The Washington herald., 1907-04-21

rid of her. don't be rude or boisterous.
/ Merely write her a polite note or tele-
phone her that you are sorry you can't
keep that little promise you made at the
altar but subsequent natter have arisen
which prevent your being at home again.
and you hope you haven't Inconvenience
her and trust she can replace you with
out delay OF difficulty. Or"
Kitty! Kitty. For heavens sake" I
rose and stuffed my fingers Ia my ears.
Well " inquired Kitty with icy sweet
ness. isn't that a sample OF a polite and
pleasant parting-a thoroughly Hp-to-
date"
Tit isn't exactly what I meant" /
stammered, sitting down again, and wip-
ing the perspiration from my brow. But
why couldn't We part with a husband or
wife at least as gently and generously as
We do with a butler or a cook, for in
stance?'
WHAT
when a servant leaves you" I ex-
planned, you give him tip and a rec
ommendation. Why should you give a dis
missed wife or husband a black eye or
bad reputation by publicly repudiating
him or her?"
Kitty drew long breath and regarded
me with speeches. contempt
1T would be better and kinder" went
on. with desperate defiance, Ito write out
Ia neat hand on a piece of monogramed
note paper something Ike this, for in
stance;
To whom it may concern:
1T gives me great pleasure to state
that Mr.. Tor Mrs) John Brown. when in
my em-er-when attached TO me. proved
honest capable, and industrious. &c,
&c"
'Of course" said Kitty, cynically. you
needn't mention that he had a chronic
crouch. or dyed his mustache. or kicked
the dog when he was angry, o. growled
at the cook, or"
Nor" I agreed, that she was adj
dlcted 10 curtain lectures, or curl pa
pers. or women's clubs. or sick head
aches, nor that her figure wasn't her
own, and her complexion came in a box.
and her hair in a bottle. and
4 think it's growing very cool out
here remarked Kitty, sitting up straight
quite suddenly
1t certainly seemed TO be. ! shivered a
little.
Shall we-er-go in, or-change the sub
Jectf' 1 inquired, accommodatingly.
Divorce, said Kitty, ignoring my sug-
gestion, and gazing soFr0Wfuliv at the
horizon, with her hands clasped in her
lap Is not joke. It's a terribly serious |
thing"
$50 is appendicitis" I declared. lean
ing back ia my chair once more. But
We don't condole with people who have
come through the operation safely. Wei
congratulate them. We don't say. My
dear fellow, l hear you Just missed the
grave We eXclaim Old chap, how sprv
you're looking. You'll soon be as good
as new
AS IT, cried Kitty. Indignantly. there
was any comparison between divorce and
They're both expensive" I retorted. /
and only gone through with when it's /
matter Of life ana death Besides. the
man who ciings 10 an annoying appendix
Is likely to come 10 grief, and the man or 4
woman who clings TO a baIky horse or a /
naiky helpmeet is going TO get thrown 1
sooner or later and 10 get badly shaken /
up u the tumble. There's nothing hut
Inc operation 10 save you ir both cases.
II ought 20 be the last resort. but once
undertaken it -10uld be submitted to
quietly. The person who kicks and cries
under the knife OF the decree only makes
The thing all the harder That's why I \
say Hurrah for anaestheLics and painless
methods. and
And that's why there are so many d.
'orces nowadays" declared Kitty. warm
". Its made too easy and attractive"
Children cry for IL, 7 murmured. .as /
they do for Castoria"
kitty rose, this time with determine
ton.
1 wish mother could hear you" she ex-
claimed. spitefully
Heavensi She can't. can she?" I asked
IN apprehension.
She belongs to an anti-divorce league"
said Kitty
She's welcome" said I
And she once said that I should never /,
marry a man, with her permission, who /
even tolerated divorce"
What
And sne's been sitting behind that win
low curtain all this time" said Kitty /
With malicious triumph.