Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-16
anonymous letters that are flying about in
ha cI,,1,.

anonymous letters that are flying about in
! the club
| Philip did not know about those.
| You will be wise in ignoring them he
| said when / explained The person who
| Will condescend to those things is a sneak
| and a coward. No self-respecting person
would associate with the writer of anony-
nous letters"
| Knowingly" / added looking at Mrs.
! cambridge, who gazing abstractedly
! into the depths of her coffee cup, though
| she had not heard. THE worst is, that this
person-she is
| You assume it to be a woman asked
\ the lady, looking up with smile.
| W course. have not thought OF It's be-
ing any other" 1 answered carelessly. LAS
I was saying this person isn't content with
attacking me to my club friends; she wrote
my husband. almost at the moment he ar
| rived from Europe"
| Coward!' exclaimed Philip.
| Shocking!' added Mrs. cambridge But
tell me. has your husband returned? When
did ne come? You must be pleased"
How could she have done it?' I said
didn't even know Joe had returned"
Whereupon the lady gave me one of her
long, narrow looks and said nothing.
took a long ride with the children that
| AFTERNOON, picking up Joe at his Office on
| our way home. Truly, I would be more do
| mestic hereafter; and the world should see
how devoted could be to my family. And
as looked at Joe, with his newly acquired
I air, his well-made clothes, and his fresh
manly face, l felt that this would be no
hardship.
Now, Jackie" he said. settling himself
| in the victoria, this is something like. No
more junketing about foreign cities for me
| until you go too" He seemed to have re-
| covered from the shock of the morning and
strove to keep him good-natured. An
| excellent dinner was waiting when we ar
! rived home. and Joe seemed to appreciate
J his home as he had never done before. On,
| surely. / would be more domestic now, and
m a a i'm ,PN-% IL i
| say nothing against clubs. and at the next
! gentlemen's night 1 would make him attend
| in evening dress, and he should see for
| himself how popular his wife had become
and how my occupancy Of the president
| chair had raised our social standing. He
| should yet compliment me on my diplo-
| macy in getting what wanted-what we
| both wanted.
| All this while Joe was smoking his cigar
When he was through:
well. have an important business en-
easement tonight. I may not be home till
late. Don't sit up for me-"
| "Oh, Joe! Couldn't you give me this
evening"" I cried. ut is so soon after
| your return.
| | make the business pay" he answered.
And you must have gew-gaws and jim
cracks you know. I tell you, we men
| have to pay for our handsome wives and
pretty babies"
He kissed me and went away I own
l was vexed. 1t was aggravating not to
be allowed to put my virtuous resolutions
into immediate execution: sat alone by
the fire and pitied myself. My mother sat
in her room of nights nowadays, after put
ting the babies to bed. I wonder If might
not have been better woman If l had
put my own children to bed and tucked
them in and heard them say their prayers
l have heard mothers say the influence of
that hour was helpful to them as to the
children. / wonder how.
It was past 8 o'clock when the door bell
rang and the Count de Beauvais was
ushered in My heart misgave me when
saw him enter. and felt the
force that I used to feel when I first met
the man. But he came straight to me and
seized my hands. He, too had seen the
newspaper paragraph.
parable rose among women he muir
INJURED, his ardent gaze absorbing every de-
tail of my dress, my hair, my face.
MY husband returned last night" said.
And you are alone here tonight?" he re-
peated with world of meaning Then in
lower tone, IF you were mine-you beau
the fire alone. I would hover near you
ever. as does the butterfly cling to the rose
l would wear you as my choicest gift from
heaven"
Hush, hush" I commanded. for his
fowery speech in such sharp contrast to
| the plain American brusqueness Of my hus-
band was, after all. less attractive than
usual. How came you here tonight?
| thought you were in Washington"
Il was to go last night. but thoughts Of
you held me-, Jacqueminot. No. no, I
must speak. Let me go on" he reached
over and took my hand. A magnetic thrill
ran through my whole frame and let my
| hand lie passive in his This morning
| saw your husbands arrival in the news
paper. Then saw the cruel-no, the happy
paragraph, coupling our names together.
| Tell me, Jacqueminot, has he seen it?''
Yes. Before did," I answered. He
was very angry"
nlxa Ior 1yr to or
Il must admit that he did, said. AL
| though pacified him afterward"
Bette" he muttered. You must pacify
him? A beautiful creature like you pacify
| the American business man! It Is too
much"
1 said nothing. I seemed under spell.
l did not attempt even to draw away my
hand. We sat silent some moments, then,
of blood in my body beats for you. Leave
the man who does not care for youths
man who would make of you his house
| hold drudge. Come with me-" He spoke
| in low, impassioned tones, but impetuously,
| the whirlwind of his murmured words car
| rying me beyond the sense Of outside
things. We two seemed to be on an emil
nence by ourselves away from the rest of
| the world. Only us two.
Come with me to my own sunny France
shall cherish you forever-I shall love you
He had fallen on his knees at my side,
still clinging to my hand. Answer me.
! Jacqueminot, my rose
| "No-O-now 1 murmured, striving to
| draw away my hand. You must not talk
to me this way. l have a husband. He
| loves me, too"
! What do such as he know of love?'
| the count replied. You are an advanced
| woman, capable of liberal views. Leave
| Chicago and come to beautiful, sunny
! France with me- You are my soul affinity
| my life. my love-
| He bent his head and kissed my hands
| pGssionately.
A slight noise at the door made me look