Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-03-11
An Anniversary

- restaurant waiting.
Dc Narvllle, standing at the door.
saw her. He FASTENED to her, holding
out HIS hand
Are you here aIoneY' he questisaed,
surprised.
For the moment" she answered. Il
am expecting friend. He was to
meet me here at s"
CHANGING up at a giant gift clock,
whose hands moved with annoying
slowness: 1T is not quite that yet,
she reflected. impatiently.
De Narvllle smiled down upon her.
May 1 sit here oppohte 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." be began. How dainty your
white Is. and that touch OF rose in your
hat Old-fashiened roses they are,
aren't theyl On . nsw-fashioned WON
an. And your little fingers glittering
with just enough diamonds, not too
many. Just enough. There are some
who make the missile OF wearing dia-
monds to the knuckles. but you, never
Dear me! The last time 1 saw you,
Jessica, you were IN tears"
EYES," encouraglngly.
"You and he had just separated II
was very sad. I was not surprised at
your tears. One must weep q hrle for
any husband. worthy or unworthy. 1t
is In the nature q woman. But I. said
to myself, then, IN couple OF weeks
or three she win be over II. She Will
have entirely recovered And must
say that my prophecy has been full
filed even sooner than l expected, Jes-
sica. How long has it been7 Three
weeksr' After a moment employed
In rapid mental calculation, Three
weeksl And here you are. beaming
more bsautiful than have ever seen
you. and waiting for a friend"
Half closing his eyes quizzically, he
bent toward her.
1T is safe to say" he whispered.
chat this Is not a woman friend for
whom you are so lmpatiently watching
tho 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.
81 thought not declared De Nar
vile. "And why should 1t BET Why
not 90 out at once with your friendsf
Of
while he has all the enjoyment posi-
BILE? He goes where he pleases. l am
certain Of that In fact l have seen
people who saw him dining here, there
and everywhere, with his acquaipt-
ances. man or woman, as it suits him"
Herr he paused for an interval. in
order TO observe the effect. 1t was
rather Disappointing than otherwise,
Jessica sitting under are, composed as
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
unklnd fate
Fate, you call it," repeated Jessica.
Then, delicately defining the differ
ence: "When it Is unldnd, It is fate
When It is kind, 1t Is Providence. And
you call It 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 TEN.
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 month";. or, al
the very least, seven. But it has beer
a year, hasn't itY'
Tonight" Eaid Jesslcs. softly, q,
the anniversary OF our wedding
De NaTyi,le laughed.
And here you are" presently, "cele
brating it by dining out with a friend
You are nothing, Jessica, II not up tc
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 t,
him in every way. You have wasted
year OF your life on him"
Jessica shrugged her shoulders eve
so slightly.
"And what do they say OF himr sh,
question. This. That he has wastet
a year OF his life on mer'
De Narville frowned.
It don't know, am sure. what the,
say to him" he affirmed. but really H.
was a brute. Jessica. And why lv,
with a brute as his wife"
when there are so many othe
brutes with whom one might slmpl.
dine" finished Jesslca.
"Of course. With whom one ma,
pass a pleasant evening. then sa
'ta-ta.' That lie best; freedom. Il 1
these chains that gall. II is sad, bu
true. can't reason it out Nohod
can. But the fact remains. Once
woman becomes the property Of a ma
she loses her charm. The sense o
ownership appears TO deaden his inter
est. He is not so with any other thin
which he appears to own. His horse
his dog. their value is only enhance
by the fact Of possession. But tn
womanl once his wife, In many case
she is no better than a SLAYER
Jessica. toying with her fork, marke
hefroeIyphics here and there on th
rablecloth.
For centuries" she ruminated, II
gignedly. I'VE were practically slave
and sold as such. Perhaps, after al
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