STELLA DALLAS
By Olive Iliggins Prouly.
SYNOPSIS
Stella Balias separated from her hus
band. and her daughter, laurel, 13, live
in the “cheapest room" of a fashionable
hotel lu Milnampton. In the parlors,
where she passes inueh time reading.
Laurel overhears scornful reference* to
her mother made by social leaders In
the hotel world Both mother and daugh
ter are always smartly dressed when they
go together to the dining room. Laurel
goes on a \isit to her father In New York
and 1i.> leaves her at the home of Mrs
Morrison, a friend, while he Is away on
a trip to < hfeagn. .liter seeing her
daughter aboard the train in Boston
Stella goes to a cafe where she meets an
old admirer. \Ifred Munn, with whom
she attends a musical farce.
(Continued from Yesterday.)
She hail no love at nil for music,
it appeared, although during the short
period of their courtship she told
Stephen she was "crazy about it." and
in fact seemed to him to be. She was
a beautiful dancer. "I just can't keen
still when there's a tune going on.”
Hut after her first real musical con
cert with Stephen, one Saturady
night several weeks after their mar
riage (Boston artists often came to
Milhaniptop), she frankly confessed
herself as horribly bored. A violin
made her w *nt to scream. It Was so
squeaky, like filing finger-nails with
a steel file, slm thought. «>f course
if musical concerts, Kneisel quar
tettes and the like were "the thing,”
she was game for them. But really a
good vaudeville show (movies were
then in their infancy) was much more
entertaining. And a good play, where
you saw modern actors, kept you so
much better up-to-date, and rubbed
tlie green moss off you in rolls. The
beauty of out-of-doors had no attrac
tion for her, nor flowers either, her
morning-glories and wild cucumbers
notwithstanding. She spent a good
deal of time outodoors, walking; not,
however, for the physical exhilara
tion of it, hut simply “to reduce"
(even then Sulla was Inclined to be a
little plumpi or to save the price of
a car-far**, which she usually invested
in candy. She was always nibbling
at candy.
Often during tin' first few months
of his marriage, grave doubts and
misgivings assailed Stephen, but he
was able to send them slinking away
usually by comparing his present ex
istence with tHut of a year ago. A
year ago his evenings had been awful
stretch*s of loneliness and unloveli
ness. Now * o h night there was a
verv pretty and always good-natured
Stella waiting for him in a little
sweet-snioilinit apartment; and after
his evening meal there were distant
-sound:*, far from unpleasing to him,
of running water and rattling dishes,
as he sat smoking and reading in his
old Morris chair, wrapped round with
his books and his rugs and a few
treasured pieces of furniture unbur
ied from a storehouse in Keddington.
Later there was somebody sitting
on the arm of his Morris chair, press
ing against his shoulder, somebody
soft and warm and alive, and his—
'all his, to do with ns he phased No;
he was not sorry that he had married
Stella.
If time had not been steadily at
■work performing its gentle cure upon
Stephen, he might never have been
sorry he had married Stella. But old
hopes, old ideals began to reasSet t
themselves. In spite of himself,
gradually, slowly, Stephen became in
terested in his job at the Cataract
Mills. More than once that spring.
Stella, coming in from the kitchen of
th« little aparment after the supper
dishes had been put away, found
Stephen poring over one of the sheep-1
skin bound volumes from the bottom
shelf of the bookcases he had had
built around the li* Ing-room, Ws
precious Trollope or Meredith (Lord,
what did he find in those old birds?)
pushed aside, discarded.
The sheepskin-bound volumes were
Ktephon's law books. He told Ptella
lie wanted to satisfy a curiosity he
bad, as to the legal right or wrong
of certain affairs at the Cataract
Mills. Stephen was in the complaint
department of the mills at that time.
This curiosity of Stephen’s percolat
ed through the man immediately
above him, and through the next
man. and the next and the next, and
ao on to the general manager finally
Once the general manager discovered
Stephen. It was every night then that
he pored over the law-books
Stella did not begrudge the late
nights Stpehcu spent with the big
volumes.
“Gracious." she bad exclaimed, eyes
aglint. when Stephen confided to her
that the general manager had sug
gested that he pass his bar examina
tion. so as to be able to assist in Hie
legal end of the business, if occasion
arose. "Gracious, a lawyer! My!
Won't I feel just grand? Oh,
Stephen, 1 knew I'd picked a win
ner. 1 wouldn't be a hit surprised if
l found myself a governor's wife
some day. or a president's! Gosh,
wouldn't I he thrilled?"
"Oh, Stella. Not 'Gosh!' Please.”
"i hi well—Jimmy then—What's the
diff? Lord, I’m excited!"
"Poor Stella, thought Stephen.
"Poor Stephen, too!" For it occurred
to him suddenly, slckeningly. gazing
at Stella, listening to Stella, that
there were two reasons now instead
of one a year ago why he should
avoid the smiles and favors of suc
cess.
But lie didn't. He couldn't. Much
in the same way as water seeks its
own level, so Stephen had a level lie,
too, involuntarily sought. He had
been born with the love of success
running in hia veins and it wouldn't
be denied.
