Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-04-12
An Anniversary

lie NarVllle, standing at the uoor,
saw her He FASTENED to her, holding
out his hand
Are you here alone?' he questioned,
surprised.
For the moment" she answered. Il
am expecting a friend. He was to
meet me here at s."
CHANGING up at a giant gilt clock,
whose hands moved with annoying
slowness: 1T is not quite that yet"
she reflected, impatiently.
De Narville smiled down Upon her.
May 1 sit here opposite your he
asked, drawing out the chair, until he
comes?"
Certainly" she replied, and he took
the chair.
He observed her admiringly.
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 ew-fashioned wom-
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, never!
Dear me! The last time l 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 a little for
any husband, worthy or unworthy. 1t
is in the nature of woman. But l said
to myself, then, In a 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 1 expected, Jes-
slca. 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 l have ever seen
you. and waiting for friend"
Half closing his eyes quizzically, he
bent toward her.
lit is safe to say" he whispered,
"that this is not a 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" sine replied.
81 thought not" declared De Mar
willie. 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-
BILE? He goes where he pleases. | am
certain of that. In fact, l 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. 1t was
rather disappointing than otherwise.
Jessica sitting under fire, composed as
a monument and quite as calm. re by
and by continued:
"As a matter of fact, Jessica. you
and be were never suited, you were
never intended for one another. Some
unkind fate
Fate. you call it," repeated Jessica.
Then. delicateiy defining the differ
ence: when it is unkind, it is fate.
When it is kind, it is Providence And
you call it fate?'
Some unkind fate" went on De
NarviIle stolidly, threw you together
You were too much alike in the first
place. Both of intensely nervous tenn
Deraments, excitable. high-strung, ii
was not in the nature of things that
YOU could live together longer than a
year Indeed. many predicted sep
aration at the end of six months. or, at
the very least, seven. But it has been
year. hasn't it?'
Tonight" said Jessica, softly, 'is
the anniversary of our wedding.
De Narville laughed.
And here you are" presently. "cele
hrating it by dining out with friend
You are nothing, Jesslca, IL 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
year Of your life on him."
Jessica shrugged her shoulders ever
so slightly.
And what do they say of him?" she
question. This. That he has wasted
a year of his life on me"'
De Narvine frowned.
Il don't know, l am sure. what they
say TO him." he affirmed. but really he
was a brute. Jessica. And why live
with a brute as his wife"
'sWhen there are SO many Other
brutes with whom one might simply
dine" finished JesSica.
"Of course. With whom one may
mass a pleasant evening. then say
rata That is best: freedom. 1t Il
these chains that gall. 1t is sad. bu
true. can't reason 1t out Nobod.
can But the fact remains. Once ;
woman becomes the property of mal
she loses her charm. The sense o.
ownership appears 10 deaden his inter
est He is not so with any other thlnl
which he appears TO own. His horse
his dog. their value is only enhance'
by the fact of possession. But tn
woman! Once his wife. in many case
she is no better than a slaves
Jessica. toying with her fork. marke'
heiroglyphicS here and there on tn
tableCloth
For centuries" she ruminated. re
signedly. I'VE were practically slave
and sold as such. Perhaps. after 81
that is what we We're born to be-"
Again De Narville laughed
Now that you are ont OF bondage.
said he. You can look back over tn
situation and laugh. II has some hu
NOR for you. That is better than tears
And sorrow is. 70 a certain extent
beneficial 1t sharpens the wits. No
that you have not always been quics
witted. on the contrary. So muc
more so than he. it~was pity, you
friends said. to see you with him
Yes. they said that 10 me" intel