The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-02-18

Ted Bingle, who was not SO yGl3
much older, and married him with !
future assured by nothing furthcl
than Ted's contagious laugh and abil
lty to see a joke, Leslie had been re
garded by the populace as beyond hope
They did not relent even when al
their prophecies of woe to follow were
fulfilled They said they did not see
what else she could have expected
and It was only proper Judgment
upon her To some people Ii Is one OF
the chief joys of life to witness retri.
button descending where they think II
Is most needed.
II certainly descended on Isessie.
The four years of her married life
had gone steadily from bad to worse
| md at last even the two-room cottage,
| with the leaky roof and broken win
| low panes, was no longer possible, be.
| cause the cold weather was coming
On and there was no fuel, even II there
mad been a decent stove In which to
burn 1t. The lack of proper food she
was used to-one can get used to
many things In four years-but the
old was different. especially as she
rad the baby to consider.
After she had taken the fat and
placid sixmonth-old youngster and
lerself back TO her own people In
sheer desperation the maledictions
Which her relatives poured out on Ted
Single encouraged her to the point os
seeking a divorce. The current OF
bitterness in Lessies own heart had
only required accelerating. If Ted
lad been consistently brutal toward
her she could have hated him with
letter grace, but she could not forget
he brief intervals when he would
itay at home, laughing and careless
md attractive as ever, with the few
dollars he had earned trapping up the
liver, or working by the day.
Then Would nnrna. 1@~s spells or alb
90 or OF drunkenness, followed by
stenhnoe, Meanwhile the family
sxchequer was absolutely empty.
Those had been years of hard toll
for LESSEE over washtub and In other
women's homes at housekeeping time.
The townspeople gave her credit at
least for bearing her lot uncomplain-
ingly But the baby had changed all
this. What She had stood she refused
to endure for the child.
After the decree Leslie left the
baby at home with her mother and
sister and went to work for the Ora
hams. The Grahams had the incest
house in town. Lessie's room. which
was gorgeousness itself compared
with what she had always had. was
not the least of her good luck There
actually was servants bathroom at
he Grahams done in white enamel.
likewise she had gas stove and
Mrs Graham rarely came into the
dtchen TO interfere.
Three Pines, looking over all thAse
tens of good fortune, sighed in sat
sfaetion and said ii hoped LESSEE ap-
oreeiated what luck she was in. She
Has more comfortably housed than
OF the population and act
rally earned money. though she did
lot work az hard as she had done
previously. Since she had seen the
'rror OF her ways there still might be
lope for her. Ted Bingle was elm
mated from her life and perhaps now
he could gain little peace and hap
'iness. Three Pines was disposed to
Mitigate its opinion of Lessies intel
ect and TO think that perhaps she
lad some sense after all.
LESSEE had been working for the
four months and was thin
er and paler than ever when Mrs.
iraham came into the kitchen doubt
ully one day.
'Lessie," she said, tied Bingle Is In
own. Mr. Graham saw him on the
treet yesterday. | thought you might
Ike 20 know"
Lessie frightened her lips and the
axe spoon bent in her hand Il don't
are she said in a hard little voice.
What difference does Ted Bingle
lake 10 me?"
'Lessie has got all over her infatu-
lion for that worthless fellow" Mrs.
raham explained to her husband
it'll a satisfied sigh that evening.
Lessie was just going in at the
tchen door at dusk a few days later
hen Ted put out a OBTAINING hand
nd stopped her. IL want to talk
you. Leslie" stammered he. "An'
want to hear about the-the baby"
When Mrs. Graham handed Leslie
sr wages Saturday night the girl
Used her head deiantly. I'm going
leave" she said. Ted and | we're
arrisd again this afternoon. We
e baby an I-are goin' back TO him.
e says he's had his lesson. Mrs. Ora
I'M lie says he'll work steady"
Three Pines has no words to ex.
ess its disgust with Leslie Binele.
sople say that the next time she has
leave Ted and strike out for her
II she may find work, but she can
'ver hope for a white enameled bath
ON and gas range such as she had
fOre-and deliberately threw away.
oreOveT. they say. It will only serve
r Tight-Chicago Daily News.