Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-12-15

against her love for Tony. the steady
: beating love which had succeeded
hungry passion IN the three years a
marriage.
Explaining or excaning Il anyway she
liked. It remained cold hl0oded treason
70 Tony. this wish. thai was like the
tnrohbing Of an aching nerve. 70 50
back 10 the world Of business Voiced,
it would hurt him terribly. It would
stab at his self-respeck offend his con-
ceptiOn-even granting that conception
was ssIly-of her status as wife and
his as 9 husband. Staring at It with
relentless logic she recognized It as an
enemy which would surely mar their
happiness and possibly might even
smash their marriage.
She had. she angrily told herself, no
reason 10 leave calm security Of settled
marriage for the uncertainties that her
return TO business would bring 20 their
happiness, hers and Tuny,s. No rea-
son, she grimly corrected herself, that
she could present to Tony, 10 his con-
ceptions, to his friends, or 70 the wOm-
some Of whom she had entertained that
day.
What could the wife Of q Tony Baille
desire that could not be commanded by
her In her position as the wife Of Tony
BaiIle?
Wealth. Social AUTHENTICITY CuI-
ture7 ComfortP Happiness?
They were all hers without even the
asking, without the lifting Of q fin-
ger.
How could she explain to any Of them
that 1t was this very ease which she re-
scented?
She wanted that only thing they de-
MED her, the opportunity 10 lift her
finger. She missed the struggle and
the chance and the uncertainties Of the
business world from which Anthony
Battle had taken her.
This career Of suburban wife was
not a satisfying substitute. It lacked the
excitement, the sense Of adventure and
achievement. It was too calm. The
narrow round Of social activities fitted
too loosely into the amount Of time
it took to manage and plan for her
household. 1t left too many barren
hours. She wanted back again the OPP
portunity to make brave plans and to
carry them TO accomplishment.
She caught glimpse Of herself in
the mirror. Her image was haggard
and she laughed In annoyance. She was
getting to be prima donna. Fits of
temperament and everything. They
had begun to appear and plague her
when her baby, Jean, had died six
months ago.
II Jean were here, of course, she,
Mara, wouldn't be so jumpy and 50 fun
Of rebellion. The baby would be keeping
her mother occupied. Giving her
plenty Of opportunity In those barren
hours to make plans. But Jean wasn't
here. And the plan and grief her ar
rival and departure had brought with
them forbade any more such reasons
for making plans. There would, Mara
bitterly told herself, be no more babies.
She would have to pull herself to-
yether AS the first step, she began
10 unlock her dress and then sudden
" realized that it was old Dan Wood
sons letter which had brought all this
0n. Trust that old pirate, with his
cynical disbelief in the modern wom- !
ms ability to fit herself into any do
nestle scheme, TO send her Just this
lind Of letter at just this particular !
line.
What was it he had often said about I
that idea of the modern wife keep
ng the home fires burning is all bunk.
n the first place, she hasn't any fires. ,
;he works with oil burners, electricity
nd gas. And In the second place, most
+ her hasn't any home. Just place to 8
leep." q
Mara laughed, and lifting her dress y
yer her head took his letter from the
esk and began to read it again.
my Dear Mgs. Battle: Only you, of
II the experts know, can carry to z
uccessful conclusion a new policy 2
hitch our agency win introduce for the u
enefit Of our clients.
Frankly, have little hope Of inter- 2
sting you. You have made such sue 2
sss OF your marriage. transformed z
oursen so completely from the best
arcel Of advertising genius ever saw
raped In the form of a woman into
erfect Victorian wife. Amazingl But y
hen you were always amazing. And It g
ont hurt to tell you q little about the =
Dlicy. want TO talk IL out.
II believe our national advertisers
re still shooting at a buying public
HIGH vanished in 1929. My idea is g
J launch our clients campaigns d. ~
city ct the American woman with the
.aiization that her buying power has =,
trunk from 30 TO 50 per cent. a
1T needs brilliant woman directing :.
subtle, feminine psychology. / thought =
OF you? What do you ~
link2 e
Daniel Woodson, President. ~
Up. s. have already fitted out an
flee for you ON the faint chance you %
u be interested. The terms win be
ar own. u. W."
Six years ago. when she considered ID
w. the father Of ali ogres, this would
I'VE indeed been high praise. Now
Nov, she acknowledged the thrill,
ere was stin sweetness IN it--as he,