Mr. Palmer, the general manager of
the Cataract Mills, became very much
interested in Stephen Dallas. He had
no son of his own; he had no protege
in whom to feel pride and pleasure,
i io could well feel pride and pleasure
in Stephen. Stephen was by nature
very adaptable, very approachable.
His father's act had univ temporarily
crippled his graceful self-confidence.
He was tall and slight, more aristo
cratic than rugged In appearance;
forehead high, eyes well set. rhin and
mouth strong and distinctive. His
dai':, closc-cut hair grew thick on
top i p his head, but receded on either
side )i"e so many American boys still
in their twenties. The mustache, re
strained and close-cut, which he had
allowed to grow when he first came
to Milhampton, in order to make him
forget whom he had been before, gave
him a foreign look.
“English.” delightedly whispered
some of the Milhampton women, to
whom everything English was de
sirable.
Mr. Palmer suggested his name for
membership at the Milhampton City
club; at the River Country club; in
troduced him to a group of young
lawyers. Stephen ran across some
old college acquaintances, some old
law-school contemporaries. Swiftly,
! Your Credit
IS GOOD HERE!
GOOD CLOTHES—
Men, Women, Children.
, QUALITY DIAMONDS—
i Elgin Watches, 1847 and Com.
munity Silverware.
Advance Styles In EVERY Dapt. i|
i Si* Bi* Store, mean Israel volume Inwet
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■mafia's Crvalaai Cretrft Mas* |
HarrisGoaks
5070511 SOUTH I6g ST
One of the most difficult things to explain in a
small advertisement is a sale of odd lamps, dinner
ware, stemware or china and consequently the
public frequently “passes up” most unusual bar
gains in these goods. We are holding four such
sales in
Our Gift Shop
Wednesday, December 26
Featuring Wonderful
Bargains With Price •
Cuts from 10% to 60%>
Dinnerware •
All broken sets that we do not contemplate replac- / f)0/
ing, but which are still running patterns with the /0
makers. Services for 6, 8 and 13. Less—
And a few full sets less— 30%
China
Tea, salad and dessert plates In Minton, Crown 1 (\C/n
Staffordshire, Crescent, Doulton and others in J
eights or dozens. Many of these plates can be to
matched in teas, bouillons and other small plates. _ — /
Discounts— 30%
Stemware
Ore/
Crystal or colored stemware jn dozens, eights or v
sixes of goblets, sherbets, parfaits, wines or cock* to
tails, as well as a few complete services. « t\nt
•4 0%
Odd Lamp Shades
10%
About fifty beautiful silk lamp shades for junior,
bridge and table lamps will be sold at reductions to
of 30% to 60% from regular. f)0%
Odd Lamp Bases
Junior bridge and tablo lamps in gilded wood, two- 30%
tone walnut and antique metal, as well as a few fn
of pottery, will be in the sale at 30% to 60%
from regular. 60%
SALE MAIN FLOOR
SIXTEENTH AND HOWARD STREETS
f
with amazing speed old lines of com
munication were established between
himself and the world to which he
belonged. The impression lie made
upon Milhampton was distinctly
favorable.
One day Mrs. Palmer invited Step
hen and his wife to dinner. Others
Invited Stephen and his wifo to din
ner. Stephen became very anxious
to feel pride in Stella, now that he
had begun to feel pride again in him
self. Stella became very anxious that
he should feel pilde in her. To ap
pear the lady Stephen’s wife should
have been born became Stella's
greatest ambition, on the first few
occasions "when she appeared with
Stephen before the footlights of the
social life in Milhampton—a stage she
had gazed upon with longing eyes for
years—she would do nothing say noth
ing. almost think nothing, until it
was first approved by Stephen. At
first she invited ids criticism, re
sponded with eagerness to Ills con
slant drilling suggestion. Of course
his slightest suggestion. Of course
she made progress. She was a clever
mimic. At* first Stephen had great
hopes for Stella.
(Continued In The Morning Bee.
Headaches Prom slight Colils.
t.assure BROSIO QUININE TaWetl rrlirts the
Headaetle hr 4 tiring Pie Cold. A tunio laial-ire
and serin destroyer. The bn hear* Die *lsna(ure of
(■;. \\ drove. (Tie sure you gel PROMO)
30.—Advertisement. _
Adele Garrison
“My Husband’s Love”
Madge Called on Mrs. Hurkee.
Smarty. smarty, had a party,
Little Airs. Durkee's voice had her
familiar lilting laugh In It and T stop
ped short halfway between the door
and her lied to stare at. her In amaze
ment. Dr. Braithwalte had told me
tho evening before of her wonderful
rally from the operation, and after
his morning call upon her had tele
phoned me (hat he wished to see
me. With my preparations sll made
(or accompanying my alster-lnlaw
to the farm—unable to sleep because
of my uneasiness over the unknown
intruder of the night before. 1 bad
arisen early and worked steadily—
I bad hurried over to the hospital.
But even with the expectancy of see
ing a convalescent instead of a worn
shock-shattered patient, I was not
prepared for the shining eyed vision
which confronted me.
