Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-05-08
yanced.

I'll make 1t right with you il you'll
keep quiet
"'You lie,' said the doctor, and then,
Am too late to save her?
"My husband answered Yes Brenda,
how Is it possible for n hUnan being
to utter falsehood like that? | was
no more to him than you are except
that | had promised before God to be
| his wife. And the doctor looked him
In the eyes moment and then struck
him across the face with the back of
his open hand and went out OF the
room.
My husband came TO the curtains
and looked in: then he approached the
bed and | groaned as loud as | could.
AT ia; he seemed to lose his wits. He
ran around the room aimlessly and at
last snatched his hat from the floor
and rushed out. suppose he was 60
ing for another doctor.
when he was gone. l invented an
errand and sent the woman away. Then
| got ND and dressed. | don't know
how 1t was possible for me to do 1t,
but | seemed TO be as light as a feath-
er | got out Of the hotel easily enough
and took a cab to the railroad station.
| had not money enough for a sleeper,
80 rode in a day coach all the way to
New York. but my mind was in n
thousand places, and some of them
were beautiful, and was happy there,
and again | was in terror and pain.
when left the train at Jersey City,
my head was bursting upon my shoul-
ders and the air was fire. Honestly,
Brenda. when the ferryboat ran into
the slip on this side, | thought it was
the mouth Of the Internal regions. 1t
looked like great cave full of flames
and 1t seemed that was being crushed
had some part of my senses, for l
found cab and gave the driver my
address. And so | came home from
my wedding journey, Brenda. l let
myself In with my key, and the people
in the house never knew that | had
been away that night. They found
me i'll and got doctor for me, and be-
fore the day was over ! was nearly
we'll The doctor said must have eat
en- some sort of thing-what do they
call it-I always think of tomatoes"
"Ptomaines." said Brenda. "Oh, you
poor child; you poor, wretched, lucky
little Elsie! am so glad, so gladr'
"Would you believe" said Elsie,
that that man tried to get my heart
back again, to plead his cause with me? :?
Well, he did, and, though | had peace
e. of Iat hox
been much annoyed by him. You can
understand now why Clarence Alden's
love wass torture to me. why - WELL
why / bought the picture of Tantalus
to look at, Brenda. Oh, | love him, |
love him SO much! The feast OF the
heart that | can never havel He is
everything / want, Brenda"
"But why in the name Of all martyr
dom should you hesitate to tell this sto-
ry TO him?" exclaimed Brenda. What
bar can it be to your marriageT
zone day" said Elsie slowly, when
was beginning to love Clarence so
that my heart sang of him all the time,
was walking on Broadway and had
stopped to look in at a jewelers. win
dow. And | glanced up, and Clarence
was coming down the street with that
doctory'
"The one who attended you In Phil
adelphiaY
"Yes," said Elsie. "They were laugh
ing and talking together, and / shrank
into a doorway and died of shame as
they passed. Suppose they had seen
meT'
81 think no harm would have come Of
IT," said Brenda.
Suppose l married Clarence and we
should meet him then"
But, my dear" exclaimed Brenda,
take the widest possible supposition.
Say that this doctor believed the worst
and told 1t to Clarence and lived to
finish the story, which unless he Is
Samson reincarnated is not possible. 1t
would make no difference. Unless Clar-
ence can believe you absolutely against
every other voice in the world, you
don't want to marry him anyway"
you don't know men," said Elsie,
shaking her head. zone little doubt,
and there is misery for lifetime.
heard Clarence speak once Of woman
who had gone wrong. 1t frightened my
bones until they turned to dust In my
body"
"But, Elsie, you haven't done any
wrong" pleaded Brenda. "You were
cruelty deceived"-
81 no more than the Others" replied
Elsie. every woman who goes wrong
is deceived, or there would be no wrong.
The point is, Brenda, that that Is not
the way to get married. No really good
girl ever does such a thing. l should
have had my mother and my friends TO
see me make my VOW. That Is the only
right way; your way, Brenda, the way
Of your world. And, besides, haven't
told you all. am really his wife,"
'Whs, do you meanT
His wife from whom he was sepa-
rated was abroad at the time" said
Elsie. "She died two days before my
marriage. That's why | called him
my husband all the way through the
story"
Brenda was speechless for some sec
onds before the spectacle of this fatal
ity.
II don't see that that makes 1t any
worse" she said at last Better, /
should say. Such a marriage can be
easily annulled. 1t does not even re-
qulre n divorce
''It requires legal proceedings" said
Elsie 1T means publicity and brand
ing. 1t means that Clarence Alden's
wife viii be marked as n woman with
.s.I, I,T
ed 20 her name. IL would be bad
enough, Brenda, for him TO marry me
anyway. but an actress, with that
story fastened TO Lcr, Well you know
what all the world would say No;
would rather die. would rather he
should never know. I'd lie TO him,
Brenda, If nccessary-l have lied to
him. as you are rather than he
should thlnk np tie sort of girl who.
on hasty acquaintance with man
about whom ste kuovs nothing. would
run away to s5.5 ~ '.,y, trusting to
luck to be married i..,sc."
Brenda kissed EIsies hand again
very tenderly.
I'm tell you what. my dear" said
she; the fact Is that you have brooded
over this matter until goa are not quite
sane about It, | really mean what |
say Now. this is my advice to you:
Tel Mr. .A.len this story just as soon
as you're strong enough 10 do il and
Elsiv gripped her band hard.
Il haze told you this in confidence"