Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-28

ter sunshine Streamed In between the
parting of the curtains and made glory
Of his wife's golden hair.
Ethel was the first to speak. "You
got my letter. she questioned, keeping
her eyes fixed on the fire.
Eyes; 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; ''it
would have been far pleasanter for both.
There's no sense in our harassing our
selves with personal interviews"
81 preferred a personal interview"
Ethel lapsed into silence; the man was
a hopeless brute, and it was useless to
expect courtesy from him. She tapped
her foot against the fender, and look Of
obstinacy and temper distigured 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.
What's the meaning Of this new
move, Ethel?" he demanded authorize
lively. II want to understand the mat
ter thoroughly. Why do You want q
divorce?'
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
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, I 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 l been viper you
could scarcely have signified your desire
for my absence in more unmeasured
terms"
81 know l desired the separation"
! Mrs. Thorne replied calmly. IL 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.
cts useless debating the PAST, Ethel.
We've both been too much to blame to
| q fnr6 tho 11vI1rv IF t1pnHxyinup
What we must consider now is the fu-
ture. Is your mind quite made up? Are
you determined on the divorceT'
"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 l 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 howg' he persisted. your life
will be the same as now and your posi-
ton not 80 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 restrict
ed one" Thorne was forcing his adver-
sary's hand.
"Why will it be restricted" she de-
! manded, her color and her temper ris-
ing. at shall not be restricted or ham,
pered in any way, tell you, Nesbit
Thorne. Am to be fettered and bound
and trammeled by you forever? will
not be. The divorce shall give me I'M
limited power to do what please with
my life. 1t shall make me as free as
air-as free as l was before l married
you"
"You would not wish to marry again.
he repeated.
"Why not?" rising to her feet and
confronting him in angry excitement.
because in that case You would lost
! your child. neither could nor would
permit my son to be brought up in thu
! house of q man who stood to him in thu
relationship You propose"
"You cannot take him from me-" Mrs
|, Thorne retorted in defiant contradiction
|, her ideas of the power Of men and law
! yers hopelessly. vague and bewildered
! mo court on earth would take 30 small
!, a child from his mother"
= "Ahl you propose having the cas-
. come into court then? l misunderstood
|, You. thought you wished the sffai
managed quietly to avoid publicity an
comment. OF course, II the case come
:. into court, / shall contest it, and try t
!. obtain possession OF the boy, even 70
the time the law allows the mother, o.
, the ground Of being better able to sur
= port and educate him." 3, .....
= ~ do not want the case to come int
AY..l.sA