The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-17
. OUR DAILY SHORT STORY *

 rose-f filled room.
 At the top of the stairs he began to whistle--rather more boisterously than | there was any occasion for doing, the woman thought, and moment later
 he pushed open the door and came bustling into the room.
 .Hullo, startled you. did l. Amy?' he said. with forced laugh, as she gave a little jump when the knob or the in-flung door clashed against the l wall. Did you think it was an earth quake or a cyclone, dearT 1 She turned her head and looked at
 him. sharply, briefly, with eyebrows lifted. and then looked back at the
 book as before.
 l "I don't know what l thought; don't know that I thought anything only that I wish you would be little more careful" she said. What brings you home so early. It's only little
 after nine. and you said you would be | late"
 l T know l did" he replied. laughing
 again-Quite artihcially-as ho went | over to the table and selected cigar ette and lit it. May I sit beside you | on that sofa?--and do you mind if I | smoker
 1 "oh, no" she said. half-heartedly. as she moved her feet to make room for him. Do whatever you like. of course. You ought to be aware by ,his | time that 1 never interfere with your pleasures. Only-I hope it won't be more than one cigarette; the smell ot them always makes my head ache" Does it?" You never said so before. | It shan't be even one, then, if that's the case"-shying the cigarette into the fireplace. You ought 10 know. Amy, that l wouldn't do anything to distress you if I thought"
 1 No, I know you wouldn't; out it's
 not thinking that Is accountable for so many things in this world; heart
 aches and--tragedies-wit the rest"
 Yes, suppose il is. That cant be a very enlivening book you are reading;
 you're Inclined to be a bit pessimistic this evening. Look here! throw aside that book. I'm sure 1t 5 some dreadful Ibsenistic thing and is making you
 morbid and green-eyed," he. said. 1 gaily. T see you haven't changed that pretty new frock yet. and I'm glad of 1t. Get out your opera cloak and the other things you'll need. dear. and I'll | ring. and order the broughman. I've come to take you to the opera-its d l Melba night
 T would rather stay at home if you don't mind It was my intention to go to bed at ten, and I should much prefer to do so. Still, if 1t is your wish that should dress and go out, I'll do 1t, of course. Only--I think it would be pleasanter for both of us if ytu went to your club and left me to spend the evening alone"
 He rose suddenly and stood looking down upon her, ridge between his eyebrows and his nostrils dilated the veriest atom. It was impossible to mis- understand her any longer. impossible l to get away from the knowledge that some change had come over her In that | little time since he saw her last. He ! reading. 1t was a copy of Mrs Brown ing's poems, and 1t was open at d place where the pages were headed We Are
 So Tired. My Heart and L.
 Is that the explanation?" he said pointing down at the book. You seem
 to be trying to let me know. as deli | cately as possible, that I am in the
 way. that l have outlived my sphere of usefulness in your eyes. your life, and
 that you are tired of me. Have I
 come back to you then for nothing?' She shut the book and laid her fold
 ed hands on her knee and looked up
 at him with calm eyes
 What else could you expect to come
 back to?" she said. There is an end, l there must always be an end--to every
 thing. You cant nail living thing to
 the cross and expect it to struggle | and live--forcVer. starved heart
 cant live on smiles nor feed on mere ! words forever. There is a time-thera must always be a time-.when hungry
 things cry out in their anguish for
 food and. falling to get it, die When we were married I promised to love. honor and obey you. but somethtn. died within me tonight, and I know
 that that trinity of promises can never l now be lived up to. l will obey al- | ways--I break no word in that-but | for the rest" She shifted a little and 1 the eyes that looked so straight Into his fell and fixed themselves upon the l floor.
 T buried some things more holy l than words with the child, Jim she
 said. Tho dctum of the world is for men to obey their own iuclinations and
 for women to forgive; but the dictuIn
 of nature is for men to go just so lar and for women to---forget Forgctfu- ness Is the pollen of the dead flower of
 love; the barren seed that has fallen
 upon unfertile ground and died be
 cause there was nothing in the soil 1 to give it lasting root. I don't blame you, l don't blame that other woman.
 and I can't blame myself These things arc as they are and the end of them is
 written by stronger hands than ours A little while ago you were Jim" to
 me-i Tn all that 'Jim' implies Now"
 She lifted her eyes and looked straight