Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-20

66ESSTAN61 dropped it in The soft evening
EHN&6SlfIfW breeze swept the square
IHHSSANSJk13 into her face AS the lid of the
KA9GlH4& box clicked sharply at closing.
the clock of the church at the
corner struck nine.
She went back to her room with its luxurious
furnishings where light wood fire was dying down
to embers in the open crate The air still paptated
with the tempestuous thoughts to which she had
given shape and form in her letter.
She felt strangely light hearted she changed
her gown for a cnging neggee affair with deep
lace falling away from her superbly shaped arms.
She even hummed tune. with such feeling
as the earth might feel if conscious when clean
washed after thunder storm Resentment against
his neglect had been seething within her, until it
had poisoned the life currents at the fountain he
dam built by pride had burst at last, and the &C
cumuatons of two years had swept madly over
it. new life had begun to overlap the old which
had been lived to finish.
She threw another stick on the SmOlder1ng fire.
which soon leaped up in flame. and sat down to
think it over. She had foreshadowed such thing
dstantly, when she had seen other neglected wives
rebel openly and demand their freedom. Now she
was to do likewise She had laid her soul bare to
the man whose unspoken love had followed her for
years He had never betrayed it, until the last
evening at a social function. when. driven off his
guard by the shameful belittlement to which the
husband had subjected his wife in public he had
said words that made the outpouring of the letter
possible
Her wifely allegiance had been of the finest fiber:
yet she there feeling shame in the leave she
had given herself to accept love from another She
let her tortured starved heart absorb the full tide
of love flowing toward her which he had expressed
haltingly held in check by fine sense of honor.
let it perneate her through and through as the fire
glow permeated her body. How sweet and soul
Satisfying it was! And she would be open and
aboveboard in the matter. She had seen other
neglected wives solace themselves thus with
loves while the marriage tie hung loosely She
would seek release at once. and be free to apply
this balm to the wounded surfaces of her life Her
husband would no doubt welcome emancipation as
well herself. Having walked rough shod over
her SOUL there would be no scruples on either side
She knew what the matter with him. He
drunken with adulation- of women more especially.
Somehow the manhood seemed to have filtered
out of him. A revulsion of feeling amounting to
disgust toward him had set in. The other doomed
UP tall and splendid before her, and threatened the
self intoxicated husband with placement.
She went over to the mirror and took critical
survey of her beautiful mobile face and supple
plant figure. She had learned almost to the
beauty that had charm for her husband: but
it took a value and made her glad. The
repressed capacity for love leaped within her warm
and palpitating. Her husbands artistic de-
manded material on which to play. So be it.
Her woman's heart also demanded sustenance She
went back the fire, and sat leaning forward with
life had in store for her Other women were able
to rebuild their lives when the old love failed; why
not she?
step in the hall, not slow usual from depe-
ton Rather. he seemed to be tiptoe like who
holds surprise in store. He so seldom favored her
with call at that hour. that the faint tap her
door unexpected. Before she could speak. it
opened softly even timidy and her husbands well
knit form filled the space. He well above
medium height. His thick. reddish brown hair
grew low over arching brows his eyes looked dark
and handsome in the half light his face full and we'll
fed and his clean shaven lip and chin had seductive,
sensuous curves.
May come n?" he asked
Something, a peculiar ditfidence of manner.
claimed her attention. but her tongue was numb