Show VALUES by 13 y CAROL FARMER W 1921 by mcclure ow paper syndicate alice swayed unresistingly with every movement of the elevated train too wenry weary even to try to protect herself I 1 elf trum from the jolts caused by tile the proximity of her fellow suiTer sulTer erg ers despite tier her pallor and evident exhaustion her face shone flower like above tier her shabby furs tired alice her companion clumsily tried to steady her as slie she was almost swept oft off her feet between the human maelstrom those fighting to get oft off and those getting on like two mighty streams each determined to have the right of way tile the girl felt that if he be touched tier her again she would scream tonight more than ever lie he seemed to typify fill all the things she hated with every fiber of her being till all the sordidness which so far bad made up her life all about tier her was the same apathy tile the self evident signs of a struggle for a roof over ones head and enough to cover ones nakedness of body batty it if not of spirit she tried to bring her hard won philosophy into play she had tier her health arid and joe arid and a momentary pan pang of compunction smote her in all the world he was the only one who really cared anything about tier lier to all the hustling pushing throng she was nothing but a mere atom in the deep recesses of her soul she knew that in marrying joe she was not being true to her higher self she knew it would mean the end of all her striving for some of I 1 the beauty find and joy of life no matter liow how hard she rhe tried she could never take him upward and onward with her she would have to come down to his level while he secretly admired and stood in awe of her notions not lon as he be called them they were entirely beyond ills his comprehension hen slon when she allowed herself to think mice alice despised herself for or giving up tile the struggle so ignobly but she was so tired of the eternal loneliness the terrifying abysmal loneliness of her cheerless cheer leRs room with its musty dampness and single gas jet of the bargain basement with its tight skirted gum hewing rouged gouged prisoners with whom lie he frit felt so inadequate to cope and joe seemed to offer tier her the only escape her only surcease dull plodding yet lie he could give her physical companionship a home better than she could win for herself and mitigate the ever present specter of tile the wolf on tier her horizon but tier her dreams they could never lie ie anything else but dreams and she would have to dream alone so they were to lie be married the next nest day suddenly she looked down straight into the eyes eves of a WO woman who was the very essence of fill lier ber visions svelte beautifully gowned with the pride of race in every line she looked as out of place in that throng as a illyan lily in a potato patch and as their eyes clung for one long moment alice envied with an envy that aas artas as poignant as a knife in an open wound lella leila had dropped breathlessly into a beai seat tier her pulses tingling with a new excitement rather childishly proud of the fact that she among among all that awful crush had secured a seat not no t that she was nas tired for she had been nt at a matinee all afternoon ana as usual had stepped directly into tuy hp r luxurious Ins urious waiting tor for her at the close of tile the performance but midway the car had broken down and she had taken a sudden fancy to go home on the cars the experience nt at ills hour was a unique one something beyond her ken what lay behind all this struggle for a seat eat even for a foothold meant nothing to her she could not even s sense the crushing cru hang weariness of tile the tired eyed women and perspiring men for leila had had ease and beauty and luxury all her life and she hall had married for more ease case and luxury but she bait bad had tier her dreams too wh ruch wonderful dreams of a gallant lover over a tender comrade and laughing little children a life above the selfish indolent life a worldly mother had forced on tier her and she too had had ball to ro give elve up tier her dreams had watched them hem drift away day by day like little errant silver clouds overpowered by old gold and might for instead of a gallant lover she ha had d married a power instead of a comrade eon a moneymaking money making machine and stead instead of encircling little arm arins and childish prattle there was a big boue e whose rooms seemed filled HI ed with a 8 haunting quiet that thrilled tier her F or the first time in many weeks as tie he felt exhilarated she forgot her boredom bor hor edom forgot that she was going S home to t a silent dinner to sit opposite OP cosite a husband band who ho thought that woin pre ere only bolls lolls to be bought louet lt and aad paid p d for and looked upon as a s symbol of a man trolls s material success these peo 1 pie le all a 1 bout about her what interests they r must have what wl at strivings for dreams not yet fulfilled what glorious hopes she S le watched hungrily the tender solicitude of theman for the pretty ars r ss girl who stood before tier and her mind painted glowing pictures of their future together oil to be once again at the ehi threshold of s youth and love out of her golden aribon free to choose arid a dream i ag 2 gain even as this gi rl h A nd as the car rounded a 5 curve and A laces bihn body t vas shielded by the protective protect hk ie embris ee of the man by her alle belfa envied with an envy S than gall and fiat wag more M bitter I 1 I 1 H |