Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-09-01

I'm AFRAID that's day dream. Only
/ your father could give you such an
amount and you wouldn't go to him,
| would your"
/ mot IL we hadn't another crust in
the house." snapped Howard savage
ly. You don't want me to, do your"
he asked looking up at her quickly.
mo, dear" she answered calmly.
II have certainly no wish that you
should humblo yourself At the same
time l am not selfish enough to want
to stand in the way of your future.
Your father and stepmother hate me.
know that. / am the cause of your
separation from your folks. No doubt
your father would be very willing to
help you If you would consent to
leave me-"
Howard laughed as he replied:
We'll, If that's the price for the
$4,000 l guess I'll go without it. I
wouldn't give you up for a million
times $2,000!"
Annie stretched her hand across
the table.
"Really?" she said.
You know / wouldn't, Annie" he
said earnestly. Not one second have
ever regretted marrying you-that's
honest to Cod"
A faint flush of pleasure lit up the
young wife's face. For all her as.
sumed lightheartedness she was badly
In need of this reinsurance If she
thought Howard nourished secret TO
grets it would break her heart. She
could stand anything, any haroaafr,
but not that She would leave bim at
once
In a way she held herself respon-
sible for his present predicRmsat S%s
had felt a deep sense of guilt ever
since that afternoon In New MAves
when, listening to Howard's impor.
tunities and obeying au impulse she
was powerless to resist. she had flung
aside her waitress apron, furtively
him to the minister who declared
them man and wife.
Their marriage was a mistake, of
course. Howard was in no position
to marry. They should have waited.
| They both realized their folly now.
But what was done could not be I'M
done. She realized, too, that it was
worse for Howard than it was for
her 1t had ruined his prospects at
the outset of his career and threat.
ened to be an irreparable blight on
his entire life. She realized that she
was largely to blame. She had done
wrong to marry him and at times she
reproached herself bitterly. There
were days when their union assumed
In her eyes the enormity of a crime.
She should have seen what a social
gulf lay between them All these
taunts and insults from his family
which she now endured she had fool
ishly brought upon her own head. But
she had not been able to resist the
temptation. Howard came into her
life when the outlook was dreary and
hopeless. He had offered to her what
seemed haven against the cruelty
and selfishness of the world Happi-
ness for the first time in her life
seemed within reach and she had not
the moral courage to say mo"
If Annie had no education she was
not without brains She had sense
enough to realize that her bringing up
or the lack of 1t was an unsurmount-
able barrier to her ever being ad-
mitted to the inner circle of Howard s
family. If her husbands father had
not married again the breach might
| fr h,,f to
new wife was a prominent member of
the smart set, woman full of aristo-
cratic notions, who recoiled with hor.
ror at having anything to do with a
girl guilty of the enormity of earning
her own living. Individual merit, in
herent nobility OF character, amiabili
ty of disposition, and personal repu-
tation untouched by scandal-all this
went for nothing-because unaccom-
panied by wealth or social position
Annie had neither wealth nor position.
She had not even education. They
considered her common impossible.
| They we're ever ready to lend an ear
to certain ugly stories regarding her
past. none of which were true. After
| SACAA maj ioBOB WI OChIlCog anu
his wife absolutely refused to receive
her or have any communication with
her whatsoever. AS long therefore,
as Howard remained faithful to her,
the breach with his family could never
be healed.
Have some more stew, DEAR" she
said extending her hand for her hus-
| bands plate.
Howard shook his head and threw
down his knife and fork
I've had enough" he said despond-
entity. II haven't much appetite"
She looked at him with concern.
Poor boy, you're tired Quit"
AS she noted how pale and detected
he appeared, her eyes filled with
sympathetic tears. She forgot the
appalling number of cigarettes he
smoked day, nor did she realize
/ how ahuaa Of alcoboI boa n,oiIoa ~.