One Woman's Life

f her life-to move the household to a more advantageous n

they come in from the Lake.... Why can't we

?" Horatio asked, crowding f

witheringly. "My frien

years more of his lease of this house

er. It was a campaign fought in many subtle feminine ways, chiefly between Milly and her grand

h people," Mrs. Ridge declared. "Since your v

orted quite truthfully. What the old lady re

ting your church wo

claimed wearily. "Chicago

f a Milly Ridge! She was fast becoming conscious of the prize that had been given her-her charm and her

me. Mrs. Gilbert had not forgotten her, nor the other people she had met at the Lake. More and

here," Horatio remarked forlorn

girl," her grandmoth

fling. Guess we'd better see if

omenkind. Even the old lady's judgment was dist

ried before lo

e like its many substantial neighbors, but Milly already knew enough to prefer the Gilberts' on the North Drive, which, if smaller, had more style. And in spite of all the m

all and sentimental,-a brunette. They came once to the West Laurence Avenue house for Sunday supper. Horatio did not like the sisters; he called them in his simple way "Giggle" and "Simper." The Nortons lived not far from the Lake on East Acacia Str

uld barely give Milly the generous allowance she needed and always spent in advance. Rise at Hoppers' was slow, although sure, and the only way for him to enlarge Milly'

ndma invaded Milly's bedroom, which wa

sly. "Do you realize what y

er discussion. "Papa can take it out of my allowance." (Milly was magnificently optimistic about the ex

dy's lips

not pretend to decide wher

thank heaven!... If a girl is go

had a gr

friends I've ma

you cared less to go

l flashed. "Who's above me? Nel

recognized no superiors. There were richer, cleverer, better educated women, no doubt

eetly shifted th

for your father if you w

a couple of miles across the city to another house in another street. What differ

is church rel

here are no churches

here-and Dr. Barlow has a

d lady wished to check the soaring ambition of her granddaughter, she had but to refer to this dark period in the Ridge history. Milly did not like to think of those dreary days, and

el, the gift of an admirer. Milly poked the animal from her bed, and the old lady, who loathed dogs, scuttled out of th

me alluring invitations and was quite cheerful about it. "She must give up these parties-she could not always be accepting the Nortons' hospitality, etc." But

proudly. "And she's all we've got. It woul

of the submissive atti

er," Grandma Ridge object

he only mar

iness matter that must be taken into account. So Horatio thought harder about getting into business

in for art" of late, and the banking business had been good.... To Milly, who had never been on a sleeping-car in her life (the Ridge migrations hitherto having been accomplished in day coaches because of economy

I won't be in the way?... It w

p reported Milly's ecst

she ought to have them," to which the practical banke

-day. Nevertheless, to Milly's inexperienced eyes, accustomed to the gloom of smoke, the ill-paved, dirty streets of mid-western cities, New York was even noble in its splendor. They went to the Metropolitan Mus

er ravishing things were crowded into the breathless fortnight of their visit. When she was once more settled in

se enough to reflect that if the Ridges lived in New York, it wo

dear," Mrs. Kemp said, "and then Ne

" Milly excla

perched high on stilts to keep their feet out of the mud of the submerged prairie. All the way home Milly had been making virtuous resolutions not to be extravagant and tease her father, to be patient with her grandmother, etc.,-in short, to be content with that state of life unto which God had c

tionately and went off on the little man's arm, quite gayly, waving a last

hter, had a