"You're the most colossal fraud I
know." I declared emphatically.
"Don't tell me you're a surgical case.
You've simply hypnotized Katherine
and pr. Braithwalte—,**
"I wish I could hypnotl** him."
The adorable little woman whom we
call "Her Fluffiness" tried to achieve
a sentimental look and sigh then
laughed merrily at her failure. "Isn't
he the most adorable thing?" she
cried. "But I think you were mean
having a party without me. 1 Just
told the doctor so this morning, too.”
She shook her head emphatically,
and Katherine, who had been sitting
watchfully at one side of the room,
with only a smile for me, arose and
crossed to the bed.
"Donf you get rambunctious,” she
said with an affectionate smile, but
there was metre than a hint of author
ity In the words, and I saw my little
friend start as might a restive colt at
a touch of restraint.
"Ooodness gracious, Katherine!”
she exclaimed, don't you go to put
ting on any trained nurse authority
with me. I’ve known you too long.
And I wasn't doing anything.”
"No, of course you weren't,” Kath
erine replied smiling mischievously
down at her. “But see that you don't
move quickly like that again.”
"What will you do If I do?" Mrs.
Durkee asked with a gamin like 1m
puden^ smile at her.
"Tell Dr. Bra it h waits he must get
another nurse.” The smile was still
on Katherine's lips, but there whs
that In her voice and eyes which tolfl
she meant exactly what she said, and
which evidently penetrated our little
friend's volatile mental processes, for
Into her blue eyea there flashed n
look like that of A frightened child.
"Oh Katherine, T will bo good.” she
said contritely. "Only don't leave
roe. I should die If I had a strange
one.”
Katherine sto'oped and kissed her
tenderly. "You won’t have to order
the flowers today, Madge,” she said
over her ahoulder. "I’ll Veep a strange
one out. Nowr you tnay talk three
minutes more, and then you must
make your adieux."
I comprehended the anxiety behind
Katherine's ultimatum and realized
that wilful little Mrs. Durkce in her
childlike excitement would tax her
own strength beyond endurance were
she permitted to do so. I was slid
denly glad that I had decided to go
to the farm, for if I were within reach,
she would wish to see me often and
talk herself Into exhaustion at every
visit.
"What a pretty room you have.” 1
struck into the flist Innocuous sen
tence I could seize.
"Yes, it is. But how's Leila? Al
fred said she had one of her head
aches over at the hotel and couldn't
come over." fvathertne's swift warn
ing gesture had kept me silent until
the end of her patient's little speech,
so that I was saved betraying to her
the exciting fact that her daughter
in law w-as In another room of the
hospital recovering from a nervous
collapse, not serious, requiring only
two or three days' rest, but which
surely would alarm her mother-in
law should she hear of it.
"1 haven't seen her this morning,"
I said truthfully. "I'nt going over
to the hotel now, and I'll tell her
you were asking about her.”
"Tell her to come over as soon as
she cun," she enjoined me, and then
Katherine s eyes warned me to cut I
my call short.
' When are you coming again?" my]
little friend asked pathetically. And
I felt guilty Indeed, as I answered:
"Just as soon as they will let me,"
knowing that I should not see her
again while she was In the hospital.
"And I’ll write you In the times
between my calls," I promised with
sudden Inspiration, and her face
lighted gleefully.
“You're such a darling, Madge,"
she said as X stooped to ki»« h««
good bye. and I went down to L*il» »
room, still with the feeling of guilt
tugging at my conscience, salved only
by the knowledge that the deception
was the best thing for her.
INDIGESTION
causes bloating—gassy pains that
crowd the heart—const I pa'ion.
Aluayi find relief and comfort hi
CHAMBERLAIN’S
TABLETS
No rriptmr—bo nausea—only 25 cent*
STYLE WITHOUT
EXTRAVAGANCE
I
1519 1521
DOUGLAS ST
Mr.
Commencing Wednesday, 9 a. m. ■
December 26th
—our 26th Semi-annual
HALF-PRICE
CLEARANCE
i
of our entire select stocks of
Positively not a single reservation
HERE IS THE SALE OF ALL SALES—THE ONE
EVENT FOR WHICH FEMININE OMAHA
AWAITS WITH A FULL REALIZATION THAT
THEY ARE TO SHARE IN THE MOST PHE
NOMENAL VALUE GIVING OF THE YEAR.
IT’S THE SALE THAT MEANS TWO GAR
MENTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE—THE SALE
YOU CANNOT F
V. - r
Outstanding Apparel event of each season
Original price tickets re
main on every garment.
Simply pay one-half this
price. You can virtually
be your own salesperson.
Permit nothing to stop you
from attending this won*
derful event. No journey
is too great to share in
these, money savings.
I
Plan on an early attendance Wednesday
You know from past experience the way women
respond to Herzberga’ Half Price Sales. There
are many advantages in early selections. Plenty
of salesladies to render instant service.
Our entire. Fourth and Sixth floors devoted to
this marvelous disposal of
Coats — Furs — Frocks — Suits