Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-01-10
Forsaking all Others
by AMELIA DvGHEMIN

BY AMELIA DUGHEMIN

sary for Tomlinson to have the keys.
because am going to New York i'm
mediately, and there is packing to be
DONE"
Going to New York;" Helen al
most gasped in her surprise. Isn't
the decision very sudden?"
Yes. 1t was made on the day Har-
vey wrote me that note-you OF course
remember it." The two looked at each
other full, each reading the thoughts
Of the other. Il should probably have
gone eventually, however. for life is
too quiet for me here, and l want to
enter society again."
Then your visit will be long
one?"
81 hardly know when I shall re-
turn"
Helen looked relieved.
I'm that case, we need not go into
anything that is past II you are 60
ing away, the changes l have made in
the establisbment-and believe me, |
intended them for the best-will no
longer affect you"
'Aouyo oiulttu, anu Lut
troubled her daughter-in-law exceed
ingly.
You do not understand The house
will be closed when go and the furni-
ture sent after me. l do not care to
keep up two establishments"
You intend to close the housed"
Helen cried.
Yes. Saunders and his wife will
have charge of it for the present. The
other servants, to whom Tomlinson
has been paying board wages during
my illness-an unnecessary expense
occasioned by your kind interest in
my affairs-will go to the city with
me or follow me there"
DO you mean to say that Phebe
took the liberty Of paying wages to
the servants | discharged" Helen de-
manded, her fine eyes blazing.
"Oh, no-to the servants you dis
pensed with; she did not recognize
your right to discharge them. So you
see that instead of lessening my ex-
penses by your considerable kindness,
you materially increased them. For
tunately, it does not matter; | have
plenty of ready money in hand"
Nothing could be more careless than
Gladys tone. She spoke as though she
had scarcely passing interest in the
subject discussed, and met Helen's
amazed look with calm Indifference.
Il can hardly tell you how much all
this surprises and shocks me-" said
the younger woman, after a pause.
1T would have been only fair for
Phebe to take me into her confidence,
and so avoid such wicked waste"
Money is never wasted" said
Gladys, in languidly philosophical
tone. Wherever expended it does
good to somebody. The spendthrift is
always a benefactor, though he may
not be his own. We are apt to take
a narrow view of this broad question,
and regard as wasted the good we do
not individually enjoy. None the less
it fulfills its mission somewhere, more
worthily, perhaps, than when with
u.s."
Helen looked bewildered to hear her
butterfly talk in such wide measure.
There was no room in her neatly
Gocketed brain for so large and i'm
personal a truth. She felt she was not
keeping the upper hand at this inter
view, SO carefully arranged In ad-
vance, and said with less than her
customary assurance:
Il can't believe you really intend to
shut up the house, Mrs. Anterior.
What is to become of Harvey"
"Oh, my friend, leave him In your
hands; you have shown yourself so
well able to manage his affairs that
l shall not even offer a suggestion"
Under the circumstances the words
were cruel; but there is a touch of the
tiger in every woman outraged by in
gratitude and injustice, and Gladys
was very human.
Helen could not speak. She put her
hand to her throat to still its telltale
II leave 1t with you to tell your hus-
band my decision" Gladys continued,
undisturbed by her silent rage. HE
can readily find other quarters within
a month. Phebe will remain here for
few weeks to superintend the pack
ing Of the furniture and close the
house. BY that time you will be set
tied somewhere. The furniture in
your own rooms and the nursery, with
Harvey's piano, books, pictures, easel,
everything, in short, that he accumu-
lated during his boyhood and youth
l regard as his and Phebe will see
that 1t is sent to you. l think there
Is nothing more to be said"
A few moments of silence ensued;
then Helen said in a choked tone:
so this is your revenge-this my
reward"
Don't waste words" Gladys broke
in. mot talk fustian. am only doing
what should have done when Harvey
married. l wanted to go to the city
then; but I had a foolish idea that |
was necessary to him. and so re-
manned. Now l find / am not neces-
sary, and count for nothing in his life.
l intend to take myself out OF it,"
"A man should forsake all others
and cleave to his wife," said Helen,
piously.
Do you know fancy you wor-
shipful wives construe that passage
rather too literally?" said Gladys. in
the half philosophical. half hooking
way Helen found new in her. and
which held her at an impossible dis
lance. mo one will deny that when
l. -
forsake all other strange women. and