Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-01-29
A TRAGEDY OF THE
COMMONPLACE.

Fair, fat and featureleSS, IetILla was
physically speaking, complete failure.
Mentally or "soulfully," as she pre-
ferred to call it. she belonged to the
romantics" and considered herself
wasted in a century of motor cars and
millionaires. Her book of life, she be-
ieved, ought to have been one long
roman passionel, which it perhaps would
have been had it not slipped somehow
between the prosaic covers OF parish
magazine. That, however, was her trag-
edy.
In her inmost heart she longed to re-
sembIe her friend, Mrs. de Rutsen, with
whom she lived. Life, she considered,
was SO easy for those who had found
an excuse.
Letitia was one of those unfortunate
people to whom love and affection are
as the breath of life Mrs. de Rutsen
professed to shower them upon her with
the inevitable result that Letitia became
her slave. Mrs. de Rutsen on her part
accepted this view of the case com
placently enough. Hers was, in fact, the
much easier role; it required only GER
tain passivity combined with mild in
diligence, which, after all, to most peo-
Pile presents no difficulty.
As for Letitia, her activity was ex-
traordinary. A series of unrequited at
fections in her youth, combined with an
austere training, had fostered within her
genius for self sacrifice, while Provi-
dence ordained that it should be eXer-
cised and developed By the nature OF
things the triumph lay with the coarser
nature, as in most of life's triumphs
Mrs. de Rutsen was a eupeptic, strong
willed, absolutely sell satisfied woman
with moderate share of good looks.
Ietitia on her side had found life a dis
appointment, and while she possessed all
the virtues, what are they worth to a
woman who has no features, less figure,
and absolutely no complexion2 Indeed,
she was one of those anomalies which
90 to prove more than anything else that
Nature has no sense of humor.
There came, however, to the maison-
! cite a middle-age man of letters known
by the name of Meredith. He was no
relation to the celebrated novelist, al
though he liked people to think so. In
| fact, he imagined that his surname gave
him a sort of literary distinction-which
it did not, though he was, however, Just
as pleased. He had talked several times
with Letitia, and their mutual conf
| denees had made them believe they had
much in common. Defying the IMPROVE
dence of the match, he, with very little
romance and less passion, asked her to
marry him. The excuse he gave himself
| for this was that he was lonely and get
| ting old and that he wanted somebody
to nurse him when ne became lnfrm,
and also to make his present life more
comfortable
Letitia was, of course, Unfortunately
| gTkt eful to him for his attentions and
| believed that given u certain amount of
esteem she would find hia homo congen-
| ial to her. He was by no means the
heroic man round which all her girlish
dreams had centered, nor was he even
strong willed and masterful such as
weak women love. but he had a certain
ourteaus md kiniiy manner towrrds
I her, and N am case h would belong to
hcr-he would be absolutely her own.
| Besides, he appeared lonely and unhappy,
all of which lppea led forcibiy to her I'M
agination; and she might, too, being a
woman, have had some mildly romantic
hutterings as well. In any case she was
tired of being an unpaid secretary and
needle woman to Mrs. de Rutsen. Lat
terly she had missed sorely those show
ers of affection which had made the first
days of their friendship so precious.
| Though in her blindly unseeing way she
was still fond of her, there was mixed
up with her affection a tinge Of bitter
disappointment, half unconscious, yet
wholly real.
However, she did not give Mr.. Mere
dith a definite answer all at once. On
the contrary, she kept the good man
waiting so long that in desperation he
made conidant of Mrs de Rutsen
That lady received his confession with
the utmost dismay.
I'm afraid Letitia will not accept
you," she told him coldly.
"Of course she continued after a
pause, "if Letitia does happen to accept
your offer, you must promise me to take
the utmost care of her She is so frag-
lie that sometimes l think she will not
live. Her delicacy of health is simply
appalling"
His CONSERVATION at the news amused
her greatly.
IF she enjoyed better health" she
went ON, Il sometimes think she would
be better looking"
Her face is always interesting" he
| iutetluPbeus lceliig more sure OF MS
ground as most men are when they de-
fend the physical charms of those they
have chosen to be their wives.
You surprise me. You do indeed, .
cried Mrs. de Rutsen in astonishment;
so many people consider her quite the
plainest woman in London. Not" she
; continued, knowing that this shaft would
be more deadly than all, mot that mere
looks are worth everything after all"
And she gave him her sweetest and
most bewitching smile.
she is so wonderfully sympathetic .
he Said by way of protest.
Mrs. de Rutsen appeared as if such a
thing had never struck her before.
Sympathetic" she cried. Il suppose
one would call her scat any rate.
sometimes-though not in any really
great trouble. Besides. when one is very