Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-02-23
CHAPTER %


IF JANET, during those frs
days of her return, had told. Joe
what was in her mind, asked hin
to clear away the tangling web
that were confusing her, she Nigh
have spared herself much pain
But she thought she knew the way
q mans mind worked and so she
kept silent.
Between her and Joel there haC
never been any scenes and she
wanted to keep the personal side
of his life free of them.
She saw marked changes in him
that were indicative of his chang
ing attitude toward his life anG
his work. He was still sweet, al
ways conSiderate Of her. There
was no change in his feeling or his
attitude toward her.
But there was a change in him.
He was acting like movie idol.
The great screen lover was begin
ming to take his attractiveness
seriously.
His manner toward all women
had always been courteous. Now
= it had a new quality. He played
back to them. He sought admira-
ton from them and he expanded
under it. His usefulness no
longer had the quality of complete
Eaturalness. Trained before the
camera to make the most of his
manneriSms, he carried them into
the drawing rooms and paraded
them, not too obviously but most
effectively, for the benefit Of all.
Janet watched and was sad
dened but she kept her silence as
always.
When she became aware Of the
change in Joel, she ceased to wor-
ry about Carol Griest. She under
stood the situation. She knew that
Joel was f1attered by the atten-
tons Of the glamorous star.
She was fair in her attitude
about that. She did not delude
herself into thinking that any man
was strong enough to withstand
the fattering attentions of a beau
tiful woman. She knew that she
was not any more fascinating than
any other wife is to a husband to
whom she had been married for
three years. She knew that she
was good companion. She knew
that Joeps passion for her had not
waned and so she did not doubt
his fidelity.
But sometimes she thought that
fidelity was not the most impor-
tant thing in marriage.
And she was aware of all the
things in marriage that form the
bonds that weave two lives to-
gether. She and Joel, with the
small exception Of their first few
months of marriage, had had
nothing to build together. Money
had come to them so quickly that
they had had no struggles to share
and bind them. They mad no chill
dren. They had no friends of life
long duration.
Everything that they had was
an open book shared by the others
in their world. In Hollywood,
paSts were dimmed in no time and
futures were vague. Friendships
weren't made to endure a lifetime
nor were they based on mutual af-
fections. Friendships were made |
by studio associations and bound
by the frail ties Of shared work
that was as unsteady as any such
castles built on sand.
Standards were formed on a |
basis Of success.
And the only success that Janet |
wanted, or could have, was in her
marriage. The value Of marriage
was not rated as high in her So
c1ety as it was in her own mind.
Janet was an individual in a |
group of groups. In these groups. |
men and women did not act as
persons, they acted as part of the |
group. What one did, another die.
Janet followed suit.
When she was laid up with a
mild attack Of influenza. she in
sisted that Joel carry on. #
wasn't good for him, she said to
work hard at the studio all dav