San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-18

phraseology and lachrymose in tone, but
it indicated a want and made that want
| clear.
| It was-divorcel
Mrs. Thorne gave no special reason
for desiring release from her marriage
vows. She dwelt at length on her
lonely and unprotected" condition, and
was very sorry for herself, and consid-
cred her case a hard one, suggesting
blame to her husband in that he had
not taken the necessary steps for her re-
lease long before. She intimated that
he had been selfish and lacking in proper
consideration for her in leaving it to her
to take the initial steps in the matter.
He should have arranged about the
divorce at the time of the separation, she
said, and SO have spared her annoyance.
As he had not done SO she hoped he
would show some consideration for her
now, and help her to arrange the disa-
greeable business as speedily and pri-
vately as possible. He really owed her
indulgence latter all that had passed"
The last words were heavily under
scored.
Thorne, conscious that the present po-
sition of matters between them, as we'll
as the past unhappiness, was quite as
much her fault as his, and the act Of
separation more so, he having been the
passive and consenting party, did not
consider it specially incumbent on him
to make things easy for his wife. In his
irritation and disgust at her heartless
selfishness he half determined to make
| them very much the reverse. He was
not surprised at his wife's communica-
ton. He knew perfectly well that she
would seek a divorce sooner or later, as
the liberality of the world in such mat
| tiers made it natural that she should do.
command of the income which he had
allowed her for his child's sake, COM
bined with the lack Of strong personal
motive, which had prevented her from
getting divorce before. Her letter irri-
tated him, not because she desired to
break the shadowy bonds which still
held her, but because he had behaved
well to her, and she had taken it as her
right with careless ingratitude. What
he had done, he had done for his sons
sake, but he was none the less provoked
that Ethel had failed of appreciation
and acknowledgment. .-r r
"Read thatr he said, and tossed the
| letter into Norma's lap. While she was
| doing so he broke the seal of the other
letter, which proved to be a communica-
ton from firm of solicitors in small
town in Illinois, in whose hands Mrs.
Thorne had placed her case. TWAS deli,
cately and ambiguously worded, as be-
came the nature of the business, and
contained simply courteous notifica-
ton of their clients intentions.
| Norma had been prepared for Mrs.
Thorne's letter by that of her friend,
Mrs. Vincent, and perhaps also by Sc
cret hope on which she had fed for years
"a hope that this would happen. She
read the letter therefore without emo
ton and returned it without comment
"WellY" he queried impatiently.
"Well!' she echoed.
"What do You think of it9" !
81 think that Mrs. Thorne wishes to
marry again"
"No! do your" The tone was thought
| full; the interrogation delivered slowly.
| The idea was new one, and it put a
different complexion upon the matter,
because of the child; there were still sew
eral years during which the personal Gus
tody of the boy was the mothers of
| L., b. 1oal ;,,f1
matter more closely.
Eyes, I'm sure of it," responded
Norma; ''it's town talk See what Kate
Vincent says about it.
| She handed him her letter folded down
at this paragraph: "People have been
mildly excited, and the gossips' tongues
set wagging by rumor which foated
down from the Adirondacks last sum-
mer and has been gaining body and sub
stance ever since. You remember how
Cecil Cumberland philandered after a
certain lady of our acquaintance last
winter, and how unremitting were his
attentions? Friendship, my dear! Harm
less friendship on pure platonic plat
form; you understand-honi soft qui
NAL pense. Well, this autumn the plot
thickened; the platonism became less APP
parent the friendship more pronounced.
Nothing painfully noticesble-oh, no..
the lady is too clever-still, the gossips
began to take a.contract and work on it
in slack seasons, and latterly with dill
gence. 1t is openly predicted that
madam will seek divorce, and them
we shall see what we shall see. Cecil
looks radiantly worried and sullSily i'm
nortant His family are ranged in n