Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-11-09
A Deed Of Separation,

They were neither Of them bad. o.
the contrary. they were average human
beings, were Jack Ensor and his wifi,
Olive, but they had certain faults Of TEN
per which brought the less pleasan
characteristics of each OF them to tn
surface. The principle of bear and for
bear" which is the first and last essen
tial OF welded comfort and peace. ha,
not been observed by them; so that lttl
BY little, bit by bit, day by day and yea
by year they had drifted apart
There were days when they would no
exchange more than few hurried word
OF conventional politeness. There wer
other days when even these formal ut
terances hung itfully upon the lips o
man and wife. and did net form them
selves into speech.
The climax arrived one foggy De
cember morning. Olive had risen witt
. severe headache, and her husband, acli
ing with business cares. had passed
restless night. They glanced at Gael
other with unsympathetic looks whei
they met, and at length Jack rose from
the table. leaving his meal untouched.
Olive" he said, in voice that wa
sick with despair, this sort of thin,
must come to an end"
What sort of thing, Jack?"
He laughed. bu, the laugh had til,
eng OF sob.
you know as well as | know. Thi
unhappy farce OF living together mus
be Terminated. Neither OF us can en-
durc it much longer"
you are only saying what I-what
have though. for MONTHS
Exactly So"
Silence followed. Olive sat motionles S,
at the table, while Ensor paced the room
moodily. Presently he said speakin,
10 tone OF sorrow rather than re
proach:
I'VE ought never to have been mar
sied. you and I. Marriage was the grea
mistake Of our lives"
1T is usually the great mistake .
most lives"
mistakes may be rcctified. II / max
. mistake in my ledger in the city,
take my knife and scratch It out.
She laughed hopelessly.
"You cannot scratch out a mad mar
rage" she said.
"You are wrong. The law has pro
vided an outlet for unhappy men ant
women like myself and you. Have 70,
ever heard OF deeds OF separation?"
Il have read OF them in the papers.
Let US be separated. You shall liv,
where you like and have an ample allow
anee. 1t would be happier 70. both o
Us"
"As you please"
1T is hardly a question of pleasure,
he made answer in a sorrow stricken
tone. II do not anticipate that I shall
revel in my solitary conditon--nor 70,
In yours. But any state Of life must as
surcdly be preferable to our present ex
istence--to the daily antagonism which
prevails between US. l am sure-quit
sure of that"
Olive bowed her dark head with resig
nation.
"You are right-pcrfectly right" sh,
observed softly. Though sometimes
fancy that il Jackie had lived, thing:
might have been so different. You anc
were good friends, Jack, until we los
our darling"
Ensor faced her steadily as he replied
II envy the boy--envy him with al
my heart. for | wish that I also were
dead
Three days later Mr.. Oldborough, so
lieitor. OF Clements Inn, was sitting il
his private Office, when a clerk entered
and stated that Mr.. Ensor desired to Sc
him.
"Show Mr.. Ensor in at once" re
piled the lawyer "and place a chair.
The clerk obeyed, and an instant late
the visitor was ushered into the apart
ment.
Good morning said the genial OLE
solicitor. Sit down, and tell me VIVA
l can do for you. 1t may sound TN
business-like on my part to say so, but
sincerely trust that you are in no lega
troublei"
mo"
Il am glad to hear it. Pray go on.
my trouble is worse than any lega
trouble could be-" said Ensor, huskil,
"for it concerns my home. Mr.. Old
borough, | can speak to you quite frank
ly. know, and have come to tell yo
that my wife and | have found turtle
existence under the same roof impos
sible. My object in coming here is t
instruct you TO draw up deed OF separ
alton"
The worthy lawyer started aghast. II
had known Jack Ensor since childhood
had in bygone days tipped him whel
Q boy at Harrow, and took an interes
in him far greater than the ordinary in
terest bestowed by solicitor upon hi
client, Surprised beyond all measure
he calculated slowly:
IA deed OF separation. My dear sil
you cannot be speaking seriously"
II wish to Heaven | was speaking !
Jest. Look at me and tell me IL ! seer
ss one who jokes"
His face was drawn, white and hag
gard. It did not require the experience
eye Of the man Of law. grown learned /
the devious ways OF humanity, to PEI
ss;vs lat his client wss On the border