The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-01-30

Liinan's heart took fresh start.
Every caress he gave to Nellie she
felt herself defrauded of, every fond
word robbing OF her right; TO her.
self she said she could not bear 1t,
that her own child should come be-
tween them, and at times she almost
hated the child for II.
One day there was white Grape on
the door. and white easket was car.
ried out OF their home
Lillian shed many tears, she felt
the Keen stress Of grief; but yet deep
down. FAR deeper than Helen's death,
lay the thought that she would hardly
nave owned to herself. but was none
the less present, that now, for the
hrst time. Robert was hers alone.
no longer was there right or claim
beside.
And yet, impalpable as the thinnest
breath OF vapor, not to be grasped or
dehned, but none the less present and
felt, was the shadowy something tina.
seemed to have come between her and
Robert In the hour when she could
claim him as hers. and hers only. At
hrst she recognized this with an In.
cfedulous petulance that In turn gave
place TO vague alarm. Not that he
was less tenderly kind or attentive
the more SO. II anything; but he went
his way as II no longer touched by
her moods; frequently he said he had
writing to do, and shut himself in
the little room that had been Nellles
play-room. now made into den" IL
almost seemed; but then II could not
be that no was living a life OF his own
apart from her.
AT last one evening petulance and
alarm famed into speech. and as he
was leaving the room on the plea of
writing a little while" she threw her.
self before him. Robert" she cried,
holding him fast. what il ite What
has come between us SO? What are you
doing?"
I am writing on the book you have
often heard me speak Of" answering
the last OF her questions.
But don't want you to write that
book, | hate Il" the tears beginning
to gather. You are so changed 10
me, and now for that to come In.
You have never been the same since
Nellie died, ] always knew you loved
her the best; | wish | could have died
Instead OF her You never loved me.
or you would not make me so mlser.
able"
Lillian" and there was note In
his voice she had never heard before.
II married YOU because loved you;
| have loved you always love you
now, You are sweet and true Mt
heart. The trouble has been that
you wanted aud exacted OF me what
did not ask of you. what no one has
right TO demand OF another. my
whole and only love. Love is like a
fountain, the more freely and In larger
measure II flows. the purer and fuller
II Is; choke II up. and II either dlmin.
lshes or becomes unhealthy. This.
your selfish Jealousy--forgive me II
speak plainly-~has done for both OF
us, Because OF 1t you hardened your
heart to Helen who would gladly have
loved you. and loving whom would
have made your own life the richer,
and led me to weakly fail In the graft.
tude and devotion owed to her: be-
cause OF II you were an untender
mother To Nellie you neither gave
her your own love nor allowed me to
show her mine. for the lack OF which
her whole young life was clouded.
DO not think that blame you
alone for this; blame myself even
more, that seeing 1t | weakly yielded.
that | was not strong enough, clear
sighted enough To have crushed II for
you as you would not for yourself:
but as II Is, II has spoiled my home
and marred my happiness and filed
my heart with rcmorseful memories.
You say that l have changed to
you since Nellie died II Is because
| have thought OF these things since
then as | never did before. and have
come 10 some conclusions that II
were well for both Of us had done
SO long ago In the future I shall
give to you. as | have always had il
In my heart TO do. the best OF my love
and confidence and care: but at the
same time | shall remember that
have my own life to live. and give to It's
duties and claims what I feel they
deserve. You ash me. Lillian. what
has come between U.S. II Is the only
thing that ever could have come
yourSelf"
She had loosed her hold on him
and dropped into q chair. he bent and
gently kissed her aud left the room.
For once Lillian's usual DOW OF
words failed her II there had been
a trace OF passion In his tone--but
there was none--it was the pltiiess
ralmness OF his words that had chilled
her heart as with an icy touch. Heavy
iraperies at the windows shut out
The wintry storm outslde In the CRATE
the are glowed red; warmth and light
were all about her. bat she shlvered In
heir midst And this was her Rob
ert. who had used his words with. II
seemed 10 her. as little OF ruth as an
aSeeutioner bis sword Listening Sha
his STEPS as they passed up
he stairs: then the deor OF his study
closed. aud its sharp click to her
echoed: What has come between
iss II ts-yourself-
About II.
Mr., Whsedler is not long slayer. /