Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-01
The Argus Daily Short Story
Two Mistakes-By Sheelah Esther Dunn.
Copyrghted. 1910. by Associated Literary

Gus channel tulI OF rocks and snags.
1t is the mans part to keep his head
and steer the boat. supposed that
Homogeneous were always what the
name implies. l found my wife a
prey to all sorts of temporary emo
tions-one moment loving. the next ir-
ritable. the next hesitating. the next
respondent ! should have known that
this. at least to some compartments. is
condition TO be expected-a reaction
upon realizing that ones fate is irrev-
ocably linked with another PERSONAL
ty. Besj@SSs. she was very young. You
are ten years older than she was at
that time. and confess have looked
to you for more steadiness. l am
much disappointed
"a woman of my age should have
more sense than to elope"
You know the reason for that. If
your father and mother had not an alb
surd prejudice against your marrying
a divorced man we might be married
senSibly, as becomes our age"
Your first marriage having been a
case of elopement. should suppose.
considering that it resulted disastrous
~. you would not care to try it again"
1.-THE elopement has nothing to do
with either case Two people elect to
unite. The method of their doing so
is mere matter OF sentiment"
There was a silence for a time-at
least nothing but the chugging of the
auto We were both thinking. he
probably of the fickIeness of woman.
| of how a tribe may turn the whole
current of two lives. For years l had
considered that l had married brute.
True. had mourned that be had turn,
ed out to be such. but had not doubt
ed that my Interpretation of him was
correct. And now l found him accus-
ing himself of want of tact in his
former treatment of me- his bride, and
laying no blame on me whatever.
believe that feelings may be con-
veyed without outward signs. ] felt
that his heart was not in this second
marriage. Possibly may have judged
by something in his tone. possibly by
an absence of desire I'm his words. he
was too rational for a lover. / won
dered If he were not bent on marriage
to escape loneliness or to help. him to
bury a melancholy memory. l deter
mined to apply test.
You have been considering me vac
Hating" said. Now you seem to be
undecided yourself. And 1 am not
quite sure but you are right. Suppose
after we are married you should meet
your former bride. Suppose she should
admit that in a condition new to her.
very young girl. she had tried your
patience severely; that she had mis-
taken you; that she deplored the break
between you and her and would give
years of her life to undo what she had
done. You would then look upon your
marriage with me as a chain of slav-
cry"
He said nothing for some time
When he did his words thrilled me:
''Candor compels me to admit that
/ would"
/ leaned back on the cushion as
though much disappointed. i am not
sure, but 1 practiced the deception Of
a sigh. His mood was indicated by
the speed he was driving the machine
/ was tempted to tear of my veil and
throw my arms about his neck But
! dared not. AS his bride had been
a girl Now 1 was approaching mid
die age. Another denouement to this
singular freak of fate occurred to me.
would go with him to the church,
then reveal myself.