The Irish standard., 1910-09-17
Copyrighted BY Short Stories Co., Ltd.j

~ W. WIZ ~ Liza
Copyrighted by Short Stories Co., Ltd.l
Prof. Max Wiegand to Doctor Gustav
strauch. Berlin, November 40.
: Dear Gustav: have some news to
Tell you today which will certainly sur.
prise you. have separated from my
wife, or rather We have separated
from each other. We have come to an
amicable agreement henceforth to live
entirely independent Of each other.
My wife has gone to her family in
Fretburg, where she will no doubt re-
main. I am for the present in our
old house; perhaps In the spring
may look for smaller house {.
perhaps not. for can hardly hope to
find so quiet a workroom as I now
have, and the idea Of moving appals
me, especially when think Of my
large library. You will, Of course,
want to know what has happened,
though, to tell the truth, nothing has
happened.
My wife and I are too unlike. Be.
tween her views Of life and mine
there yawns an impossible gulf. The
first few years hoped to influence
her, to win her to my ways of think.
1ng-she seemed SO docile, so yielding,
took so warm an interest In my work,
so willingly allowed herself to be
taught by me. Not till after our chill.
dren's death did she begin to change.
Her grief at this loss-a grief which
neither of US has ever been able to
live down - matured her {.
made her Independent Of me. A ten.
'denoy to morbid introepection took
possession Of her and gave increased
tenactty to those ideas and convic-
lions which my influence had hitherto
held in check, though not wholly
eradlcated. She plunged deeper and
deeper into those mists Of senti-
mentally fantastic imaginings, pas
eionately demanding my concurrence
dn her views. She lost all interest in
my professional work, evidently re-
garding the results of my researches
tn natural science as. troops from an
,enemyts camp. At last there was
hardly a. subject in the wide realm Of
mature and human existence on which
I'VE agreed. To be sure We never
came to an open quarrel, but the
breach between MS was constantly
widening. Every day we saw more
Ind more plainly that though we lived
side by side, we no longer belonged
TO each other. This discovery irritated
and distressed US, and at last forced
all other feelings into the back
ground II We had not once loved each
other 30 dearly. or even II we had
now ceased to feel mutual respect
this state Of affairs might perhaps
have lasted for years, but our ideas
OF the true meaning Of marriage were
too lofty. our sense of our own dignity
as human beings too profound to per-
NIT us to be content with 80 ineom.
plets . realization Of our ideals. I
hardly know who spoke first, but our
resolution was at once taken and the
decisive words uttered as calmly and
naturally as the overripe fruit falls
from the tree. For the first time In
many years we we're able with perfect
unanimity Of sentiment to discuss a
subject Of the greatest Importance to
us both. and this fact alone soothed
our overwrought nerves. We parted
yesterday with the utmost decorum,
without a word Of reproach, note of
discord. Memories Of our early mar
ried lite, Of the long years we had
lived together made 1t difficult to re-
frain from some manifestation Of ten
derness. and assure you that never
felt greater respect for my wife than
at the moment when, all petty con-
alterations cast aside. the true mag
nauimfty Of her nature asserted itself.
Prof. Max Wiegand to DR.. Gustav
Strauch. Berlin, December IL.
Dear Gustav: Pardon me that I have
30 long delayed thanking you for your
answer Of friendly sympathy 10 my
last letter. -
have been in no condition to write.
and even now find 1t difficult. You
congratulate me without reserve on
step which you regard as essential
to my welfare and tony intellectual
development, but you do not take into
consideration what 1t means to SEP.
arate from one who has for II years
been ones constant companion, day
and night. Indeed, 1t is only during
these last dreary weeks that I, my
self. have realized what the change
signffies to me. Habit is all powerful,
especially with men who, like you and
me, live in the intellectual world and
30 require a solid substructure.
How are we to take observations
from the tower battlements when its
foundations are not firmly estab-
lshed7 OF course, am as certain az
ever was that our decision ID for the
best interests Of US both, but in this
queer world Of ours we can take no
step without unlocked for results.
I am bothered from morn till night
with trifles to which l have never CIV
On thought since my bachelor days
thfn9n which 7 WILL mt man.