Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-03-02
CHAPTER VII


The lot In life of the girl who has
been Tilted is probably not very pleas
ant anywhere. but theresis no place
on earth where 1t is quite as hard
as In small country village But
Mary went about her usual occupa-
lions, after Blanche's wedding and the
storm that followed IT, II with her head
held high, and her back straighter
than ever. She got, Of course, no
credit for this. 1t was set down
against her that she had never really
cared FOR Paul. after all, or She would
feel 1t more. Almost In the same
breath she was accused by some one.
else-or even BY the same person-of
having worn her heart upon her
sleeve, for all to see.
If village gossip was hard to bear,
however, the family attitude was
worse. Cousin Jane had a good deal
to say about the inevitable fate Of
girls who run after men who didn't
want them, instead Of attending their
plain Christian duty. Seth said very
little, but his silent, detected attitude
made his daughter feel more than any
unkind words could have done. that he
felt she had disgraeed him almost be-
yond utterance. AS for Violet, she
became so, violently nervous about
the whole affair, that Mary dreaded
to see her more than all the others
put together. She. never guessed that
Paul was also suffering from his
mothers nerves.
"If you had the slightest considera.
tion for me, you never would have let
1t happen" she lamented over and
over again to her son. My life Is so
full of grief and trouble that 1t takes
good deal OF fortitude to bear 1t.
Here Is Blanche married"
you were tlckled to death over
that" muttered Paul.
PAUL How can you be so vulgar
tried to be cheerful, OF course. But
no one knows how / miss her. And
Mary's money would have come In
very handy, too"
Idu hubN mdly udu uuJ
money
..sShe will have, as soon as she's
tWenty-one, and that's very soon now.
Laura Ind little property OF her own,
and she left 1t all to Mary. | don't
know as Mary knows 1t herself, but OF
course Seth will tell her soon, now"
But this was not the way Violet
talked to Mary. She dwelt on the fact
that the girl had not made herself
attractive enough to Paul, that she
was always neglecting to change her
dress and tidy her hair, that she didn't
join with him In those little pleasures
that all young men like to "share with
their fancees."
but Paul didn't expect to share
them with tae !, Jared AItaHH sttlllH 4 be-
yond endurance. "IIe didn't even
want to And | guess If you did all
the cooking and cleaning and washing
and Ironing for four people, and took
care Of two children into the bargain,
you wouldn't always look as nice as
you dol Don't you suppose I've longed
to be comfortable and rested-and
pretty whenever Paul saw me?
guess I'm just as human as any other
girl, and | guess ! know the way to
do things just as we'll as you do
Well. should manage to do them
then, and to look well at the same
timel" retorted Violet. "That's every
womans duty to herself"
"What about her duty to her family,
VI the two conflict?'
mercy, Mary, what temper you
havel No wonder Paul couldn't stand
It'll I'm sure do my duty to my fam
LILY, II any woman ever did, but keep
myself up. too. II you had more sys-
tenn about your hnusework you could
get 1t done all rights all In the
way you do It."
Violet felt that she had come out
ahead In this tilt. Nevertheless, 1t
-used her up, to have Mary SO shock.
ngly impairment to her, as she said
- Jane In telling her about 1t after
wards, and she did not attack her In
tbs same way again Instead, she
brought Blanche's lettars and read