Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-07

innate room. Flowers, faint
IL scented roses in silver and
porcelain bowlS-the dark CLEAN
Of an open piano-the rosy curve OF q
satin cushion in a slender chair-arm-
books, not many, delicately laid upon
little tableS-pictures not many, deli
cately accenting cool green walls. The
room of a woman with faStidiouS pref
erences and means to satisfy them.
The room of woman with a romantic
heart and not-too-exacting head.
Sophy Gaydens room. Pretty, fragile,
wistful Sophy, curled In one corner of
a palely brocaded Regency couch, star
ing at the fire with eyes like wind
flawed sea-water
Chopin might have played to her,
De Musset made her a poem, Fragonard
painted her blonde slim loneliness.
Lacking Chopin, De MuSSet and
Fragonard, she hummed a snatch of
rebeiliouS Syncopation "-Doan' luv
nobody :. cause it ain wuth while E. :"
yawned, with two white arms flung
above her head, and frankly endeavored
to make an end of the discussion in
which she was engaged.
so that's that!" she said. Illus
bands-Bless EN-! When they're not
around"
The woman who sat across the fire
from her, dark and cool and c'ear-cut
as Sophy was fair and ephemeral, put
out hand of disguised protest.
You talk like one of these cheap
modern novels"
Well" said Sophy, unperturbed by
her sisters comment, 1T am modern,
and I dare say I'm cheap at times.
Who isn't? It's an enormous relief.
Try it yourself! Do you good!"
Thanks" said Constance Wyatt
curtly. Il retain few ideals"
They've never got you anything,
have they?" inquired Sophy with Ian
guild diSinterest.
Her thrust drew blood. Constance
gave battle at once, leaning forward In
her chair so that the freight fell with
rudy diStinctnesS upon the clean,
close-grained pallor of her skin, I'M
rouged and unpowdered; upon the dark,
smooth sweep of her hair under a
small buSiness-hke hat; upon her
hands, fine, strong, ringIesS hands.
Just what do you mean?" she re-
torted coldly. Il have everything that
/ want"
Have your" said sophy. "I Won
derl" She added, in the face of the
others obvious annoyance: "Oh,
QO1A QOupb your WUIQg Ola Q6dI, Out
aren't you, perhaps, kidding yourself
along that line?"
II don't often kid myself" said
Constance coldly. II flatter myself I
have a reasonably clear outlook"
What a nuisance!" drawled Sophy.
"How can you stand tin that caSe?"
Stand what? Don't be ridiculous,
Sophy!"
"Oh. things in general. You don't
read much poetry, do you? There's
a thing Of HouSman's about clear sight.
It goes, Gould man be always drunken
with liquor, love or fights Lief
would rise at morning-and lief lie
down at nights"
"Edifying!" was Constance's only
comment.
COPHY finished In her soft, slow
- voice, without picking up the gage.
But men at times are sober-and
think, by fits and starts. ;. And when
they think, they fasten-their hands
upon their hearts That's rather good
don't you see, Connie? Moral
don't thinks"
THE real immortality of life Is not
to think" said Constance.
er sister. And, like most lovely lines,
utterly blah If you'd said not to feel
It would be a little truer-not much"
You've lost your ability to recognize
and immortality when you see
them"
Why, Connie darling?"
Because your whole life is spine
less evasion"
"ThankS-rnany thinksl"
of all woman owes herself"
''oh, thatl Oh, that again!" sighed
Sophy. Meaning Lowell? Connie,
you're a pearl without price. You sit
on an idea like q hen on a china egg.
I should never have talked to you about
Lowell, really I should have let the
fox gnaw, and all that, in ladylike
silence. might have known you'd
want me to do something about it. And
there really isn't anything to do-any-
thing intelligent, anything that would
help"
Constance said grimly, "If your self
respect doesn't demand that you do
something, when you say yourself you
no longer love him"
why did / say it?" mourned Sophy.
why shouldn't you say tt-n it's
true?"
But why make such a fuss about It?
1t isn't possible, Connie, that a woman
Of your age-and experience No,
sorry, didn't mean to be cat--a woman
Of your youth-and eXperience-sup-
poses that there is such a thing as a
happy marriage?"
"There'ye been a good many books
and poems written to that effect"
Sophy laughed. Her laughter had a
whispering sweetness. 1t had, as well,
a dissonant edge Of mockery. She said
gently, The real conspiracy Of silence.
We none Of US tell all we know on that
subject"
is there-another man?"
Sorhy shrugged amusedly. NO"
Constance said coggedly. But you
admit you're not happy with Lowell
I'm not happy with anybody-if you
will have it. I've stopped believing in
happiness. It's silly to expect it"
The other persisted. But you are
definitely unhappy with LOWELL
Unhappy" said Sophy lightly. She
began to laugh. All at once she put UP
happy? Connie don't be a
fool! Can't you tell-without my max
ing scene about it?"
poor child" said Constance softly.
Sophy dropped her hands in her lap
and relaxed against her cushions. "Oh,
don't know. There's nothing new. We
row, as we've always done, over the
same old things. with the same old re-
suits We're miles apart In everything
but actual houSeroom. I no longer in
terest him-he jars on me unspeakably
Sometimes we go along placidly enough
for days ct q time, then something snaps
end we have the most idiotic. vulgar,
cruel scenes But what is there to do
about it? I don't love any one else.
don't even believe in love any more.
I'm as we'll of with Lowell as anywhere.
What would get in exchange for CIV
ing up all this?'' She glanced about the
room.
Your self-respect." said Constance
and let the words sink in
'self-respect," said Sophy bitterly
'ano loneliness"
"self-respect is worth everything else