling that
overweight and highly strained young
daughters would do best in bed. Pru-
dence, with that tender insight of
hers that was never known to fail,
knew better Jerry was unburdening
her heart. finding relief, had come to
them, as she always came, when the
things she undertook to do had proved
too hard for her. And so they stayed
on and on, and talked more of The
resa, and presently Jerry was talking
of other things-of the mad frenzy
that goaded all artists to desperation,
of their Incorporate folly, their I'M
bounded love.
And then she was telling them of
Greta Val, the little chambermaid, and
how Graves Mcdowell was fairly liv-
ing in her talent, feasting his own
starved heart on the fuel he fed to
in the drama, of how she had piled
her wealth together, brushes and easel
and boards, and with a profuse hand
had tossed them on the unfortunate
little tramp of the alleys.
Aud what do you think she did?
She stood up, and glared at me, AMI
slapped me in the face-right there! /"
Jerry could laugh at 1t now, could
laugh, and did. particularly at Jer-
rold's amazcment, at Prudence's ma
ternal displeasure.
"What are you going to do nowY'
Jerrold asked at last.
Jerry clouded again. She did not
know. "What do other girls do?" she
asked him. "Girls who are not gen.
fuses by birth-and lucky they are, If
you ask me-but girls who would go
mad doing nothing! What do they do?"
Jerrold cleverly evaded the issue by
reaching for a cigarette, prettily
perfumed. gold-tipped thing that Jerry
had brought in a handsome box,
parting gift from young admirer,
thus shifting the question to Prudence
Prudence was very sober. II don't
know" she said. "What do you
think?"
They talked of girls, of some who
became teachers, some who went into
the public libraries and museums, some
into business.
That's all right If you have to earn
a living" objected Jerry. But doesn't
1t seem silly to work hard at some
thing you don't care thing about,
just to earn little money you do not
need? OF course, if one has real
fondness for a thing-but l haven'tl i
think 1t would be perfectly trashy of
me to go downtown and pound a type
writer eight hours day for twenty
dollars a week-when l don't adore
pounding typewriters-and can get the
money by asking father"
"And BESIDES" said Prudence, at
would be keeping some girl out Of a
position who does need the money"
TITS a great responsibility, having
daughter" Jerrold said, standing up.
suddenly shocked to know it was after
four o'clock. "Tm afraid we went into
this thing too lightly, Prudence"
They all laughed over that. and Jerry
kissed both parents warm good night,
and closed the door behind them.
In their own room, Jerrold turned to
his wife to air a grievance that had
lurked within his memory throughout
all the happy evening.
"See here. Prudence, you did, too,
expect Jerry to come home to stay
You said all the time she would come
back"
Prudence caught his broad shoulders
In her two slender hands, and shook
him sternly. AS measure of dis
cipline it was absurd, for Jerrold was
tall and strong, and Prudence both
slender and slight in strength. But as
expressive of her pent-up emotions and
representative of her scorn for his I'M
derstanding 1t was triumphant.
"Oh, Jerrold, will you never learn?"
she walled Don't you know that you
must always be surprised at
woman?'
"But you said"
always be surprised at a woman
1t pleases her, 1t fiatters her, 1t makes
her feel how very unusual she is to do
the unexpected thing. Be surprised,
Jerrold, always be surprised! Women
love it
''Then you did expect her homel"
"Of course l dds Prudence said
this with complacent pride In her
astuteness.
'But you said"
"Oh. bother what 1 said. You be
little careful after this. and don't go
about telling everything you hear"
Shades of the Parsonage and John
Wesley defend u.s." he calculated de-
voutly.
"Oh, well, If 1t comes to that" said
Prudence, II learned a great many
things in the Parsonage that John
VxT1oto.x x.oxxon n0nuI of