Middletown transcript., 1909-12-23
HER IF
BY TEMPLE BAILEY

6nS WANTS b0 lLVS IN HAS AASl ~
his heart, to do the housewifeIy
things, the housekeeping things,
David. Her gesture vas one al
mcstcf entreaty.
But you do not need ITO do
houseWifely things, be argued,
his eyes on her dropping face
Times have changed -woman's
work has chan ged-you win have
plenty of leisure.
II isn't just leisure that one.
must have; it is isolation-devo-
ton to ones art-sn undivided
mind. And--I want to think Of
you, David, not of my work.
He would not have been q man
if the sweetness Of that confes-
sion had not conquered for a mo.
ment.
Oh, little wonder.womsn, be
said, don't ] know what you are
feelina2 That perhaps am low
fling the artist more than the wo-
man. But it isn't that. You have
something to give the world that
l have no right to keep back
from it.
And then, at last, she seemed
to catch the spirit of his demand.
Oh, she whispered, tremulously,
perhaps with you l shall reach
the heights, David.
1t was not until many weeks
after her.wedding, however, that
Elizabeth found time to paint.
And it was in the fall when
David began to feel the change
| in her. At first it did not trouble
him. He smiled at her dreami
ness, and at her sbsent-m minded
response to the things that in.
| terested him. But after a time
he began to miss the eagerness
with which she had always met
his plans for her.
Please not to day, David, was
often her plea, and he would let
her go without protest, but With
a sense of infinite loss. He be-
gan, now, to dresmo Of what might
have been. II he had let her
| alone she would have fitted her.
self into his life-the wife.wo.
man. That had been her choice,
and he had held her away from it.
Therefore he must take his pun
ishment. He still had his be-
lief in the sacredness of her
talent, so that he would make
| no demand for his own selfish
happiness. He had told her that
she belonged to the world, and
now the world was claiming her.
It was after one of their
little dinners that Agatha Wealth
erby said, Marriage hasn't spoil
ed her, and Letitis vandegrift
added, Aren't you proud Of her
now, David 7
But Dane Arkwright flashed a
keen glance at his host, and
said, so that no one else could
hear, If she were mine, Ishould
make her it. She isn't happy.
Startled, Underwood studied
his wife. She was very beautiful,
but very pale.
That night he questioned her.
Beth, how happy are you, dear
Happyi She leaned her head
against his shoulder, so that she
might look up At him. Why-I
don't know, David. Then she
laughed. / am too busy to think.
You are always too busy, he
charged her, jealously.
Yes. Her restless fingers were
occupied with the white flower in
his bnttonhole. Isn't it wonder.
ful, David?
Wonderfull
My work. I could not do it if
it were not for you / think tits
your love that guides the brush
pushing me. Perhaps some
day ! shall paint my master
piece.
His arms loosened. Yes, some
day you will paint it. But as
the vision Of that day weighed
upon him, he cried, But I wish
the moon picture had been your
last.
You wish her puzzled eyes
questioned him. But / thought
you wanted me to psint, David.
/ did. I do. / still think L
haven't any right to hide you
from the world. But | am losing
my wife. What are we going to-
do-what are we going to do ?
They stared st each other with
drawufaces then Elizabeth said
Itensely, IL seems asif ! must go
on--I didn't feel that way attirst.
/ T had all the insffs1cfS 4 Of the FriI,1.