Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-10

her patrons as favor to her. But even in
spite of such pretexts the financial situation
frequently has been most humliating to me.
Each year she has invited me to accompany
her abroad. | went once. 1t was she who
bought the tickets, paid the stewards fees.
and paid our hotel bills. | had the feeling
all the while that was merely part of the
baggage.
pay the bills herself. When l was providing
the family income it was one of my pleasures
to pay the accounts. Some of the suffra-
gettes, in discussing the wage earning woman
in the marital relation, have suggested a
pooling of the family income as the ideal
way. To my mind this does not seem prac-
ticable. 1t is human nature for the person
who earns the money to want to spend it, or
to direct the spending of it. No theories of
suffragettes can change human nature.
AS to the ultimate result of the gradual
drifting apart between Helen and my
self, can see but one solution. Sooner or
later our marriage will end in divorce. [
think it would have happened long ago if my
wife had not been held back by a sense of
duty toward me, not unmingled with pity.
Perhaps she is waiting until our daughter IS
married.
While / cannot feel otherwise than proud
of both our children and am glad that they
have had the opportunities for education and
travel that Helen has been able to give them,
I have the feeling that they are far from
proud of me. Naturally they look to their
mother for money, for advice, for everything.
If there was convenient and honorable
way that could take myself out of their life
and of Helen's, l should be strongly tempted
to do it. Every day l am impressed with
the fact of how little any of them need me,
least of all my capable, successful, prosper
Gus business wife.
Somehow, though, have fallen into the
habit of letting Helen decide most matters
for me. When the time comes that she
wants her freedom, shall give it to her. Per
haps she has the project in mind even now.
Recently she invested some of her savings in
a farm, ostensbly for a country residence.
1t is in another State, where brief residence
makes divorce for desertion possible. She
has been talking lately about my going out
to the farm to look after it. Being now I'm
employed, | have no pretext for refusing to
go. Separate as is the existence we now lead,
l am still familiar with the workings of her
mind. When she is ready for the final step
that will part us forever l suspect that she
will offer to transfer this farm to me, if will
let her sue for divorce on the ground of de-
sertion. She will then feel
HOW wrong, utterly wrong, I was!
- Helen came into my room just as had
written these lines. l saw at once from her
manner that there was something on her
mind. felt that at last the crisis had been
anticipating had come.
my dear" she said, and somehow her
voice and manner seemed to have lost some
of the business bruskness, 1--WE sold my
business"
What" exclaimed in surprise. could
not believe that she would relinquish her Sue
cess when l knew she was making many
thousands year.
Eyes, dear" she said softly, land now we
can go to our little place in the country, just
we two, and be happy"
"But-but- stammered, II thought"
Il know what you thought" she said.
"You thought and felt that business had
come between us, and l am afraid it did.
You see, dearest, felt that our coming here
to New York was all my fault. 1 felt l was
wrong in advising and urging you to come.
| started out to try to help you, and then
success came so fast that was carried away
by it for a little time. 1t seemed so splendid
to be successful, and I'm afraid, dearest
her voice was very low and contrite, I'm
afraid | haven't been very good wife to