Evening star., 1936-11-15
THIS WEEK
Modern Wife
Confisvsd from poss koys

Il wouldn't think you'd forget hair
like that - it's glorious. Why don't
you 20 over and speak to them"
There was no doubt Edith thought
she was lying. but Mary could only 60
ahead and bluff it through. why
should speak now. just because we
happen to be in the same room?'
That had happened at noon today.
And tonight at dinner she had men
toned pointedly that she had lunched
with Edith Garvey at Roberts. She
had watched Georges face as she
said it. and he had only remarked
after a moment, That was nice"
She had sat through the rest of the
meal and the early part Of the evening
in a screaming silence while George
read, or pretended to read. his paper.
She had been waiting for him to
speak, hoping he would. hoping he
could say something to clear it all up.
And the longer she had sat watching
him evade her eyes the more certain
she was that hermarriage was at an end.
As long as the woman in the case
had been figment of Mary's imagina-
ton. she had never quite believed in
her. But having seen her, Mary now
knew that she could not possibly 60 on
living with George.
She sent word. in the morning. that
she was not feeling well and would
not be down for breakfast, and told
the maid to tell MIR. Collins not to
bother to come up as she was going to
try to get some sleep.
Mary packed only her personal
things, and took with her what little
money was left from the five hundred
dollars George had given her four days
previous. In the note she left him she
said that he would know. of course,
why she was leaving. that she was
sorry it had to end this way. but that
she was peculiar and old-fashioned
enough to believe a husband should
be given his freedom when he found
someone he liked better than his wife.
Then she added a postscript which.
she hoped. would preclude his search
ing for her: "You needn't worry or
think you should try to find me. I'm
perfectly able to take care of myself"
She thought she was, too. 1t sur
prised her no little when. after renting
a room for herself at $14-a-week,
the only jobs offered her paid but a
dollar or two more than her rent. Per-
haps the reason for this was her
determination not to 60 to Anthony
Hubert for a recommendation. He
would Immediately tell George she
had been to see him, and would per-
haps make George feel such bounder
for his conduct that he would hunt
her out. promise to give up his red
headed girl and she would believe
him. Then her trials would start all
over again.
The room Mary lived in was only
two blocks from the apartment she
had formerly shared with Edith Carvey
and Helen Ames. At night she went to
neighborhood movies or sat in her ill
lighted room and tried to read. She
would realize, after long time. that
abe had covered several pages without
remembering thing. and she was re-
calling the way George scowled when
anything annoyed him. or the way his
hair curled behind his right ear.
She answered as many advertise
ments each day as was physically pos
sible. The ads were discouraging
enough. but they were poetic beside
the reality of the employers who in
serted them in the papers.
She cried one night. from fear and
bewilderment. She had just fifteen
dollars left. After paying her rent
there would be scarcely anything to
live on next week. The thing that
appalled, her most was the prospect of
having to return to George and beg
him to take her back, or at least to
stake her to a square meal. Her