| Show LAKE THE-BAL- Vi ORA MACEWELL’S wholly things of pleasure Then too Mrs Macewell did not always consider Marie’s behavior quite proper hence there had been a certain amount of friction between those two favorite spot was the garden behind her sedate white house It was primarily a rose garden a flourishing testimony of Just how many varieties of roses there really are Tiny crim-o- n ramblers tumbled over trellises and untinted blooms with the luster of pearls held up their heads arrogantly Hedging off the most remote corner of the garden was Cora’s choice bush which bore white roses faintly touched with red veins and deftly balanced as a vase of blown glass Its branches ventured out Just a trifle too far and that In a well ordered garden is the signal for pruning From the house came Cora Macewell her arms encased in slightly worn elbow length gloves with the glove part rolled back In tiny balls on her wrists to leave her hands free Over one arm she carried a basket which in turn bore a pair of absurdly small pruning shears Cora’s dress was pale and fluffy “The kind one wears to please a husband who still has illusions" she would have explained laughingly straw Her hat was of feather-lik- e broad brimmed and drooping the very thing to protect and enhance her delicate complexion - To Secluded Corner Pausing here to bend a branch Into place or there to balance a blossom pn her fingers in the prldfe of ownership Cora moved toward the secluded corner Here with a critical eye and deliberate snips of her shears she trimmed the dead shoots from her favorite rose bush She dropped the twigs into the basket to save cleaning up afternickel-plate- Dick’s ‘Into Pruning Hooks’ Indeed By IRISSCHOW of Mantua (Free Lance) Brother Hugh I believe I’d run away and leave to keep open house alone’’ you his had long slightly junlorrHugh since completed his education to Lately when' Hugh had deigned his own satisfaction and while to refer to his recent or approach the Macewell money supported ing whereabouts his explanation him was “looking around" he said had Included the mention of MarJust what line of march" cella Cole Recently afr Hugh’s rewould suit him Dick and Cora had quest Dick and Cora had invited come to the conclusion that his Marcella to spend a week-en- d with looking around was to consist ' them and she had come V chiefly of occupying one of their Visit Successful bedrooms as a base of sup’ The visit had been a" successful plies and dashing about the vlcin- one so far as Cora could see ity in the wake of the young ladies who took his fancy though sh- e- had wondered with some alarm if Hugh’s selfishness in Each tlmeHugh began to “think upon a maid” and wait upon her family relationships had been obas well Cora’s hopes mounted vious to the girl She certainly “If he would only marry this hoped that Hugh would marry this one” she would say to Dick time and she knew thatDlck hoped And Dick would answer “No It’s so too for after Marcella’s departure they had almost discussed the better this way If he did marry he’d probably bring her here for possibility of Hugh’s settling down at last permanently temporary headquar- “toe won-dro- -- r‘ “That" said Cora whenJtie had answered her thus six times “was funny the first time you said it I believe I laughed on the second occasion but—” "Oh I know” answered Dick “but your everlasting hope that he’ll marry Is as persistent as my witty reply Besides didn’t old Wendell Holmes say somewhere that an accurate mind always responds to a given situation with the same reaction? According to i -- that I have a well-order- ed - the mistake of living near their Mace- wells Cora’s sister Marie must stay with Cora to attend the city tol-leCora’s mother would feel so much better knowing the girl was looked after properly Besides boarding houses really had no atmosphere Marie’s college educa- tion had just been completed much to the relief of Cora and Dick These same years had been interspersed with visits from Dick’s mother who found city life most comfortable in winter Since Mother Macewell and Cora had somewhat dissimilar ideas on household management these visits were not ge ' “Marcella was perfectly calm Somebody’s been making her believe I’m pampered: ‘a lazy spoiled child’ was exactly what she said And somebody will have to swallow their lies” “How strangely he says ‘somebody’” thought Cora “He’s just the sort who would whine about his love affairs to his brother” “But who?” That was Dick’s incredulous voice “Marcella is really veryretty" Cora had said “but w little stiff reserved don’t you think Dick? Oh not particularly so with Hugh of course I didn’t mean that sort of reserve exactly but—” “You mean with settled people older people like us Now don’t look so black Cora” Dick had grinned at her and she had known that he was pleased with whatever he was going to say next “She’s not self-center- ed Invisible Behind Bush Suddenly Cora realized that she was Invisible behind the rose bush She did not want to overtKiirwny-body- ’s private conversations She must step out at once “Who!’’ burst forth Hugh vehemently “Who! Why Cora of tourse When Marcella visited here” “I must step out at once” thought Cora and paused even as she thought All at once she wanted terribly to hear Dick stick up for her “Yes Cora! Cora neyer wants to see me happy Now she’s had her nose in here She’s—” Why—why Dick was letting him say things about her unjustly Dick knew she wanted Hugh to marry Marcella Cut to the quick Cora She knew not how she moved found herself beside them crying Incoherently “You think I—” ding would be angelic Indeed Now as Cora