Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-02
SYNOPSIS.


Wesley Derter, gay, ford, IS. He soon
tires OF her, and she is Uery unhappy.
But she is used TO unhdppiness. Her
father, Lambert Collar, had married
Stella, a burleSque actress, and Missile
7cdS their child. When he finally de-
serted his i0ite she killed herself, and
Missile goes to liDe NTH her grand
mother, old Mrs. Collar, and her Aunt
adelaide. The dull, formal atmosphere
OF the Collar home stiles Missile. She
IS cut OF from her StepSiSter Ellen,
and it is only after her marriage that
she is able to see Ellen again. She also
lcseS sight OF Harry Sloane, Dhom she
loUed, although he never guessed it,
From her fathers Uncle Archibald she
learns a little family history. Her scdpe-
grace father is old Mrs Collars favor
lite. Adelaide submits to parental
tyranny, and Cecily. another daughter,
has been diStnherited.
SEVENTEENTH INSTALLMENT.
TN August Missile and Wesley went
to the seashore. The Gus Heming-
ways had taken cottage down the
4 beach. others of their particular
coterie we're scattered here and
there. At certain hours they met. the
women in long-skirted bathing suits,
carefully corseted and stockinged. They
bathed, dressed. drank cocktails to-
getner and then lunched In the aft
ernoons they slept, in the evenings
they danced. Whole wardrobes were
prepared for these outings, vast num-
bers of trunks were carried. Anna Hem
ingway was reported to have taken
dozen.
In this mileu Wesley was at his
best. Missile was little silent. little
aloof. Once she heard Anna Heming-
way calling her the mouse. Anna was
very polite to her after that, but the
name stuck, and she knew 1t.
Gus and she sometimes sat together.
He was a short man, very ugly, but
with a charming smile. He had in
herited money and now he painted cows,
his studio was hung with COWS and
Anna had early named 1t the stable.
Nobody took his work seriously but him.
self; he would sit apart, saying little
or nothing. Sometimes he watched his
beautiful wife and she would say: Now
hush. Gus is jealous, and he'll beat
me when get back"
Years later he did, indeed, beat her,
and for cause; but in those early days
he only sat and, Missile guessed, suf-
fered.
She herself was miserable. She had
not held Wesley, never would hold him
now. Her little-girl appeal for him was
gone. II IL was not Anna, 1t would be
somebody else. She grew quieter than
ever. her hands often trembled.
One night Wesley brought matters
to head. She had been very silent
all evening and her remoteneSs con-
Something had annoyed him, and he
eyed her irritably as she set about her
undressing.
What are you sulking about now?"
I'm not sulking," she said. II just
felt quiet"
And why did you feel quiet?"
II think" she said honestly, tits all
that noise. So much talking and every
thing"
IF you did some of it yourself, you'd
add a little to a party
Il suppose I am not vain enough"
"And what do you mean by that?"
you want their approval, don't you?
You want them to think you're q good
fellow, to admire you. Isn't that it?
Well, you see don't. Not that way"
He stared at her as though he had
never seen her before. She had struck
him In his weakest point, his vanity.
She knew that his boisterous good ma
ture In company was a part of that
vanity, of his desire for approval.
You're fine wife" he jeered.
"Just because like people"
But do you?" She was not quar-
reling. She stood by the side of their
bed, her candid eyes fixed on his.
Yves" she said, after a pause, "just
why did you marry me? You knew
what was"
Why does any man marry any grip"
he retorted. THE same old reasons, I
suppose"
But why do they marry one kind Of
woman, for certain qualities, and then
want her to change? sometimes think
the very things you liked in me are the
ones that most annoy you now"
oh. If you're going to argue"
m not arguing. I'm trying to think
out loud. that's all. Yves. do you sup
pose that If we had a baby we'd be
happier?"
oh. you're unhappy, are your"
Il don't want our marriage to fall
1t seems to me that's up to you."
She had hurt him She should not
have said that about approval, about
being thought good fellow. Her inn
pulse was to go to him, to say she was
sorry, to make overtures toward peace,
But she was afraid.
BY the following Winter she knew
that she was not holding him. He was
away from home great deal: obscure