The Southern herald., 1911-06-02
CHAPTER Il.-contlnusd.

GHAF EN- Ais-C0hAANAoss
you know wouldn't, Annie" he
aaid earnestly. mot one second have
ever regretted marrying you-that's
honest TO Cod"
A faint flush Of pleasure lit up the
young wifes face. For all her as
sumed lightheartedness she was badly
in need Of this reinsurance. If she
thought Howard nourished secret re-
Erets it would break her heart. She
could stand anything, any hardship,
but not that She would leave him at
once.
In a way she held herself respon-
sible for his present predicament She
had felt 3 deep sense Of guilt ever
since that afternoon In New Haven
when, listening to Howards impor-
tunities and obeying an impulse she
was pOwerless to resist, she had flung
aside her waitress apron, furtiVely
left the restaurant and hurried with
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 un-
done. She realized, too, that It was
worse for Howard than 1t 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
rOproached herself bitterly. There
were days when their union assumed
in her eyes the enormity Of a crime.
She should have seen what 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
temptati[vn. Howard came into her
life when the outlook was dreary and
hopeless He had offered to her what
seemed a haven against the cruelty
and sslfishness 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"
II Annie had no education she wal
not without brains. She had sersC
enough to realize that her bringing "
or the lack of it was an unsurmount
able barrier to her ever being ad
mitted to the inner circle of HowarG'i
family. If her husbands father hat
not married again the breach nigh
have been crossed In time, but bill
new wife was a prominent member q
the smart set, woman full of aristC
cratic notions, who recoiled with hol
Tor at having anything to do with
girl guilty of the enormity of earnint
her own living. Individual merit, in
herent nobility of character, amiabil
ty of disposition and a personal repr
tation untouched by scandal-all thi
went for nothing-because unaccon
panied by wealth or social position
AunlO udu uCllhCl WCdilu uOi DODlllOl
She had not even education. The
considered her common, impossible
They were ever ready to lend an ca
to certain ugly stories regarding he
past, none of which we're true Afte
their marriage, Mr.. Jeffries, Sr., an
his wife absolutely refused to receiv
her or have any communication wit
her whatsoever. AS long, therefor
as Howard remained faithful to he
the breach with his family could neve
be healed
Have some mere stew, DEAR" sh
said, extending her hand for her hu
bands plate.
Howard shook his head and thre
down his knife and fork.
"Tve had enough" he said despon
emily Il haven't much appetite"
She looked at him with concern.
Poor boy, you're tired out!"
AS she noted how pale and dejectt
be appeared, her eyes filled vii
sympathetic tears. She forgot IL
appalling number of cigarettes !
smoked day, nor did she realii
how abuse Of alcohol had spoiled
stomach for solid food
'T wish knew where to go and g
that $4,000" muttered Howard.
mind still preoccupied with Coke
proposition. Lighting another Gig
rette, he leaned back In his chair al
lapsed into silence.
Annie sat and watched him, wis
ing she could suggest some way
solve the problem that troubled hil
She loved her husband with all b
heart and soul His very weakne
Of character endeared him the mo
to her. She was not blind to
faults, but she excused them. H
vices, his drinking, cigarette smokil
and general shiftlessness were, 81
asWssd. thS Tasult of bad Rssocisti