Evening star., 1909-05-16
A Dull Little Woman
continued from
6nt.naea rom rage 0

cal impulse, ~,,-rcNlSitluS Win htr the scene IndL
the companInnship 81 his old sweetheart had
made dear And She herself dull, foolish little
thing h,t,l been pleased to find this picture
OF the spot He had never had any sentiment
for the picture. only for the place: ne had
looked upon her gift merely as offering an
appropriate setting for that other woman's love
letters
Emiv's tears overtlowed. she lay down on
the sofa and wept vt last her sobs ceased; she
wondered duly how she should now bear her
SELF The thought of his tlupllcity overwhelmed
her How could he have ,leluded her all these
years. how could be have been always SO loving
and tender in his manner and at bottom SO
cynical, unfeeling' Her happiness was shat
tered Now what should she do.
She l4v quiet, thinking Slowly deteTmlna-
ton formed in her mind and at last she sat up,
pale with a strained look in her eyes She
would never let him know whatShe had learned
She too would act a part: she would be as low
ing and tender AS before She would make
no scene she hated scenes And perhaps Il
she always patient and gentle and loving,
and he continued to preserve the form OF beng
so, she might ultimately win the place IN his
mind and heart to which She aspired. the other
image might fade But even if this never hap
pened she would have done her best she
would have done her duty
CHE heard the outer door open. heard his step
- in the hall The next moment he had en-
tered the room, but she could not as always
haggard. pale face and came to her at once
Emil. ne said in a soothing. sympathetic
voice another OF those horrid headaches, poor
dear He caressed her cheek with his hand
But Wont nice bit OF news cheer you up and
make feel better: TAYLOR was knocked all
of a heap bv that story i have his fat check
in my pocket now,-and he said, Why don't
You do a series about those charactersl' And.
YOU know, Just walking home, thought OF how
! could manage it, and I'm keen on the idea
h.,Sf
Now don't YOU feel goodf" And having ratified
all this out he bent to kiss her
Her resolve crumbled. she pushed him away
and sprang to her feet oh don't speak to
me OF that wretched storvi" she cried
hate it, ! hate it Yes. write others like it
Write Others, Write othersi" She walked
rapidly twice across the room. her hips CULVER
ing. then flung herself on the sofa and burst
into tears
John looked at her IN amazement Why,
if you feel that way ABOUT it, Emily dear he
said, going and sitting down beside her and
pctting her with his hand, II get it back from
Taylor right off don't want to print any
thing that will hurt YOU ! didn understand
how YOU felt II can change IT. ] guess he
added III a rather crestiallen tone. for he did
dislike to sacrifice good story " | might cut
out the ending about the dull little wife II
that's what YOU object to, but you really
aren't a bit dull, you know
That angered her again She took her hand
kerchief down from her face, and her eye,
flashed at him through their tears :" No, not
quite so dull as YOU thought she critd
There are letters behind that picture' 1t was
:. true story that YOU thought was too dull to
see through took the picture down. found
OUT Her voice. which had been shrill with
passionate anger and despair softened. there
cr,pt into il a note o. entreatv. What other
woman is there. John: Who wrote those let
ters."
HE looked 1T her with faint smile which
- seemed To her cynical and shameless
Then he went Ia the desk and took the picture
down from the wall Seating himself again be-
side her and turning the picture over on his
knees, he picked up pair OF scissors and said
in a somber tone.
You are sure, Emily that you want to
know what is hidden here'"
Yes"
He slit the paper and tore it from the back of
the picture, exposing a spread out mass of let
tiers Emily bent forward with tragic face,
mination OF JOY
OH she cried, looking up at her husbands
laughing eyes They're my letters, John"
"All YOURS, my dear" he answered. They're
the ones you wrote me when-when we were
getting engaged
She laughed, !, pleasant, penitent, choking
little laugh. She slipped to her knees before
him and catching his hand bent over and kissed
it He leaned forward and embracing her muir
INJURED in her
81 was wrong after all. You a dull little
woman; aren't you, Emily"