The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-11
THE HEARTLESS
CONDUCT OF WILKINS

QpWh 10 dlnnef III thc must
Il of his young family.
"Of course. 1 expected
you'd have to go somewhere" mur-
INJURED his wife. Every time l have
visitors YOU have to go somewhere
It's no choice of mine he sug-
gested, balancing his fork across his
knife: its a case o must
The three children chorused, Take
me with you?" and Mrs. Wilkins. plain
ly irritated, spilled the tea on the
cloth.
Its the least you could do
whats the least 1 could do?'
Take one or two of the children
with you. The Lord knows l see
enough of Them
But, my dear, | couldn't lug chill
dren around through crowded streets
from one office to another I'll he
rushed to death myself"
You promised to take me the next
time you Went anywhcre,' blurted
Harry.
Il think YOU might take him." plead
ed Mrs. Wilkins, hes big enough
Well I've got Il call on Stcinmeyer;
maybe I'll call at his house, and-and
they've had scarlet fever
Now, this was Il rasetical. perhaps
a diplomatic. lie, but it worked. and
after Il moments silence Mrs. Wilkins
resumed on another track.
'Thatd be just like you. Do you
mean to tell me, Wilkins. that you'd
dare TO expose your family of young
chldyen by even calling on people who
had scarlet fever in their fanliies?'
but Steinmeyer didn't have it,
"Have YOU lived to "a and raised
three children without finding out that
scarlet fever is contagious?'
"Rut it's business. I've got TO see
him. | can telephone him from Chictt-
go. but that won't do
It's so contagious thar ii can be
carried in the rain
DO YOU want me to stop hreathing?'
he growled, testify.
Then the children got into the de-
bate, and the conversation drifted into
all the rumors Of smallpox, diphtheria
ana scarlet fever that had kept Mrs
| wilkins in terror and forboding ever
since the children started to school
After breakfast the next morning
she helped him pack his bag. and
when he was ready to go, she began:
Nov, promise one thing"
sure, I'll write" he anticipated
Yes, write. but that isn't what's
worrying me-"
oh, won't drink anylhing--much."
buttonng up his coat and reaching for
his luggage.
That's not it. either" She looked at
him with pleading eyes.
Well" he gasped, 'what on earth is
it,"
Don't call on steinmeyer. Please
don't"
He looked III her a minute as if he
would lose his temper, but he only
srinned and said:
'All right. I'll try to make my deal
with his secretary"
Think how you would feel. how |
would feel, how both of us would feel.
if we infected those darlinGs. What
should We do" She was becoming dra-
matte.
why we'd disinfect en-, I guess"
But she was already in tears ut the
very thought of some dread contagion
and he kissed her ana left That night
she wrote Il long letter to him, warn
ing, commanding and entreating him
10 avoid the very neiChborhood of he
unclcan Steinmcyers if he valued the
lives and happiness of his wife and
children.
Mrs wilkins was one of those wom-
Ell who took her children away from
school every time Il case of contagious
malady was reported in the vicinity. II
she saw u scarlet fever sign she would
walk II block out of her way to avoid
the house. She sacrificed her friends
and banishcd forever the playmates of
her children If any of them became
even remotely exposed to a case" She
didn't know how long the period of
cidcd to take no chances and simply
struck from her list of acquaintanccs
any one suspected of exposure to the
dread ma,adirs of childhood.
You run caution into the ground"
her husband used Ia say.
We'll that's better than seeing my
darlings put under the ground" she
would snap, and that Was the end Of
the argument.
The day after Wilkins went Ia Mil
wuukee Mrs. wilkins sister, with her
three children, swoOpcd down on the
wilkins HAT for months visit, and
the watchful mother forgot the absent
head of the house in the excitement of
the reunion. wilkins returned within
the week, glad to get home, but terri
fled at the prospect of a three weeks
children'S carnival in his never-ulliet