blithely neared the end of her pruning task the thought of the exquisite Marcella dangled in the back of her consciousness It was the prospect of something delightful coming maybe no almost surely She fancied that Hugh had been more animated than usual this time Or was it merely fancy? Trouble With Marie and Hugh gone she and Dick could manage their own lives for the first time If there had ever been-amisunderstanding between them it had been because Of’ course they of their had been happy but just the same she would like to see how it would seem not to be forever planning meals for others knowing that “In-Law- ‘ but she’s dead set against me the kind to care for much mixing up with a man’s folks That would be an asset if they ever—" Cora had gulped Joyously “Nasty" boy I" she had said But his words remained in her mind an inarticulate prayer Perhaps a matchmaker is utterly despicable but there are times when to refrain from hopipg for someone’s wed- mind" Make Little Jokes Privately they made miserable little jokes about their situation that way but neither of them breathed to their kinsmen they would have liked their home to themselvesf At first they had said nothing because Dick had accepted a portion of his future inheritance from his father in advance to et himself up in business Then too they had wanted to be hospitable in their new home Gradually they had sensed that the thing was going too far but they were both a bit shy when it came to telling their relatives that They tried to make amends to each other by being very companionable “One thing is comforting1 Dick had said one day “if our marriage ever assumes geometric proportions it won’t take the ordinary form of a triangle it will be a polygon with all our dear relations as the sides" "Dick” said Cora “your sense of humor is your saving grace If you cbuldn’t see the funny side of this Since both ancestral families houses were already established in the same small town the young Macewells priding themselves on their wisdom had selected a city home Then did the advantages of city headquarters dawn simultaneously x uf days-pla- ever-changi- ng ters’’ those meals would never be entirely satisfactory to tose others Cora poised her pruning shears absently in her hand and dreamed Suddenly she shilled at her own credulity Why Hugh had been nearer a prospective marriage than this half a dozen times and half a dozen times she had been disappointed At the termination of each affair Hugh had come home either glum or ter studiedly boisterous A few he could be expected to burst in glowing over a new girl and things would go on as before Would hot the old story be repeated this time? At this point Cora was startled by Hugh’s own voice surprisingly hear day-drea- ’ ward Five years before when Cora Porter and Dick Macewell had been married with due pomp they had decided that they must not make r 1934' are In my" home and guess what you’d be like in your own” “Why you sneaking liar you’ll learn to keep your prying nose out of my business" He gestured with his hand too close to her Would Dick never be roused’ to defend her? In her right hand the pruning shears 'became tangible She raised them indignantly and brought them down across Hugh’s knuckles What had she done? She felt dazed faint Hugh drew back sharply then advanced In a frenzy His arm was raised! He would hit! The Brothers '' Dick was between Fight ftheim The brothers rolled over the grass ora Hugh’s nose bled unheeded looked on exultantly “Being de- -fended! — Being --defended!” she thought In the midst of It she suddenly pictured herself there watching them She must look melodramatic The knowledge filled her with humiliation What a degrading thing to have happen wln one’s own garden And then Hugh would have struck her He actually would have struck her Why she had forced Dick’s hand! Shocking that Hugh would have struck her Still an hout before she would not have believed that she could bring herself to hit Hugh And she had done it She had been the worst of them all But she was glad! Oh how could she ever look anyone in the face Again without blushing She had hit— Dick Was crouching over Hugh grasping him by the shoulders in a hold never advocated by wrestling trainers Now they were rising Hugh Inquisitively touched his fore- nose with a finger Dickrlookedembarrassed but his shoulders were tense with triumph “I thought she—” said Hugh meekly Apparently his spoken thoughts had undergone a change He looked hatred at Cora you But the relative whose attentions were most constant of all waS Dick’s brother Hugh who was d upon the Porters and the TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING - MAY 20 s’’ --Yes you you snooping busybody You’re nothing but a prying ny trouble-make- r” “You imbecile big boob" cried Cora “I’ve tried to be decent to’ you but if you will have it maybe Marcella didn’t have to be told anything about you Just maybe she had sense enough" to see what in-la- - blue-band- ed “Hugh! We’re through" said Dick hotly The next moment he laughed "You simple ass! As If Cora hadn’t been hoping all along j you’d get married and clear out' At least we can have the clear out part right now” “You don’t need to think I’d stay here another day" Hugh sneered “You’re damned right you won’t" retorted Dick The two left together for the house There was packing to do and certain transactions must be made Cora stood very still She noticed several faintly veined rose petals smeared with blood They might blow away the telltales She half stooped to pick them up shuddered and rubbed them to nothing with her foot She and Dick alone together— emancipated