Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-15
IN EPISODE IN PASIS.
By Frances Porcher.

They had been discussing new novel
which dealt with hero with past.
81 think if she had really loved him
she would have been willing to accept his
past without any questions" she said.
Would you?" he asked.
why. yes-if | loved him What's the
| good of prying into all the hooks and
| corners of the years that have gone i'll a
mans life? They are gone, and you
can't help them or undo them or-or-
anything, and if ghosts can sleep where
is the comfort in starting them TO walk
ing about? But''-suddenly facing about
Il don't believe in one privilege for a
man and none for woman. If woman
takes a mans past without a question,
then he has no right to stir up her ghosts,
you know. believe in fair play at any
rate"
But you know" he said, good wom-
en- have no pasts.'
But good men may have, eh?" she
asked. well, it is the same old story
a man may be a fool in his folly and yet
be good, but let n woman be never so lit
tie a fool in her folly, and, 10. she isn't
good bitI'
Il didn't say that" he answered, look
ing indulgently down at her flushed
cheeks, "and | believe l like you best
when you champion your sex. Go on,
dear. You are very pretty today" But
she only looked down at the toe of her
shoe and said nothing.
After a moment he reached out and
drew her closer. Sweetheart" he said
in low voice. I'VE have no questions to
ask, no ghosts to walk about. We can
safely take each others 'pasts,' so let's
be happy in our present"
They had been married a month or
two. and no day that passed had flown
by burdened with a record of ''ques-
tions." They had really been an unusual
couple, and each felt rather proud in
the depths OF. his and her secret soul that
such had been the case. To be sure, each
was certain that the other had told all
that had ever happened of his or her own
sweet will and because of the sweet de-
light of rendering condolences unasked,
but still-well. an ordinary man and wO-
man might even then have suspected
hidden depths and have sought to plumb
them.
Tonight they were both very quiet; he,
looking over her head into the Goals that
glowed and flashed and fickered like the
moods of a human soul; she, with her
elbow on his knee and her eyes half shut
behind her open palm.
You are so still. DEAR" he said.
What is it?''
Nothing" she said, without moving.
Il must have been far away, for l can
not recall of what l was thinking.
dare say | wasn't thinking at ALL"
Il do not accept that" he retorted,
half laughing. ga person always thinks,
and it is no compliment to me if you are
close enough to touch me and are yet far
out of my ken. know you were not
asleep"
NO" she said, resting her chin on her
hand and opening wide her eyes; no, /
wasn't asleep. But you-of what were
you thinking? You were just as still as
l."
81 was not far away" he answered,
"at all odds. was just wondering how
! could ever be good enough for you"
And he lifted her. up to his knee and
smoothed back the soft curls of her hair.
She turned her face down on his shoul-
der. Don't" she said 81 pray-really
| do-every day, that you will always be-
lieve | am good. l am not half the wom-
an / ought to be- no. not half" And then
she began to cry.
You foolish little woman" he said,
patting her shoulder as if she were a
fretful baby, "as if there were an hour of
Your life that you need to live over for
repentance sake
If there were, You would never for
give me-" she said, drying her eyes and
lifting her head to look into his face.
The bare shadow of a frown passed
over the brow of the man. ''Knowing
there is no possibility that l shall ever
be called on to forgive" he said stif1y,
81 don't see why we need discuss the
probability of such thing-do you?"
The woman laughed-a funny, little,
forced laugh. 1--WE are very silly-that |
is, am,' she corrected. 81 find myself |
wondering what you would do or what /
would if such and such were the case. 1t !
is very absurd, even to think about, isn't
it?'
very" he agreed promptly. ''There
being nothing to forgive how could !
forgive and how do you know whether
/ would or not if there were?"
She did not answer, and after little |
she slipped from his knee and went be-
hind his chair, softly stroking his head |
and looking down into the fire into which |
he had resumed his gazing. By and by
she said little timidly, 81 almost wish. |
dear, there was something l could for
give you"
He reached over a little impatiently
and poked the CRATE. Then he stood up |
and faced her with a dark flush on his |
face. Il heard" he said. that woman
was never satisfied unless man had |
some blot on his life. | never eXpected. |
however, that you would find fault with |
4 clean escutcheon." The tone was as
cutting ms the words. 1t was the first |
tone she had ever heard him address to |