Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-03-30
An Anniversary

restaurant, Wa1Clng.
De Narville, standing at the door,
saw her He fastened to her, holding
out his hand
Are you here aIone?" he questioned,
surprised.
For the moment she answered. Il
am expecting friend. He was to
meet me here at So
CHANGING up at giant gilt clock,
whose hands moved with annoying
slcwness: cit is not quite that yet,
she reflected, impatiently
De Naryille smiled down upon her.
May I sit here opposite you?" he
asked, drawing out the chair, until he
eomes?"
Certainly she replied, and he took
she chair.
He observed her admiringIy.
You are looking beautiful tonight
Jessica," he began. "How dainty your
white is, and that touch of rose in your
hat. Old-fashiened roses they are,
aren't they? On a new-fashioned WON
an. And your little fingers glittering
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, neveri
Dear me. The last time I saw you,
Jessica. you were in tears"
Yes" encouragingly.
''You and he had just separated 1t
was very sad. / was not surprised at
your tears. One must weep little for
any husband, worthy Or unworthy. 1t
is in the nature of woman. But | said
70 myself, then, In 8 couple Of weeks
or three she will be over it, She will
have entirely recovered And [ must
say that my prophecy has been full
filed even sooner than expected, Jes-
sica. How long has it been? Three
weeks?" After a moment employed
in rapid mental calculation, ''Three
weeks. And here you are beaming
more beautiful than I have ever seen
you, and waiting for a friend
Half closing his eyes quizzically, he
bent toward her.
ct is safe to say he whispered.
<'that this is not woman friend for
whom you are SO impatiently watching
the hands Of the clock with whom you
are to dine"
A laugh commenced at Jessica's eyes
and finished at her lips.
Hardly" she replied
L thought not" declared De Mar
vile. and why should it be? Why
not go out at once with your friends?
Must you make a recluse of yourself,
while he has all the enjoyment posi-
bic? 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, as it suits him"
Here he paused for an interval. in
order TO observe the effect. It was
rather disappointing than otherwise.
Jessica sitting under fire. composed as
a monument and quite as calm. He by
and by continued:
LAS 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 it is unkind. 1t is fate.
When it is kind, it is Providence And
you call it fate?"
.sSome 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, it
was not in the nature Of things that
you could live together longer than a
year. Indeed, many predicted q sep
aration at the end Of six months, or, at
the very least. seven. But it has been
q year, hasn't it?'
Tonight said Jessica, softly, sis
the anniversary Of our wedding.
De Narville laughed.
''And here you are" presently, ''cele-
brating 1t by dining out with friend!
You are nothing, Jessica, if 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 SO superior to
him in every way. You have wasted a
wear of your life on him.
Jessica shrugged her shoulders ever
so slightly.
land what do they say Of him?'' she
question. This. That he has wasted
a 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, Jessica. AND why live
with q brute as his wife,
when there are so many other
Drutes 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 l can't reason it out Nobody
can. But the fact remains. Once O
woman becomes the property Of man
she loses her charm. The sense Of