Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1904-04-09
An Anniversary
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saw her. lie hastened to her, holding
out his hand.
Are you here alone?" he questioned.
surprised.
For the moment" she answered. II
am expecting a friend. He was to
meet me here mt g."
CHANGING mp mt a giant gilt clock,
whose hands moved with annoying
slowness: 1T IL not quite that yet"
she reflected. impatiently.
De Narvllle smiled down upon her.
MAY I sit here opposite your he
asked. drawing out the chair. until he
comesT'
Certainly" she replied, and he took
the chair.
He observed her admiringly.
"You are looking beautiful tonight,
Jessica." he began. "l1ow dainty your
white Is. and that touch Of rose In your
hat. Old.fashiened roses they are,
aren't theyY On a ew.fashione,i won.
an. And your little fingers gllttering
with just enough diamonds. not too
many. Just enough. There are some
who make the mistake Of wearing dia.
monds to the knuckles. but you. never!
Dear me! The last time I saw you,
Jessica. you were In tears"
"Yes." cncouragingly.
"YOu and he had just separated. II
was very sad. I was not surprised mt
your tears. One must weep u little for
any husband. worthy or unworthy. II
IL In the nature Of woman. Hut l said
to myself. then. In a couple Of weeks
or three she will be over II. She will
have entirely recovered And l must
say that my prophecy has been full
filed even sooner than expected. Jes.
sica. How long has 1t been? Three
weeks?" After moment employed
In rapid mental calculation. "rhrec
weeks! And here you IRE. benming
more beautiful than l have ever seen
you. ana waiting for friend"
Half closing his eyes quizzically, he
bent toward her.
1T IL safe to say" he whispered.
shat this In not woman friend for
whom you are 80 impatiently watching
the hands Of the clock with whom you
are to dine"
A laugh commenced ut Jessica's eyes
and finished at her lips.
Hardly" she replied.
II thought not" declared De Mar
willie. And why should II be-? Why
not 60 out at once with your frlendsf
Must you make a recluse Of yourself.
while he has all the enjoyment possi-
bile? He goes where he pleases. am
certain Of that. In fact, have seen
people who saw him dining here. there
and everywhere. with his acQuaint.
anceS, man or woman, a. II suits him"
Here he paused for an interval. In
order to observe the effect II was
rather disappointing than otherwise.
Jesslca sitting under fire. composed as
q monument and quite a. calm. He by
and by continued:
"As matter of fact. Jessica, you
and he were never suited. you were
never intended for one another. Some
unkind fate"
"Fate. you call It," repeated Jessica.
Then. delicately defining the differ.
ence: ."When II 10 unkind. II IL fate.
When II Ia kind. II 10 Providence. And
you call II fate?"
"SOme unkind fate" went on DE
Narville stolidly. "threw you together.
You were too much alike In the first
place. Both OF intensely nervous tenn.
peraments. excitable. high.strung, II
was not In the nature Of things that
you could live together longer than a
year. Indeed. many predicted a sep
aration at the end OF six months. or. mt
the very least. seven. But 1t has been
u year, hasn't ity'
Tonight" said Jesslca. softly. "is
the anniversary Of our wedding.
DE Narvllle laughed.
"And here you are" presently. "celc.
brating It by dining out with II friend!
You are nothing, Jesslca, II not up to
date. You are more. You are unique.
unusual All your friends say that.
They say you are quite right In making
the thing final. You are 30 superior to
him In every way. You have wasted a
year of your life on him."
Jessica shrugged her shoulders ever
so slightly.
"And what do they say Of hlm?" she
question. This. That he has wasted
U year OF his life on me!'
DE Narville frowned.
IL don't know am sure. what they
say to him." he affirmed. but really he
was a brute. Jessida. And why live
with a brute as his wife"
"When there are 30 many other
brutes with whom one might simply
dine" finished Jessica.
"Of course. With whom one may
pass a pleasant evening. then say
'ta-ta.' That is best; freedom. 1t Is
these chains that gall. 1t Is sad, but
true. can't reason 1t out. Nobody
can. But the fact remains. Once a
woman becomes the property of man
she loses her charm. The sense Of
ownership appears to deaden his inter
est. He is not SO with any other thing
which he appears to own. His horse,
his dog, their value is only enhanced
by the fact of possession. But the
T.. woman! Once his wife. In many cases
she Is no better than n slave"
Jessica, toying with her fork. marked
helroglyphlcs here and there on the
tableclOth.
"FOr centuries" she ruminated, re-
signedly, I'VE were practically slaves
and sold rs such. Perhaps, after al.
that Is whrt we were horn to he"