The herald., 1911-05-04
Thought She Ought
to Know
By EDITH V. ROSS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911
By EDITH V. ROSS

creature of impulse. She was not only
swayed by impulse, but would take
the most important steps without real
izing what she was doing. Decisions
that another would only make after
long deliberation she would make on
the instant.
Nevertheless Mrs. Hardcnburgh was
dear little woman, kind hearted, low
able and popular with all who knew
her. The only trait that interfered
with her getting on with all the world
was that if told anything TO ones dis
advantage she would not stop TO ques-
ton the truth OF the information, but
proceed mt once TO strike the Culprits
name off her list.
| Now, there are persons in the world
who think nothing of making trouble
between other persons, even to the
members of families. A woman one
day gave Mrs. Hardenburgh infOrma-
ton about her husbands dOings which
| if true would have marked him for
very dishonOrable and contemplate
person. The informer had got the
! ut"S dhOlhSl' VIM hHN r'N -
from some one else. Her ground for
telling Mrs Hardenburgh Of it was
that she thought she ought to know
ii. II did not occur to the tale
bearer that it might not be true, and
If it were true it was just the thing
Of all others the guilty mans wife
should not know. Nevertheless the
above named reason is the universal
excuse of those persons who carry
such information.
Mrs Hardenburgh was thrown into
Mysteries by the story and, instead or
giving her husband an opportunity to
defend himself of the charge, ran
away to her mother as fast as she
could go. Being an only child. her
mother was used to humoring her and
on this occasion gave her unbounded
sympathy. Whether the good lady
doubted the truth of the story and in
tended later to pave the way to a rec
onciliation does not appear. For the
time being she comforted her child as
best she could. When the latter had
recovered her equanimity her mother
: suggested that she send her husband
the reasons for her fight. The young
wife did so, sprinkling her note with
such words as "perfidious," disgrace,
+, full" ubiquitous" and the like.
When Hardenburgh returned home
in the evening and found the letter
instead of running right around to his
wife to explain matters he sat down
: to think 1t was certainly not pleas
I ing that he had married wife who
when a firebrand was thrown into the
family. instead of picking 1t up and
tossing it back at the thrOwer had
proceeded to set the house afire with
l II. If he were going to live with his
wife 1t was certainly necessary that
he eliminate this trait in her, and II
he could not eliminate it it was per
= haps better that they should remain
Z apart.
I He had for some time meditatet
q going to a distant city to settle lont
# standing matter Of business, but hat
e put the trip off from time to time oil
" account of having just been married
Within an hour after his return t.
e his home he had announced to the serv
It ants that he was going away and start
'e ed for the railway station.
IS The young wife meanwhile was pass
! ing through the transition common I
4, all persons who act hastily. When sh
n had been somewhat Gained her mothe
n ventured to suggest that the charg
y might not be true. To this the daugf
:" ter responded that the informer ha
ID no object in giving false informatio
~ and had done it only since she though
e. the wife ought to know 1t. Nevertht
ly less Mrs. Hardenburgh began to b
r worried. She noted the hour that he
IN husband usually returned home an
I'll gave him time to come to her. Ate
Id several hours had elapsed and Mr.. Ha
e. denburgh did not appear she could M
RS conceal her trepidatiOn. She gave he
ze mother as a reason for it that sh
y feared something might have happene
to him.
20 When 10 o'clock came and there We
IT no news from the culprit husband IL
/ butler was sent to the house to recol
hotter. he returueu Eepoi llhS thoI 'A
t. Hardenburgh had gone away.
re The result of this information whiC
at Mrs. Hardenburgh's friend though
ne she ought to know opened with Il
or most frightful night the young wi
In ever spent. From her previous co
er demnation of her husband she swuI
us to the other extreme, and 1T rusht
do upon her with overpowering force tn
Va the really good man who had ma
ne ried her could not possibly have be-
an guilty of any such conduct as had be-
le imputed to him. After sleepless mig
ed she went home, hoping to learn som
er thing of her husbands movement
ed She was disappointed. The servan
III only knew that he had gone away {
re night before The disconsolate wi
," went to her husbands office, but ellie
ed no information there.
iee And now Mrs. Hardenburgh
no thought herself to make inquiries
III the informer as to where she got t
information. The dear woman who b
SO great an interest in her friends
fairs said that she had heard 1t
- coming from And Mrs. Hardt
burgh's investigations never got a
%rr+bar than ssas coming from"