The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-11-05
Consolation
tOriginal.l

There's Grape on the Chittendens'
door," said Mrs. Cressler. "Chauncey
has passed away. Poor Chauncey-
to have been obliged to endure that
woman for so long! It's a wonder he
lived as long as he did. Well, l sup
pose must go over and offer the usual
| consolation"
Now, there was not only want of
reason for Mrs. Cressler's going over
to offer the usual consolation" but
there was superiority of reason why
she should not do so. Mrs. Cressler
had herself been Mrs. Chittenden and
by good rights should have been the
widow. But she had tired of Chitten-
den, sent him off and secured a divorce
on the ground of desertion. On the
day the divorce was granted she had
| married Tim CreSsler. Chittenden,
who had been forced to desert one wO-
man, chung to another and married her.
= Cressler was still living with Chitten-
denis first wife, but report said that
he was very abusive, the reports ema-
! mating from his wife, and II he did not
mend his ways he too, would be forced
to desert her. Mrs. Cressler's inten-
ton was to offer Mrs. Chittenden that
kind of consolation which Satan would
give a soul he had purchased-that is,
he would thrust it into hell
Good morning, Mrs. Chittenden. l
have thought, considering what we
have both been to poor Chauncey, l
would come over and offer my SYM
| pathies. Notwithstanding his faults
he was too good for most women"
HE was too good for me-" said the
widow demurely, "but l suppose he
wasn't good enough for you, Mrs.
CresSler, or he wouldn't have left you"
II was glad when saw that you and
Chauncey were getting on so we'll to-
/ gether. There was too great a gap
between him and me. Chauncey was
not a smart man."
His first wife was"
1T isn't that was very smart" said
Mrs. Cressler modestly, but Chauncey
was very dull. He needed a wife of
very moderate intellect"
You were fortunate in getting an
other husband the day you got your
divorce from the one that deserted
you," said Mrs. Chittenden. Maybe
instead Of luck 1t was smartness."
Il didn't want poor Chauncey to suf-
fer from thinking I'd take him back"
1T was very kind of you not to make
him suffer any longer than he did"
There wasn't any time-if l hadn't
been married-that he wouldn't have
been glad to return to his sufferings."
''Then it must have been lucky for
him that you We're married"
WED see about that some day, only
in heaven there's no marrying or Civ
ing in marriage"
How is it in the other place? Do
you think you're going to have him
| there?
I'm not going there, Mrs. Chitten-
den, nor is Chauncey. If there's mar
rying there you'll have to look out for
a new husband"
you'd have both Chauncey and Tim
Cressler in heaven, only there's no
more bigamy there than marriage
| SlCSSlCI w d0 hot SCtlIus9 duCdu
in the game. Her thrusts were vigOr-
GUS, but they were parried with great
skill. There was one thing she had
come over for that thus far she had not
gained-a knowledge of what funds
Chittenden had left his widow. She
had a vague hope that the law might
look kindly upon her and consider her
fraction Of that widow.
II hope Chauncey left you comfort
able, Mrs Chittenden,'' she said in
tone to intimate that she would like to
get back to her purpose of offering con-
ISOLATION.
Its you he's left comfortable" re-
Piled the other, because he was moth
ing to you. He left me uncomfortable
because we were everything to each
other"
"They say you made a frugal wife
and he left penny or so in the bank"
| HE did, and to his widow"
J There's alimony due me-
~ hope you may get it,
IF it's due the law III allow it."
Eyes, if it's due. You got your d.
! V0TCe dLs HULL anu uldiIlcu at " ClOCh.
There's alimony for one hour due you"
Il suppose it wouldn't look well for
me to come to the funeral"
"Chauncey's funeral, so far as his
first wife is concerned occurred long
ago."
"Of course I'd like to show my kind
! ly sympathy for you. The neighbors
might think it queer of me to be here.
but it would show them that I'm not
malicious"
ooh, they know you haven't any
grudge against me. Why should you
have? 1t was who made it easy for
you. Chauncey was well enough salts
fed with the desertion plan after he
met me-"
HIN! They all know that wouldn't
stand him any longer"
HE told me he was afraid you
| would"
I'D have just liked to hear him say
that in the flesh"
There was step in the back room
the room where Mrs. Cressler supposed
the corpse was lying-a mans step.