Dick was valiant enough once he took a stand— Oh but she had hit— Where were those pruning shears? Cora found them In the grass and wondered Just when she had dropped them The basket lay upset beside the rose bush and most of the twigs had to be picked up Far away the front door closed with finality Cora walked toward the house slowly She had pruned her garden Editor’s Note— At the beginning of this” story one is immensely pleased -with the style and with the author’s- evident sense of the right word for the place the right sentence length and the right construction She has either been well taught or ahe has that rare innate quality of fitness in language in either case ahe is to be congratulated When one reads on however be begins to get the feeling that there is too much concern in this regard end the -perfection of the English begins to grate on him In fact it is not only possible but it is nearly always so that the handling of the English In e composition can be so good that it is bad Such e catastrophe is not quite reached in this -story? but the author-treathroughout the whole latter half of the tale perilously on its edge This makes it necessary again to reiterate that principle which la one of the greatest in all art: “That is bad art which calls attention to itself for itself" Almost does the English here make one look at it and for the time being forget the story and one must never lose sight of the story for the story is the thing wherein one catches the fancy of the dear public Ibis brings the whole discussion right up to something that Arthur Sullivan Hoffman aaid in hit first book on fiction-writin"The whole art of atory telling lies in getting the illusion and KEEPING IT" The last two words express the whole thing and give the chief danger Anyone the merest tyro can build up an illusion the crudest of writers do that children at play do It to perfection and notice how the others cry out the mlntite one of them gets out of the pretending “Aw come on let’i play" It is the keeping 6t the illusion that the read- er demands ha feels sggrlevedwhen the author brings in something that calla at- ten tion to itself and away from the atory It this is done it is also twice as diffi- ' cult to rebuild the illusion as it was to set it up at lint If it is broken down too many times t becomes impossible egain to revive it In a sense then these two dicta art one The lady takes too much time nearly of her story in making the introduction Again wa must say the same trite things: The story is the thing tell the story After all an author of fiction la not a teacher an entertainer A propagandist a disciple of pure English a logician or a moralist he is that wonderful magician a teller of tales The worst flaw in this story however Is the abrupt manner in which the discord quarrel and fight are brought on the stage The author had to have his trouble it was necessary in order to tree Dick and Cora from their Hugh She has chosen the right thing This is however so much out of character for the two that more careful management should have been used in leading up to it so that the entrance of Core end her use of the pruning shears and the flying fists of Dick should have seemed the natural thing Instead of grating as they do In fact one gets a little disgusted with Cora at the time ' Dick is certainly more excusable Two or three more speeches a little change in words would have done it Don’t thinkthe story wasn't liked it was an oasis in a drear desert and was very ds g: one-fift- h -- welcome What Is Happiness for Women Anyway? time her full life left her was spent visits and acts of charity Just one of the millions of quiet saints whose names we never will know but whose lives make the whole world better The famous the rich the great all came into the zone of this humble old Irish woman They meant nothing to Richest and Poorest Always Seeking That Elusive Thing Called Happiness — and So Few Seem to Recognize in Woolworth lived ther for awhile in a small room on the top floor Andrew Melton and Joseph Jefferson stayed th£re and the beautiful Lillian Russell sometimes dined there as did Mansfield and Ada Rehan and all of the other famous and successful folk of the day One wonders how many of their hearts and minds knew the her She had more Important contacts in the plain old church in Thirty-sixt- h street The reality of her prayers the complete sincerity of her faith made it entirely unimportant to Maggie that the world of fashion and art and fame was flowing like a tide through the hotel Henry Ford registered there as a young man and paid ?150 for hi? room Frank It When It Appears By KATHLEEN NOBRIS A few weeks ago an old chambermaid died In New York New York has seven million inhabitants end is the business theatrical the publishing hub of the entire world and yet most of its newspapers gave what we used to call headlines”- - to the death and life of Mar garet Mullany She had been humbly ervlng the guests of the Grand hotel tor 17 years she died at r post without a day’s illness or any Vltuss and excitement jf doctors and hospitals) The day before Jher death was like Kathleen Norris every other day of her almost half century of work making beds throwing out flowers pushing a vacuum cleaner picking up papers disappearing to some obscure servant?' dining room for lunch and sup- per and then wearily tumbling into bed herself— this night for a long sleep The reason Maggie could live as she did live in the selfless service for others that was her lot since Cleveland was president and women were wearing bustles was that her values were not the values