The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-29

Noiul1 tucJ we're ldl apart LdCu Ult
was inclined to gloss over the others
cross. Judge Barstow considered Mrs.
Thorne's grievance simply case for
the exercise OF patience and hope and
firm endurance. In his own case it
was endurance alone. Hope was cut
Of the question, and who would not be
patient?
Mrs. Thorne. while acknowledging
that II was a terrible disappointment
and heart-break to Cousin Hugh that
his only child should be such a shrunk-
en- creature, yet never dreamed that his
burden was equal to her own. She
sympathized with him and his wife,
especially on days when the two FAM
flies we're together; when she saw their
eyes follow the movements Of her own
we'll grown boys with a coYetous, griev-
ing light. But on these days, very
often she, too, carried a heavy heart.
She never knew the hour nor the mo-
ment when her husband, handsome
Mark Thorne. would come and shame
them all
Then she ragged inwardly and com
passionated herself in a way she never
would have thought Of plying her
cousins, even though her boys were
SO precious to her. There was one
thing that troubled her; they might
inherit their fathers vice, that was all.
She only thought OF the one form Of
the taint; If that passed her by there
was nothing to dread.
She stayed few minutes talking TO
Mrs Borstow and Bryce, then rose to
90. Judge Barstow said:
well, Ethel, I'll put this matter IN
TO shape Immediately. OF course it
will be the merest formality poor
Mark is so we'll known"
Yes. to my shame. that Is true,
Mrs. Thorne interrupted. and choking
with indignation she left the office.
Il was near the season OF gladness.
The streets were gay and odorous with
eyergreens. the shop windows held sug-
gestions for all taste and all degrees Of
ability to purchase. Mrs. Thorne hur-
ried along in the wintry twilight. sec
ing none OF the cheer, giving no heed
TO the atmosphere Of rejoicing that
was all about her. For many nights
she had slept but little. Instead. she
had lain awake listening for an un-
steady step. and when it came, steal
ing from her bed to watch from sha-
dowy corners and guard against acci-
dents, 10 see that the staggering,
bloated creature. whose name she bore,
set neither himself nor the house on
fire. He was now well on the way for
his annual debauch. Whatever else
the holidays brought her. this was sure
70 come. Though Mark drank all round
the year. he reached the last point
Of endurance at this season. and Hugh
Barstow often said: Hell make a I'm
ish one Of these times when he and
other weak fools are drinking TO their
good resolutions for the new year"
Ethel had often hrissetermined to
sever the tie that nI "a her prisoner
to vice. As her boys grew Ola enough
to understand, she fs'l more ke aiy
the hatefulness Of 4 sf. sin. when the
days Of repentant 0erness came. the
pain and shame 81 ned very flr away
Mark was kind AZ loving % hor. and
no children ever bad j wiser or more
comDanionable n iher.
Then Ethel. booking about her.
would say. "Colisin Hug s right
Everyone has something u bear but
II my cross was anything tbis. Let
some dignifled sorrow, some orrspect-
able grief knock at my door. and ~ :
receive my guest and do him and my
self honor BY the patience with which
viii endure" And now she had
reached the last point Of patience. Mar
was one Of the kindliest men In th0
world when sober. but when drinking
his temper was that Of a madman or a
nend He grew worse as be grew old
er. and Ethel had learned 10 fear, both
for herself and her boys Only two
days before he had thrown a heavy
glass pitcher across the room. and
barely missing her head. il had crashed
through a window. She had kept her
trouble within her own house as much
as possible She could not bear that
her neighbors should know all her
humiliations. but behavior like this
could not be concealed. In her indig-
nation she had gone to her cousin
Hugh Barstow. attorney. and COM
menced action for divorce.
The days sped on. From time to time
Mrs. Thorne was advised as to tho
progress OF her way toward freedom.
The old year had but two more days to
live. really but one and a half when
Ethel went TO her cousins Office for
the last time. Next day. the last Of the
year, she would appear in court for
few moments and all would be over.
Her many wakeful nights we're telling
upon her fcarfully. She was pale and
iarge-eyed she was numb and chilly.
She felt that an about her was unreal.
She. herself. was but a dream within
a dream. when she reached her own
gate she stood confounded. Was this
that she saw an haliucination?
An ambulance stood at the curb. q
rrotin Of men and women were sts-t