The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-07-20
THE WO MAN
OF 1T
BY GRACE BURTON.

There are two periods in a mans
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 It
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 uncon
ventional charmer increased desire to
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.
He 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 wom-
an who bore his name had uttered no
word of reproach or even knowledge
Of his wrongdoing, but he had seen
and noted, even through the veil OF
his growing selfshness, the change
wrought by his cruel coldness. OF
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 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 oyer
since. The other portrait gay, in
souciant, smiling, the unconventional
charmer had given him 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
the once large office force remained
on duty, told him that a woman wait
ed outside
"Show her inl' he commanded, his
heart softening at the thought that
perhaps the other woman had relent
ed. came to offer him sympathy and
aid. But it 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
stant. The man, after a brave effort
at selfcontrol wept also, went 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 a child.
The latent manliness 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, halting explanations
i further shamed him. BY and by, when
his trembling voice sank to silence,
she lifted his chin until the tired eyes
met her own.
sDauncey dear" she told him
you've nearly broken my heart, but it
doesn't matter now that I've got you
back again. AS to being poor, we
were happy enough once as poor peo
pie and we can be so again, if need
be. But during the years Of our pros
perity / saved quite a little from the
money you pressed upon me, and ]
think that viii give you a start in
new business. And if motif YOU
cant make enough money to please
YOU alone, whyl I'll go into business
with you, and together / know it will
be all right"
She went home soon after to ar
N range for tho little trip away that was
to celebrate their reunion, to give him
new life and strength for the fresh
victorious battle with fate and finance
opening out before him, and Stanton,
left alone, looked long at the sweet
face gazing out from the front Of his
watch case
Dear Godt" he exclaimed, as he la
boriously pried out and destroyed its
unworthy neighbor, ito think that for
90 years I've lived with an angel and
never even dreamed it till now!'
Inst That