Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-01-31
CHILDREN, AFIER ALL


To be tied up to moral code Inherited
from remote ancestors has always been
irksome to me. Though work has not
been necessary TO me, | have worked.
From the first l wanted a career. l
chose literature for a profession, and
living a literary life made me a reader
of many books. Great social questions
Interested me especially, and / studied
the different methods that from the
earliest ages have pertainel u the re-
lations Of the sexes. came out Of these
studies impressed with the belief that
marriage is a civil. not necessarily a
moral, law.
/ had reached this conclusion some
time before met Arthur Tracy. He
was the manager of a magazine to
which / sold articles and by admiring
them first won my grateful attention.
afterward my love. He was mated
with a woman who had no sympathy
whatever with his fine. appreciative
and discriminating mind. He found in
LIE OiiE - ub thdAA t4iliuthA<-t " 49,
him on every point. and it was not long
before he told me that l could turn
his minated life into one Of inexpress-
ible happiness.
Unfortunately for US both. there was
no ground On which he could get di-
vorce. Mrs. Tracy was a good wife
and mother. the only reason why she
could not make her husband happy
being her intellectual inferiority. But
why was divorce necessary Had
| not reached a conclusion that mar
rage was not necessary to morality ?
Had not one of the greatest of English
women novelists lived with a man
WHO could not get divorce from his
vie? Why should |, holding these
views, stoop to encourage the man |
loved to secure his liberty by fraudu-
lent means? Would it not be far
better part to make him happy in de-
fiance of Il world that had received its
opinions from antiquity made up
my mind to rise above an antiquated
custom. My love and l would pledge
ourselves to each other for life.
had never seen Mrs. Tracy. nor did
/ wish to see her. There was no blame
attached to her that she was not suIii-
GENTLY Intellectual to be a fit compan-
ion for very superior man. | would
not permit myself to consider that she
was standing In the way of two peo-
pie whom God had especially intended
for each other. | was not so human
as that. One day | went to the Office
of the magazine to consult about the
method Of printing an article of mine.
and from the suit of editorial rooms
a little girl about three years old came
racing along, straw hat hung 70 her
back and ringlets flying. She was such
a merry madcap that | took her into
my heart at once and, STOPPING. literal
ly took her into my arms. She st-ug
gled to be free, laughing the while. and
when ] set her down jumped again
into my arms.
You little humbugr' | exclaimed.
you're ike most of your sex-when
you can have what you want you don't
want it. What's your Manner
Helen Tracy"
/ looked into her heaven blue eyes,
and for the first time since / had met
her father the still small voice of con
science spoke to me. l was about to
bring sorrow into the life of this limo
cent child.
Come and see mamma" she said,
grasping one of my fingers. She's In
papa's Office waiting till he comes in"
She dragged me TO the office door
/ had no intention of going in, but
suddenly it opened and some one came
OFT, leaving it open. Within sat a
woman with face as sweet and limo
cent as the child's. My confusion en-
abled the little one to drag me TO the
threshold.
Come in" said the lady, rising II
wish to speak to you"
She shut the door behind me and
stood facing me. All my philosophy
could not save me from feeling that /
was In the presence Of an accusing
angel
Il know you from the picture Ar
thur has. He has told me much about
you and your ideas-ideas that | have
neither the learning nor the mind to
appreciate. 1t has come to memo
matter how-that his heart has fol-
lowed his intellect. l do not blame
either Of you. | am deficient in what
he requires; you possess 1t. / love him
too we'll either to stand in the way of
his happiness or to give him reason to
act unworthily. Whatever steps he
may see lit to take to break the bonds
binding him to me and the children
shall accede to. They of course must
remain with me-"
During my philosophical studies a
favorite expression with me was 1.-THE
eobwebs Of the past" While / was
listening to these words. involving a
far greater wisdom. far higher con-
eeption than had ever dreamed of, It
seemed that with feather the speak
er was brushing away the cobwebs
Of the present. She had shown me the
yawning gulf ON which 7 stood In q