Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-07-17

ciety. Her surroundings had come to
have a harmonious relation to the
family, which consisted only of her.
self and father, whose views and
thoughts she shared thoroughly.
Now, in arranging her new home
she was happy to carry out her ideas
of the house beautiful, to make it
attractive for her husband, to offer
a sincere, not a snowy, hospitality
to her friends.
But the happiness of the young
wife, with its pleasant home duties,
was of short duration. One day a
stranger called, a lady of middle age,
in mourning dress. The young Ia
tron received her graciously, as was
her wont. Looking around the draw
ing room the lady remarked: you
have made the home very pretty,
Fmy dear. / did not know it had such
possibilitit."
"You know it, them" said Mar
garrett
"Yes, it was my home," the lady
replied.
"Oh, then you are the one from
whom my husband bought it. How
could you sell such a pleasant home?
1t must have been a great sacrifice
to give it up" exclaimed the young
ho~usekeeper.
"It was, my dear" Then, after a
moment, in which she seemed tn be
consulting with herself, she rose to
go, saying: "It is a world of
changes, you know. I hope you may
be happy here"
Margaret thanked her, but felt that
the object of her visit had not been
explained.
GLOW could I tell her?" unused the
lady, as she went her way. SLOW
could I have thought of such a thing
as going to ask her intercession with
her husband in behalf of justice to
me? I could not destroy her faith in
him. She is the kind of woman to
take it. to heart. Let it go. I will
not spoil her life"
Not long after this the young hus-
band came home in unusually gay
spirits. At dinner he said: Well,
Margaret, my pearl, I am rid of a
troublesome suit. This house now
belongs to me-"
"What do you mean, my dear?"
asked the wife. "Did you not buy it
some time ago."
"Yes," he replied; "but the widow,
the party who owned it, contested
the purchase"
sob, was she not satisfied" asked
Margaret.
"Well, you see, 1 got it very cheap
"a nominal price, said the hus-
band, growing confidential. "It was
sold in a dull season; people were
out of town; I had it all my own way.
To my surprise, the widow-ah, the
party-has suddenly withdrawn the
suit; it is now mine. Why, my girl,
what is the matter? You don't seem
to enter into this. One might think
a calamity had happened"
ooh! it is a calamity; it is, it is,
How can we live in a home that was
taken from a widow under such cir
cumstances? How can we call it
ours?"
"Why, my dear, you look at it toe
seriously. It's all in the line of bust.
ness. You see, if 1 had not bought
it somebody else would. Business
is business"
"Business!" exclaimed the young
wife. "But what of right and jus.
tice? ! once heard my father give
q talk to some students On CONNER
cial righteousness. l believed, as he
did, that there was such a thing"
Commercial fiddlesticks!" said the
husband, hastily. "But pardon me
Margaret, l am looking out for ouI
best interests. You do not under
stand business. 1 am bound to gel
ahead. Your father has some old
fashioned ideas, as you know"
my father!" Suddenly the wife
rises and confronts her husband
The amiable Margaret is a blaze OF
indignation. "My father" she said
sis an eminent lawyer and Christian
gentleman. His life has proved thai
the two are not incompatible. Oh
is it possible you cannot realize, can
not understand such q combination
He has won success from these old
fashioned ideas of justice. He would
have scorned to take it in any other
way" Saying this, she left the room
"By George, she has thrown the
gauntlet in my face-a girl of spirit
a %revelation! You never can tel
what a woman is going to do. How
she blazed! How handsome she
looked! But she'll come round
She'll take the riches. All womer
are alike"
The atmosphere Of the home hat
changed; the sunshine had gone ou1
) of it; dark shadows lay between the
! two; life went on with q cold formal
ity. AS the weeks and months wore
away, they had less and less in com
mon. Like the lovers in Jean Inge
lows poem, Divided" one hat
crossed the narrow beck, a tiny rib
bon of water; they let go of hands
; the stream widened; now they coult
not ever call across to each other.
So the two lived apart in the mel
ancholy home in which they hat
thought to be so happy.
Our two bachelors are again il
their apartment, discussing the prob
lem of life.
"What's the matter with Mack
7 Things don't seem to be going al
? right with him, and Margaret i.
y changed. He seems to be makins