Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-03-04

"D0 you believe ,Olst,t you are telling me,
Jtn,sy SMITH"
Denver who was long on love and
short on honor and kind Of took the
view that 1t was his wife's place to
overlook things and help him get
rightY'
.'Well?''
''well, I'm still Of that opinion"
do l understand that you-that
vou''
She did not finish the sentence. but
sat gazing at him with wide eyes,
stark with agony and amaze.
II guessed you'd be kind Of sur.
prised to hear from him. Since you
left Joe he's been leading a strictly
honest life. He has good job in a
bank at good salary. has saved mon
ey. and all he wants is for you to for
give and forget and start over again.
Joe's all right now, there's no doubt
about that, for I've looked up the rec
ord he's made since you've been sepa-
rated. Not only that, but he loves you
more than ever. That's gospel truth,
too, know
Forgive and forget! Yes. have
forgotten, and oblivion enshrouds for
giveness with 1t. Joseph Brooks is
dead, as dead for me as though he
were In his grave. have even ceased
to bear his name. Sometimes have
wondered II he ever existed. II re
member him 1t Is as one recalls night.
mare from which one Is glad to have
awakened"
She laughed little mirthless laugh
and, plucking fern branch. began to
pick the fronds from 1t nervcusly, let
ting them fall to the ground.
That's all very we'll, Emma" he
objected gently, "but Joe is none the
less very much alive, and he Is your
husband. You mustn't forget that
ever. And he's all right, honestly
believe. Ii he did fall into temptation
he meant well. He thought he could
put the money back easily enough,
and he wanted you to have more COM
fort and be happy. The best Of us
amt no better than we should be II
You come right down to the contem-
station Of the naked fact. You know
that the book says. There is not 9
just man upon earth that doeth good
and sinneth not To me the man who
IS real sorry for having done wrong,
especially when his wrongdoing had
such a pardonable motive as Joe's had,
is as good as he was before he did the
thing
'.You are the one man know whom
/ would never have suspected Of har.
boring treasury Of such homely plat
itudes," she said scornfully.
III 1t were only question Of for
giving man who had sinned 80 weak.
~ as that, but it isn't" he went on.
More is involved-his dissolution and
salvation by duty If not by love. EN-
ma. you are Joe Brooks wife. You
took oath before God and you meant
1t then-to stick by him in adversely
as in prosperity, to help him in time
Of trouble Your place Ii by his side
now. Yours Is the only hand that can
guide him right"
She rose and placed both Of her little
gloved hands on his shoulders and
looked into his eyes.
do you believe what you are telling
me, Jimsy Smith, she asked gently
"Do you. speaking from your Utmost
heart, order me to return to the arms
Of that MANI
He rose. holding her wrists firmly
against his shoulders and speaking
with intense earnestness:
Emma. there are some things on
this earth that we're called on to do,
ordained by an all wise and merctful
Providence. We may not like to do
them, but It Is not matter Of inclina.
ton. We have to make our decisions
by the rule Of right or wrong. Is 1t
right or is 1t wrong? It's an arbitrary
rule, but guess 1t works out for the
best In the end. 1t has always seemed
to me SO. Therefore say go back to
Joe, your husband. Joe pleads to your
heart that was his. Tell her. he said,
that I'm more sorry than can ex-
press; that I'm sorry and miserable.
Tell her that there Is no light In life
without her. Those were about his
words"
He released her wrists. She had lis
tened to him at the last with averted
face that was bloodless and looked
CHASTITY under its coat Of sun tan. She
walked away wrestling with herself.
Smith stood as impassive as fate.
But on his brow dampness had gath
cred, and she had seen the sweat beads
ooze there as be spoke.