Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-11-10
sell out, and I'll get it.
"How interesting, Davidl What SAL
airy goes with that work."

sell out, and I'll get it..
"How interesting, David! What SAL
airy goes with that work."
-Four thousand year -
/ She received the words in silence and
stared into the fire. David. smarting in
I the grip of an unshared sorrow, stood
! like an alien on his own hearth. Never
had he read her so successfully. How
little he was to her ever-tonight moth
/ ing. She had never loved anything in
the world except herself. She never
her more than she could give. And yet
she was SO convincingly fair to believe
her cold made nature liar.
As he watched her his heart grew
heavier with new defeat. She was his
wife AT moment like this they should
not sit apart with unspoken thoughts.
He mo longer dwelt upon her selfishness.
He put away the philosophy which
counseled him to expect nothing from
her. He only knew that to make the
dark future bearable they must face it
hand in hand. He moved nearer to her,
longing to make her meet his eyes and
| become one with him in soul during
this hour of tempest. The impulse
shrank back wounded when she looked
up and laughed.
DO you know what I've been think.
ing Off" she asked. 1--we been keeping
my first account book in fancy-just
how we can live on your four thousand
year instead Of fifty. ! became quite
familiar with the apartment we'll have,
the two maids, the one wine at dinner.
I've allowed myself about three really
good gowns with silk Innings, and /
could see you in the evening clothes Of
last years cut. Isn't it funny, David?
Isn't it all deadly funny?" She pressed
her hands upon her excited eyes and
laughed again.
When David could speak. he closed
his hand nervously on her shoulder and
bent over her.
Don't say such things" he said,
ooh, don't. This is an hour to bring
us closer. Olga, it changes all our lives
1t must change US too. Can't you see
that? Can't you see how we must help
each other now?"
"Of course it will change every
thing" she said quietly.
"But want it to change us, Olga, -
he prayed. Listen, dear, listen! Well
not have SO much to crowd out love and
the peace of home, without which no life
is happy. Let US come nearer, dear, and
be to each other now what we've never
been, even in the early days of our mar
riage."
When David had felt himself master
Of his fate, plea like this would have
been impossible. But defeat had un-
nerved and humbled him. Olga, what
ever she was, was all he had, and in
broken pride he was weak enough to
crave a tone, a look, rich in the felicity
of grief shared. He had not realized
his loneliness until he permitted the
want to take expression, but once un-
leashed the desire for sympathy was
like the grippe of thirst.
He flung himself on his knees beside
her and held her close.
"Oh, Olga, my dear, come to me-
won't you? You've seemed to need me
little, you've seemed cold, yet you loved
me in the beginning. Our life had q
promise then it hasn't kept. Can we
find the best now, Olga, when other
things are gone? Oh, can we find it?"
he cried i'll bitter longing.
The words thrilled through Olga. She
felt an awe of him. His soul it seemed,
q stranger, looked through his miserable
eyes, awaiting her reply
'You loved me when you married
me, Olga. My wife, you love me now.
Tell me so, tell me SOP
why, yes, you foolish fellow, love
you, of course, +" she said, gently touch
ing his face with her fingers.
She glanced sideways at the clock. 1t
was half past o. Fortunately she had
dressed early as the scene in which she
was to appear would not commence IN
til after 10. 1t would be necessary to go
soon, yet with David i'll this unusual
mood she feared to speak of the engage
ment which he evidently did not think
of, despite her strange costume.
His heavy eyes looked into hers. He
had flung away his unimpeachable re-
serve in humbly praying for her love,
and Olga dimly realized how much he
must have suffered before this possibili-
ty was reached. The thought even
crossed her mind that it would be mar
velous and might be an agreeable sensa-
ton to love man as her husband de-
sired to have her love him, so that,
ruined, she might be bis hope and exult
in this, though everything else was lost.
There were women In the world who
loved men that way. She had often
heard go.
"You shall have what you want. my
dear; yes. just as much as / can give
you" David whispered, his head on
her shoulder, his lips on her throat. 1T
won't be so hard for me to do without
! things. I'll work too. In few years
may make some lucky Strickland then
life will go more easily. Just let's
stand by each other and be happy In
spite of all. 4"
"In spite of ALL, Olga echoed, an
unnoticed frown passing over her brow
| when the click strtlck the half hour