of this world nor were her eyes fixed on its treasures and rewards One feels that she would have been just as mysteriously 'happy In any other lowly station In life as a' hospital nurse" as a cook as the mother of some man'a houseful of children' It wouldn’t have mattered to Margaret Mullany because she had the secret that great kings and philosophers have aometimes died without finding the one real secret of happiness in life Those Who knew her said that she was always contented interested in anything she could do for the patrons of the hotel especially concerned when there was illness or any qther emer: Wool-wort- “top-pag- e Us All the leisure fessional and artistic achievements are rarely “easy on the eyes" Fame wealth and beauty only apell happiness to the outsider- - In themselves they only represent work humiliation fatigue worry and often a baffled t£n$e of bitter irony The gold of Midas the apples of Hesperldes have llv4 in our classics as long as they have because they represent something real and true that we all know the agony of holding the gold that will not buy love nor usefulness nor health the relentless march of the years that end all the glories fit youth and beauty and' country chib dances and moonlight and steamship tickets and llirtationa and the choosing of wedding silver Maggie had no traffic with these shams Her simple duty lay straight and plain before her sheets slips wet towels brooms dusters Her solution for all other things in life came to her in those quiet early mornings — dark winter mornings and soft sweet cool mornings of summer when she knelt In her corner of a pew in the church of Saint Francis of AssisL “Too dumb to do anything else!" will be the verdict of certain voices upon But that doesn’t follow For Maggie all the yean that ever have been there have been strangely wise and learned ' men everywher who do much what Maggie did Remote from the hurry and race and fever of the world they have found their simple notes of service they have lived upon poor fare they have brooded for year upon silent years on the riddle of lifo end death and the worlds to come Maggie would have been frightened out of her senses even to hear about them much lees enter upon anything like polemics with them in their own field But Maggie had found God just the same And that — is the end and object of our troubled human lives call God what you force and ultimate Good and Allah and Jehovah the heart of the Orient’s “secret thing” and the center of the Orient’s “circle" they are all Mon continue to try to make more money even with tragic evidences on every side that money has nothing to do with happiness They see the sterile miseries of many rich homes the lost childrenr the divorces They know how lonely and superfluous a really rich man is in his Old age but they continue to grasp at the gold that is only ashes when they get it And the wives who see them grow cold and calculating and who grieve their lonely hearts out in idle grandeur Women continue to sink their personalities and wreck their bank acincounts for clothes and beautifiers under Maggie’s faith was not Just the the impression that beauty means happicense toe clicking of beads the mum-- : ness without ever stopping to realize that bling of "have mercy on ust" that is the plums of life do not go where beauty — all an outsider might have aeea ja it Back of that mysterious ritual and the already is Take the thousand happiest and most successful women you know jumble of the Latin words she didn’t understand and never made any effort and you are apt not to find one beauty to understand was Maggie’s code the among them Helen Hayes and Kathcode of toe humble the code that is arine Cornell Greta Garbo Katharine formed on the belief that he who would Hepburn and Joan Crawford are far from being the be greatest among us must be as one handkerchief-bomodxcalloped-headewho serves that the Kingdom of Heaven will-Cosm- ' 1 hard-workin- g gency to ha handled complete peace and satisfaction in life that this old servant knewT One wonders if any of their faces wore habitually the expression that' her lace is described as wearing? "It wasn't that Maggie was always smiling but she had a look as If she was always going to smile and she told me once she didn’t know what it was to have the blues or x to worry" a friend said of her Maggie’s motto may well have bean that of a great woman leader of women who died a few yeara ego “to him that loveth God all things work together for good" It would be ridiculous to suggest that a wealthy 8nd young and beautiful woman— for example any granddaughter h of those ame guests at the hotel or Ford or Mellon—does not atari life with Infinitely better chances for happiness than Margaret Mullany ever had Culture and education exquisite backgrounds of city mansions country palaces frocks jewels travels amusements are all extremely delightful and valuable things To be born princess Of England is certainly a pleasanter thing than to be just one more Mullany baby in a sod cabin in County Mayo But after all what human hearts want From the very richest ' is happiness of us down to the very poorest of us that is the one thing we are seeking The catch lies in the fact that so few of us know inhere It lies or even that we have got it when it is all about Her simple duty lay straight and plain before brooms r d her sheets dusters slips wet towels d rose-lippe- d x els into which so many millions of working girls are trying to turn themselves women who have helped their men rise to the highest political and pro- - ' is within you (Copyright J934 by Bel Syndicate - lacit |
