Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-08-02
THE WO MAN
OF IT


life" says George horace Lorrimer.
when he doesn't understand women.
One is before he is married and the
other after"
Dauncey Stanton had often smiled
over this saying. but the truth Of II
never really came home TO him until
he met i'll fortune. and this was not
until he had been married nearly 20
years.
Then-it was the old story. The
dullness Of approaching middle age,
the forbidden witchery OF an ancon
ventional charmer, Increased desire &c
be rich since now he would spend like
water, speculation. disaster. All his
world was swept away in a moment.
He would have shot himself but for
the innate manliness that forbade any.
thing like running away from trouble,
especially trouble of his own causing.
lie sat himself down in his lonely, de-
serted Office to ponder what should be
done
From Alice. his wife, he naturally
had become estranged during the year
or SO of the unconventional charmer's
reign and sway. The proud. sad WON
word of reproach or even knowledge
of his wrongdoing. but he had seen
and noted. even through the veil OF
his growing selfishness, the change
wrought by his cruel coldness. or
late their intercourse had not been
formal, indeed. The other woman.
naturally. had small use for him now
that his pockets were empty. He had
not really believed in her love. OF
course. but the fact that she had gone
out of town without farewell. though
knowing his distress and financial dan
ger. yet gave him a bitter pang.
He opened his watch and looked at
the two pictures fastened, respective
ly, in the back and front of the case.
The portrait of Alice had been taken
on their wedding tour and had looked.
with grave sweetness, out at him ever
since. The other portrait. gay, in
souciant. smiling, the unconventional
charmer had given him a year ago.
After a moment or two he clicked the
back portrait out of sight and sat gaz
ing. with shamed mournfulness. at
that of Alice. He was so engaged
when the door boy, who alone OF all
on duty. told him that a woman wait
ed outside.
SHOW her in" he commanded. his
heart softening at the thought that
perhaps the other woman had relent.
ed, came to offer him sympathy and
aid. But 1t was Alice. paying her first
office visit in years, who slipped
through the outer door.
"Daunceyl" she cried. weeping. and
| put her arms about him on the in
slant. The man. after a brave effort
at self-control, wept also, wept out the
bitterness of desertion by all-save
one-who had once loved him. And
the woman hushed and soothed him as
she might have done child.
The latent manIiness that had held
back thoughts of suicide swayed him
at last and he found himself telling
her many things about which he had
| intended to keep silent, and the love
and tenderness with which she re
ceived the lame, hating explanations
further shamed him. BY and by. when
his trembling voice sank TO silence
she lifted his chin until the tired eyes
met her own.
/
you've nearly broken my heart. but Il
doesn't matter now that I've got yol
back again AS to being poor, We
were happy enough once as poor PEG
pie, and we can be so again, II neet
be. But during the years of our pros
perity | saved quite little from thu
money you pressed upon me. and
think that will give you a start in ;
new business. And If motif yoI
cant make enough money to please
you alone, why! I'll go into business
with you, and together / know IL viii
be all right"
She went home soon after TO ar
range for the little trip away that wa
10 celebrate their reunion. to give hin
new life and strength for the fresh
victorious battle with fate and financ
opening out before him. and Stanton
LEFT alone looked long at the swee
face gazing out from the front Of hi
watch case.
.Deai God" he exclaimed. as he Ia
boriously pried out and destroyed II
unworthy neighbor. Ito think that TO
20 years I've lived with an angel an
never even dreamed It till now"