San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-20

uetu ailC udltu, Oub III uci NEAR ollC was
dimly afraid of her husband.
Thorne bowed coldly, and then placed
chair for her on the hearth rug. "Sit'
down." he said, 81 want to talk to YOU"
and then he seated himself opposite her.
For awhile he did not speak; some
how the words he had come to say stuck
in his throat; it was so cold blooded for
them, husband and wife, to sit there be-
side their own hearth and discuss their
final separation. A log, which had
burned in half, fell and rolled forward
on the marble hearth, sending little puffs
of gray smoke into the room. He reached
past her for the tongs and laid the log
back in its place, and the little action
seemed to seal his lips more closely. The
tiny clock on the carved oak mantle
chimed the hour in soft, low tones; he
counted the strokes as they fell, one,
two, and SO on up to twelve. The win
ter sunshine streamed in between the
parting of the curtains and made glory
of his wifes golden hair.
Ethel was the first to speak. "You
got my letter. she questioned, keeping
her eyes fixed on the fire.
"Yes; that is the reason I'm here"
The broken log was blazing again quite
merrily, the two ends far apart.
"Why not have written instead Of
coming?" she demanded, as one who pro-
tested against some grievous injury; sit
would have been far pleasanter for both.
There's no sense in our harassing our
selves with personal interviews"
81 preferred personal interview"
Ethel lapsed into silence; the man was
hopeless brute, and it was useless to
expect courtesy from him. She tapped
her foot against the fender, and a look Of
obstinacy and temper disfigured the soft
outlines of her face. The silence might
remain unbroken until the crack of doom
for any further effort she would make.
Thorne broke it himself. He was de-
termined to carry his point, and in or
der to do so strove to establish ascend
ancy over his wife from the start.
Whats the meaning of this new
move, Ethel?" he demanded authorita-
lively. 81 want to understand the mat
ter thoroughly. Why do you want a
divorced"
Mrs. Thorne turned her face toward
him defiantly.
Because I'm tired of my present life,
and / want to change it. I'm sick of be-
ing pointed at, and whispered about as
a deserted wife-a woman whose hus-
band never comes near her."
Whose fault is that" he retorted
sharply. "This separation is none of my
doing, and you know it. Bad as things
had become, was willing to worry along
for the sake of responsibility and the
child, but you wouldn't have it so. You
insisted on my leaving you-said the
very sight of me made your chains more
intolerable. Had been a viper you
could scarcely have signifed your desire
for my absence in more unmeasured
terms"
81 know / desired the separation"
Mrs. Thorne replied calmly. 81 desire
it still. My life with you was miserable,
and my wish to live apart has only in
creased in intensity. You never under
stood me-"
Thorne might have retorted that the
misunderstanding had been mutual, and
also that all the wretchedness had not
fallen to her share, but he would not
stoop to reproaches and vituperation.
1t was natural popularity of her shall
low nature to demand exhaustive com
prehension for quite commonplace emo
tions.
"It's useless debating the past, Ethel.
We've both been too much to blame to
afford the luxury of stone throwing.
What we must consider now is the fu-
ture. Is your mind quite made up? Are
you determined on the divorce?'
"Quite determined. I've given the
matter careful consideration, and am
convinced that entire separation, legal
as well as nominal, is absolutely neces-
sary TO my happiness"
"And your reasons?"
Haven't told you, Nesbit?" using
his name, for the first time, in her anger.
"Why do you insist on my repeating the
same thing over and over eternally? I'm
sick of my life and want to change it."
"But howT' he persisted. "Your life
will be the same as now and your posi-
ton not so assured. The alimony allowed
by law won't anything like cover your
present expenditures, and you can hard
ly expect me to be more generous than
the law compels. The divorce can make
little difference, save to diminish your
income and deprive You of the protection
of my name. You will not care to marry
again, and the divorce will be a restrict
ed one." Thorne was forcing his adver-
sary's hand.
why will it be restricted" she de-