The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-06-29

upon her mind: the bored, Indifferent nus
band, the stout. uninteresting wife. with
their spoilt children, squabbes about bills,
and endless household worries. Conse-
quently she did not respond with any en-
thusiusm to Miles last remark.
III.
We look now upon Mr. and Mrs Dor
mer:
only one slight passing cloud marred the
perfect serenity of the long honeymoon.
1t was the third Sunday after their mar
riage. and the couple We're at Florence.
As they sat at breakfast Miles suddenly
asked:
Wouldn't you like TO go TO church this
morning, Cecily? You haven't been since
We left England and l believe there is a
fairly good service here"
If you wish to go, Miles. ! should like
to go with you. I didn't know that you
ever went to church"
mo, l don't But thought you did"
Yes, We always went as long as we
lived at Chatham, and when We came 10
London we began by going to a different
church every Sunday, and We heard some
thing different at eacffr-en~- clergyman
told us that all men except select few
would go to hell, and another that there
was no such place. A third said that 1t was
wicked not TO pray for rain. and a fourth
that We ought only to pray for spiritual
blessings. Some told us that everything
that happened had been predestined from
the beginning of the world, and others that
every man could make his own fate. and
was the master of his circumstances.
Then they all interpreted the Bible in diff
ferent and and often contradictory ways,
so at last ] got quite confused and dis
heartened. and | gave up going to church
and reading the Bible. But now IL you
Will tell me what YOU believe l will believe
1t too. Your faith shall be my faith, and
your God my God"
"'rhat is impossible" he said "a man
hammers out his own faith, such as 1t is.
by means Of long years of thought and
reading. A woman cannot do that, and
therefore she must believe what she Is
told. In any case the faith of u thinking
man would not be definite enough for her.
She requires dogmas, symbols. and cere,
monies"
Cecily looked sad.
Il am sorry that we must be separated in
our religion she said mournfully. DO
you think there will be a little heaven for
women and a big one for mem"
When Dormer married Cecly he had
no particular knowledge of her past
nor she of his. In time, rumors of her
maiden fiirtations reached him, and
being jealous to an absurd degree, Dor
mer gave a ridiculous amount of atten-
,tion to them. One rumor affected
man named Leonard Bassett, light
headed. harmless fellow who had fut-
tered into Cecily's acquaintance and
futtered out again with equal ease and
facility. Bassett had called on Cecily
after her marriage, had consumed
trifie too chchampagneand had made
q fool of himself by expressing too open
admiration for. her. for which she had
roundly rebuked him. Bassett. to mend
matters, tried to pass note of apology
into Cecily's hand, but Dormer inter-
cepted it.
give me that note"
Cecily instantly Enclosed her hand and
delivered up the PAPER
81 don't know what Is in it, she said,
trying to keep a quaver out of her voice.
Some nonsense from that impertinent
boy, / suppose
There was no reply, and the pair drove
worse than angry speech. sOn entering the
house. Miles went to the study. followed
by his wife, unfolded and read the note,
and then threw it into the fire.
won't you tell me what it was about?"
asked Cecily, to whom the, silence was be-
coming intolerable. 3
1T contained a request from Mr.. Bassett
that you would meet him at certain time, |
in certain place, for q certain purpose"
replied Miles, with crushing courtesy. ~
request that / have put it out of your
power to grant"
"Oh. Miles, how can you speak to ME
and look at me like that?" exclaimed Ce-
cly. ''As If l should have been likely to
grant 1t! Though / am certain he meant
no harm, and he would never have had the |
impudence to write me that note II he had
been Guite-quite himself tonight"
He Is fortunate in having you for his
champion" returned her husband with an
exxasperating bow.
"Oh, what can say?" cried poor Cec.jy
In despair. Indeed, l have given him TO
encouragement beyond wha' you know Of
TIL tonight no word has evnr passed be-
tween us that ! SHOULD have been ashamed
for you and all the world to hear"
Possibly" retorted Miles. Some people
are deficient in u sense of shame"
Cecily looked at hm helplessly. II
seemed to her as if her husband had been
suddenly transformed Into cynical sneer-
ing stranger, Who suspected her or some
unknown crime. and judged her without 4
listening to ner defense. ef
She finally explains to her husband
the whole circumstance of her acquaint-
ance with Bassett; how, as a girl, with
no one to guide her differently, she had