Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-05-16
THE JOY OF
RETURNING

"Pull IN the oars, Rose, ana let u
drift down the stream Bit"
obeyed willingly, for 1t was warn
day, and l realized after an hour
steady rowing that the charms of thu
riverside could be better appreciated
, when the hands were idle. Leaning
back in my cushions, listened to thu
drone of the bees and the musical lap
ping of the water against the sides OF
the boat, watching meanwhile the va
rying expressions which fitted ovel
my companions face.
How sweet and peaceful it all is
here" she half unused. Just a day fol
condolences. Tell me, Rose, have
ever kept "A secret from you"
Not to my knowledge" l returned.
"Well, there is one big secret which
have always kept locked up in my
own heart, the only one, think, that
ever refrained from contiding to you.
l am going to tell you it now. How
long is it since first came to live with
you?"
1.-TWO years" ! answered somewhat
anXiously, land the happiest two years
of my life. Don't say you are thinking
Of leaving me yet awhile"
"Did it never strike you as being a
strange thing for me to leave my home
/ and friends and come and bury myself
in the country like this?"
81 thought perhaps" | began blum
derlngly, that you might have had
some disappointment-tha is
l broke off in some confusion, and
my friend looked at me intently from
under her long fringed eyelids.
"You were quite right" she said, the
smile dying away from her mouth and
shade passing over her face. you
thought there was man In the case.
Well, there was"
Her voice sank as she made this con.
fession, and her eyes strayed away
over the water with the faraway eX-
preston which had become so famil-
lar. | looked at her silently. desperate
ly curious, as only Il woman can be,
and yet not caring to put any question.
"Yes," she said softly. "He was the
cause of my going away. l loved him
too well to stay"
But Why" began impetuously, not
quite understanding this kind of affec-
ton. Didn't he care for your
YES" she said. THAT was the rea-
son why went"
"Was-was he married." l asked
nervously.
Yes" she said bitterly. "He was
married, and to vain, selfish, worth
less woman, woman who cared for
nothing but the Indulgence Of her own
inordinate vanity What he suffered
through her no one knows better than
myself In six months she ran through
all his money, incurred debts which
were impossible to pay and altogether
made his life perfect misery. Rose,
Rose, there never was a greater curse
to man than a bad wife"
THAT must have been hard for you
to bear" / murmured sympathetically.
but not nearly so hard as for him."
"And do you think he loved you?"
81 am sure of it." she returned. do
you think my life these two years
would have been possible If / had not
known? 1t was that that gave me the
courage to go away and to keep away
all through those terrible long months"
"And now l began anxiously,
staying the oars in their motion in the
water.
She dabbled her hands in the water
before speaking.
"And now" she said. 81 am going to
see him again."
She saw the look Of panied surprise
which came upon my face, but did not
heed it, and went on talking as if to
herself.
81 am going to meet him in the city
tomorrow He will be at the station
seen him for two whole years-for two
whole years"
"Then his wife is dead" made re.
mark.
"No; she is not Women Of that sort
10 not die easily"
But demonstrated.
"There are no butts about it," she
cried almost angrily. 1--WE have suf-
'ered enough he and l, and we are 60
ng to pretend that the other woman Is
lead. We are going to forget all the
Misery of the past. He is going to take
ne abroad. and we are going to start
ife over again. 1t Is the thought of
his which has kept me alive these I
'ears."
"You are very foolish girl" l said.
With some emotion. do you think
happiness will come ut such cost?
Think over it all again or you win re- {
,ent it bitterly. You have had courage {
nough to keep away so long. don't
poll it all now. l am pleading now for
lis sake and yours"
She shook her head obstinately, and {
Ter eyes shone with light which was
ruly maddening to me. Knowing her
9 did, this weakening change in her |
haracter surprised me more than l t
AIRED to own. looked at her silently I
nd met her glance of odd defiance {
nth a sorrowful thought of what she t
ad been to me for the last two years. +
hen found my voice. q
But she did not heed entreaties and
at half smiling to herself as she play
d with the steering ropes. '
Eve are willing to risk everything" t
he said. "When two people love each q
Their as he and l do, nothing else e
else in the world u