The Fashionable Adventures of Joshua Craig

h frankness tends to destroy "sympathetic interest," to make delusion and illusion impossible; it gives cynicism and his brother, pharisaism, their opportunity to simper and to sneer

w them before; we cover up our motives, forget where we have hidden them, and wax justly indignant when they are dug out and confronted with us. We are scandalized, quite honestly,

fastening it on Margaret's foot. Though no one has been able to fathom it, there must be a reason for the perversity whereby our outbursts of anger against any seriously-offending fellow-being always break on some trivial offense, never on one of the real and deep causes of wrath. Margaret, though ignorant of her maid's secret grief and shame, had borne patiently the sins of omission and commission, only a few of which are catalogued above; this, though the maid, absorbed in her woe, had not even apologized for a single one of them. On the seventh day of discomforts and disasters Margaret lost her temper

rs. Baker's chef being new from France and not yet grown careless, and the company was amusing. At the third course she rose. "I've forgotten something," said

ly plainer. She knocked. As there was no answer, she opened the door. On the bed, sobbing heart-brokenly, lay Selina, crushed by the h

" said M

swollen face on the pillow, cease

much-vaunted "just as if they were equals," but simply as one human being to another. The mai

horribly ashamed." Wistfu

y, "I'm dreaming." And she threw hers

"Can you forgive me, Selina?" said she. "There's no excuse for me except that

hree years' experience," moaned she, not to be outdone in honorable generosit

d her. "I'm not strictly truthful myself at

ed Selina, "where there ain't no excus

his unconsciously profound observation upon life and morals. "Never mind,

I'm a regular block-head,

ou to forgive me and like me. I'm so lonely and unhappy. And I need the

ourse, promised to see that he was released at once. When she went to her own room, the maid following to help her efface the very disfiguring evidence of their

ed elms, her eyes so stern and somber, her mouth and chin so hard that her worshipful sister Lucia watched in silent, fascinated dr

-what a NASTY temper!" Luci

ed Margaret, as if she glori

king something-something-T

Then, with a laugh: "I'm taking myself ridiculously seriously to-day. Temper-givin

ut-about M

nce that she was willing to talk, to confide-so far as she ev

ked you to

not

e's go

ueer smile. "He d

med Lucia. "Why, he's not

s not so romantic that she

o rude and nois

I-at

encouraging him. It seemed sort of-of-cheap, unwo

deed. "I am not flirting with him," she

so profoundly shocked that her us

ry him," repeated

't love him!

marry a man, willy-nilly, she begins to hate him. It's a case of hunter and hunted. Perhaps,

she cried. And she turned awa

llusions as long as possible. But-why shouldn't you know the truth? Perhaps, if we all faced th

why you chose him

Fate did th

like Grant Arkwright? Rita,

m not prim enough to suit him. He imagines he's liberal-that's a common failing among men. But a woman who is natural shocks them, and they are taken in and pleased by one who

ll," admit

ith his wife about money. He'd run the hou

ast, he's a

I suppose so. I despise him, w

tough-looking s

hat in a man,"

man's," said Lucia. "Whenever I

parrot's-they're claws....

he has ug

m because he can get for me what I need." Margaret patted her sister on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Lucia! I'm lucky, I tell

any money," o

find him quite tolerable.

a. "You see, people have to have money or

espect beside ease and comfort and luxury? As grandmother said, a

"Then the world would be beautiful, full of love and romance,

as gazing at the fountain, her unseein

got money why marry h

and make everybody so uncomfortable that they'll gladly give him what he's snatching for

ll be delighted! A

n't to be; bu

k and dissolved in tears. "Oh, Rita, Rita!" she sobbed. "You are the dearest, loveliest girl on

hat.... Think of the thousands, millions of women who marry just for a home and a bare living!... No doubt, there's something wrong about the whole thing, but I don't see just wha

love?" Lucia ventured wistful

arse anybody that does say so. But it's the truth, just the same.... Those who marry for money regret it, but not so much as those who marry only for love-when poverty b

bout her sister. Then, remorseful for disloyal thoughts: "And, if it wasn't

gratitude. "Yes, I may. I probably shall. Surely, I'm n

n that bold, common way.

surprised he'd be," she exclaimed, "if h

ly cheered up by her confidence in the miracles Margaret

r must always improves with acquaintance. "I'll make him over

xaggerated gest

aid she. "He's so horribl

ves. A woman gets a good, strong nervous system-and a good, strong stomach-after she h

ok," sugge

o deceive men by our looks! Really, Lucia

s too

coarse as he is he'd fly from m

ucia rejoined: "When are

I can't stand it!" And Lucia was awed and silenced by the sudden, strained