The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-07-19

Eyes, it was my home,' the lady
replied. .
ooh, then you are the one from
whom my husband bought it. How
could you sell such a pleasant home
1t must have been great sacrifice to
give it up" exclaimed the young
housekeeper.
cit was, my DEAR Then, after
moment, in which she seemed to be
consulting with herself, she rose to
go, saying, 1T is world of changes,
you know. hope you may be hap
| py here"
Margaret thanked her, but felt that
the object of her visit had not been
explained.
"How could I tell her" unused
the lady, as she went her way. "How
could / have thought of such thing
as going to ask her intercession with
her husband in behalf of justice to
me? She is the kind of woman to
take it to heart. Let it go. / 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, am rid of
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 wild
ow, the party who owned it, contes-
ted the purchase.
"Oh, was she not satisfied ?" ask
ed Margaret.
"Well, you see, I got it very cheap
"a nominal price" said the husband,
growing confidential. 1t was sold in
dull season; people were out OF
town had it all my own way. To
my surprise, the widow-ah, the par
ty-has suddenly withdrawn the suit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" !"
"Oh it is 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 il
ours? :"
"Why, my dear, you look at it toe
seriously. It's all in the line of bust
ness. You see, if I 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 a
talk to some students on commercial
righteousness. I believed, as he did,
that there is such thing"
Commercial fddlesticks l'' sal d
the husband hastily. ''But pardon
me, Margaret, am looking out for
Our best interests. You do not under
stand business. I am bound to get
ahead. Your father has some old
fashioned ideas, as you know"
"My father p Suddenly the wife
rises and confronts her husband. The
amiable Margaret is blaze of indig-
nation. "My father" she said, els
an eminent lawyer and Christian gen.
tleman. His life has proved that the
two are not incompatible. Oh, is il
possible you cannot realize, cannot
understand such combination? He
has won success from these old-fash-
ioned ideas of justice. He would
scorn 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,
revelation You never can tell
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 women
are alike"
The atmosphere of the home had
changed ; the sunshine had gone Out
of it; dark shadows lay between the
two; life went on with a cold for.
mality. AS the weeks and months
wore away, they had less and less il
common. Like the lovers in Jean In
gelow's poem, Divided" one had
crossed the narrow beck, tiny rib
bon of water; they let go of hands
the stream widened now they could
not even call across to each other.
So the two lived apart in the mel
ancholy home in which they had
thought to be so happy.
K X x X X
Our two bachelors are again in theil
apartment, discussing the problem ol
life.
whats the matter with Mack
Things don't seem to be going all
right with him, and Margaret is
changed. He seems to be making
money, but losing caste, though
don't suppose there is really anything
that can be brought against him
But something's wrong between hin
and Margaret.
"He has lowered his ideals, and
she has not"
"Ideals Will you tell me what
kind of stock they consist of, and il
our friend had much of it on the
start"
Perhaps he had not, but it is the
most valuable property man CAT
start in life with. "
"You astound me. Where is il
situated?"
Overhead, a light that shines
afar."
"A kind of headlight, I suppose.
eyes, and when this light is OBJ
scured we grope in the dark and lost
our way.
"My friend, you speak in meta
phor."
"But I speak truth. History sus
tains the fact. Let a nation lowe
her standard of freedom and justice
grasping for power and dominion
~