Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-03-20
A Deed Of Separation


dissolying partnership to take accounts.
Let us see what each brought into the
firm. l brought fair ability, energy, am
bition, decent position, means of com.
Portable life and an unblemished name"
Said the woman, II brought youth and
physical purity. to which you do not lay
claim"
Il began our partnership" he said,
with what thought a splendid. mex.
haustible fund OF love. l look back to
moments Of happiness beyond deserip
ton. and now / am insolyent in love. Do
you regret nothing? What elings in your
mind?"
She shook her head.
you regret nothing?"
With n sigh she answered: IT regret
that you have cast your pearls before me.
/ regret that | have misprized and lost
your love; that | gave you little in re.
turn. | regret that my very inability to
return your love truly has irritase9 me
by making me feel your debtor. That
feeling of irritation has made you miser
able and me miserable too"
Il did not use the word regret quite
in that sense" he answered. II meant
is there nothing you look back to Of hap
piness that yet lives in your memory?"
She put down the fan that had futtered
in her tender hands, and with half a
smile, half blush she answered. "There
was one thing, one moment, that / re.
greet"
He rose and walked up and down the
daintiy furnished room, everything in
which was a note in dead love song.
"A year ago today we were at Etaples,
you recollectY'
at was for economy l went, because
it was ridiculously cheap and very pretty,
and hated Boulogne."
II remember how we wandered about,
how, alas. we quarreled in the pine woods,
or, TO be exact, | quarreled and you suf-
fered, and the splendid seashore. where
/ said bitter things because my friends
were at TrouvilIe and at the little quiet
Paris Piage. and you were sad and ST.
lent"
My dear" be interrupted, Il was
greatly TO blame"
Hush! You must not interrupt. Then
one day we took boat--a clumsy boat
and sailed out despite the warnings of
the fishermen. didn't care-you didn't
care-what happened. We had quarrel
ed. or rather 1, at lunch. said harsh
things"
My dear" he interrupted, "there were
faults on both sides. They rendered life
intolerable and love impossible, but
Hush. We rowed out. You had the
SOULS and steered-at least lay in the
stern and spIashed the waves with my
hands - the hands you used to kiss so
often"
She paused to look at the hands-frm.
plump and white and decked with rings
OF curious workmanship. He too, looked
at them and sighed. She sighed.
But out we went. Then the skies be-
came dark. the water darkened. too, and
grew rough. and you tried to turn. We
were far out from shore. You must have
been looking at me instead of the land. or
you would have seen that we were float
ing fast in a current, Oh, you looked
splendid, Your thin jersey showed the
lines Of your strong. supple body, the mus
cles of your arms and chest rose superb
ly, and your manly face, flushed and firm,
fascinated me-"
The man smiled, half scornfully.
''You pulled hard, and | don't think l
was frightened. | didn't care what hap
pened. Then the rotten oar cracked. and
you bound it round with our handker-
chiefs, but il still was weak, so you tore
off long strip of my pettieoat to bind il
with. and we drifted, drifted out. When
at last you tried again it snapped. and
the blade fell into the sea. Then you
came to me. to the stern, and took the till
er from may hands. You put your arm
around my waist and said. Don't be
afraid, dear wifer / knew we We're drift
ing out to open sea, to storm and death,
and was aware that you knew it. Don't
be afraid. little wife, you said. and sud-
denly you put your arm around my neck"
II remember"
"Yes, / know. Let me go oil. You
brought my face to yours and laid your
lips ON mine. Oh, that kiss-that kiss.
Ii still stiugs on my lips. In it | felt
the depth of your love. felt that low
ed you, felt that we were man and wife
and the only beings alive on land or sea.
That kiss is what | regret-that kiss the
one moment of rapture in my life"
She paused.
II remember"
"Why did that foolish steamer save US?
l could have died there, happy in your
arms-quite happy"
"Quite happy?"
"Yes, quite. To think that We quar-
relied within week-at least | did-and
things went worse than ever afterward!
What are we women made Of? The old
song is wrong. We are made Of gall and
NORWOOD and marble. To think that
we are here. and that paper lies there!
You'ye acted handsomely, allowing me
more than half your income and letting
me keep the fat"
do you think I could live in it after
you had gomez" he answered, with a
break in his voice. '"There's nothing in
it that does not speak of you. It's a
graveyard OF memories"
She looked at him over the fan and
saw tears in his eyes. Then she rose
and walked across the room.
Herbert" she said in timid voice,
dit is 4 o'clock. He'll be here in five
minutes 20 see the deed executed"
The man bowed his head and hid his
face In his hands.
She took out her handkerchief, ridic-
ulous bit Of lace and lawn, and touched
her eyes.