Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-21

as briefly as may be. Guy entreated
Angela to leave her husband; she re-
fused. Once more Poppet was used
as a %bludgeon to crush argument.
Then the inevitable happened. No at
tempt will be made to minimise or to
palliate Guys sin. He became that
most despicable of all male creatures.
a married woman's chattel. He reach
ed the depths inch by inch. struggling
against tentacles that reientlessly
sucked him down. Society, as usual,
aided and abetted, Professionally. Such
charming sinners must not be found
out. Everybody knew--except John
and nobody cared. Plots and plans,
mining and countermining, lies in
Vulnerable, abominable hypocrisies,
hair-breadth escapes, a dismal reign of
terror-these things filled Guys life.
Now, sitting by himself, thinking It
all over, seeing himself and the past
three years with a detachment hither-
to unbelievable, he marvelled that he
could have gone through it. More, he
wondered that any man would or
could submit to such degrading slav-
cry. The horrors of an Illicit relation
ought to be preached from every pull
Pie, illooO pam w CFOly SChoCiUoy
and schoolgirl. From every point of
view-the Christian, the pagan, the
m~aterialist, the hedonist-what was to
be gained from such a connection ex-
cept misery, humiliation, and dis
grace.
We ring down the curtain upon the
climax: Johns discovery of a fact
known to all his relations, all his
friends, and all his servants. The
sight of this big, laundering, red faced
fellow, who had believed his wife to
be an angel, moves us to tears or
laughter, perhaps both. This was the
one clause in his creed: I believe in
my wife! Everything else had gone
by the board. Through thick and thin
she had been angelic-the perfect
wife, the perfect mother, dealing mer.
cifully with his weakness because SO
strong in her own in%vulnerable vir
tue.
He positively beloved with pain.
Mutual friends tried to make the
best Of a sad business. The white
washers suggested Cd an amicable
separation, (2) that Angela should di
vorce John. The lawyers, with q
side-long glance at the Kings Prac
tor, shook their heads. 1t might moi
be easy to divorce John. He had new
er been cruel-very much the con
trary-and the first infidelity (not tc
mention others) had been condoned
The head of the firm of solicitors whit
had the vast Tempest estates in theil
charge limited at remarriage, and the
: d%esirability of an heir. Guy clinchet
! tho y,atfor nv, rnf,1ctpr RI hrino oN,,p
ter-charges. The rest is to be fount
] in the newspapers.
Guy rose from his table, called TO
his check, and approached the girl ii
i the cage. She awaited him with smil
ing eyes and slightly uplifted brows
2 wondering what brought a swell to
. %two-shilling ordinary. Guy paid hi
}. bill, and asked a question.
I do you find 1t very dull in there?
t She laughed.
4 81 get my salary regularly ever,
Saturday night?"
81 see. l hope it's a good one?"
Were well paid, sir, thank you
!: and the work is light. Mother tell
me I'm a very lucky girl
Guy went back to his fiat, wher
the eve faithful Pixton received hin
n Then he wrote a check and dispatche
n it to Angela. This done, his fac
cleared a little. For six months I
come he was free-free! He stretche
out his arms and shook himself. The
he remembered that at the end of tn
$ six months he would have to go bac
to a woman who loved things bette
y than persons. Guy turned to stare {
his mothers picture. Presently in
y very low voice, he whispered:
u Aren't you glad you're dead?"
o ITO he Continued