Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE HOLLANDS FLIRTATIoNs.
IOriginal.l

good fellow. He loved his wife ana
their two little children devOtedly. but
did not hesitate to risk his and their
happiness 10y what he considered harm
less affairs with women. Clara, his
wife. was one OF natures peeresses.
and every one who knew the couple
wondered how Holland could be even
amused with other women. Neverthe-
less he would get up an afrair with
some creature who had neither brains
nor principle and whose beauty was
often entirely made up. cara pre-
tended not TO notice these freaks. fully
appreciating what Ii was to start even
the slightest breach between her huS-
band and herself. Was not his. her
and their children's happiness all at
stake? She argued that every man
has his weakness. and this was the
only weakness OF which her husband
was guilty. My wife is sensible
woman" Harry would say TO his init
mate friends "She knows it's man 8
nature to rove. and it's wOnan's ma
ture TO be true To one man. She's the
angel Of the household
flower to another some of them wax
and paint there was no great harm
done But at last a woman got hold OF
him who kept him dancing Attendance
upon her so long and SO constantly
that the affair became the town talk.
Then rumor began to undermine Mrs.
Hollands good name. You see how
it Is" said thinking persons: ''One sin
leads to another. Clara Holland has
been at last affected by her husbands
waIst of principle. They won't hang
together long What a pity for the
Children
Harry didn't exactly like the situa-
ton and cautioned his wife. She did
not say. Cease your attentions to other
women and I'll cease accepting favOrs
from other mem She simply said,
"Oh. Harry. we don't either Of us mean
anything by it," This was not salts
factory to Harry. For the first time he
began to think his wife was not The
angel of the household after all. lie
began to think Of the terrible results
that might accrue from his wifes con
duct What il his family should he
broken mp. his children separated from
him? Ii would he the wOman'S fault,
but that would not mend matters. One
would suppose he would begin to set
matters right 10y devoting himself to
his home and letting other women
alone But the charmer who at the
time held possession Of him was not
inclined to give him up.
One morning az he was going in to
breakfast the postman called, and Hol-
land took the mail from him. CHANGING
over the letters. he saw one addressed
to him I'm a wOmsn'S hand that he did
pocket and after breakfast, while read
ing his paper in the library, opened it.
1t read:
Keep an eye on your wife. She is pre-
pairing to skip out with c. 3.
Holland sat so long in the library that
his wife at last came in and asked him
why he delayed going downtown. as
usual When he looked up at her IT
was with an agOnized expression.
Whats the matter, HarryT' she
asked.
He handed her the note. She read II
cOoIly and handed it back to him.
''WelI?" he said
Well" she repeated, "Of course the
games up"
What do you mean?"
Il mean that this farce may as well
end now rs at any time. We are both
more interested In others than in our
home and our children. Yet why should
| do as that note indicates and make
the scandal all the worse? You. being
Il msu. can commit some fragrant act
that will give me my legal freedom,
and | can marry again. whereas if
run away with another man while |
am your wife our children will he dis
graced."
Holland looked at his wife stunned.
She went on:
Don't blame me for this. / was
happy with you and our dear little
ones, who must now suffer. but you cd
ucated me with your theory that great
license should be given the husband
and father, and from this / grew TO as
sumo equal liberty for the wife and
mother. You might have kept a steady
course for the chiIdren's sake If not for
mine"
Her voice trembled and tears started
to her eyes
Tell me" he gasped. Clara, have
you done anything criminal%'
She stood with her back turned to
him without n reply. He fell back In
his chair. She turned and saw an aShen
pallOr eyes glariDg at vacancy. every
evidence Of a mental torture which if It
could he transformed to the body
wonld have delighted an Apache In
dian. She turned her eyes appeaIingly
toward pOrtleFe screening the adjoin-
ing room Asce Holland, Harry's sis
ter. brushed aside the curtains and
stepped into the room
Harry" she said to her surprised
brother. Il wrote that letter for Clara
and made her promise me she would
not undeceive you after this interview
Till 1 should give her the word. She is
as pure ana innocent as a little child.
advised her some time ago to begin !
The preliminaries that have led up to |
bis lesson. II il is not enough 10 make |