The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-06-17

~ Was from LnGT6 she reached n6T
conclusions about the Milligans. She
had noted their moving in the dainty
furniture and the care with which 1t
was carried into the house; and hence
conclusion No. they were a newly
married couple. And with hungry
eyes she watched Elizabeth waiting
every night at the gate for Maurice.
And he always came just in time, with
smile on his handsome face, and
kissed her unblushingly before them
all. They would 60 in hand in hand,
laughing like two children over the
events of the day They accompanied
each other everywhere except on Sun
day, and Miss Jessica was not long in
hnding out that Maurice Milligan was
not Catholic Elizabeth was, to be
sure, for Miss Jessica had listened
Sunday after Sunday to the young
Wlfe's sweet voice in the choir.
For long time Miss Jessica watch
ed from behind her curtains, and all
went well in the Milligan household
But at last her vigilance was rewarded
for one evening Maurice Milligan came
home late, True, he wore a happy
smile and bounded up the steps three
at time to meet Elizabeth, whose
eyes were full of unshed tears. Miss
Jessica watched with all-seeing and
albeit spiteful eyes as they went into
the dining room together, and she
wondered if the husband gave a salts
factory explanation for his hardness.
She peered furtively through the cur
tains. They were laughing happily as
Elizabeth poured the coffee-rich,
creamy coffee, whose fragrance she
could almost scent-and with a sigh
she turned away to her own frugal
supper of bread and butter and weak
tea; for Miss Jessica was miserably
stingy, penurious to a fault, and she
hated to see the almost lavish manner
in which the Milligans lived
After that it became a customary
thing for the husband to come home
late, and a rumor, first low voiced,
then insistent, began to flow about the
Observation-Disclosures Milligan was
frequenting saloons. Not that any one
had ever actually seen him near a
barroom, but then, reasoned Miss Jes-
sica, what else could keep him late?
All men were alike, and the garnish
barroom could attract the best of
them. Elizabeth seemed to be taking
it to heart, too, but the neighbors were
sure she never upbraided him. In
fact, when he came home late, with his
fine face all aglow and his handsome
eyes full of fire. Elizabeth's dimples
came and went and she looked SO
happy, but Miss Jessica liked to see
her better with her dark eyes full OF
pain as she watched at the hall door
for the delinquent one.
And tonight seemed the eliminating
point to her and to Elizabeth, too. The
latter was ON the verge of collapse
1t was half past seven, and no Maurice
| She had been at the front door unit
she could no longer bear the triumph
ant glance of her neighbor. She hat
heard rumors of what was circulating
and tonight she determined to put {
stop to it all and demand an explana
ton. After this decision she set Il
work to make the table extra inviting
| (for Elizabeth loved her husband ana
her home), and when she finished ii
it was exceedingly pretty, with it
carefully arranged bouquet and all thu
dainty silver and china-chief1y wed
ding presents-and she hummed hap
PLY to herself as she thought of Mau
rice's almost boyish delight. But tn
striking of the clock recalled her from
her reverie. Eight O'Clock and no Mau
rice! And then commenced her vigil
her incessant wandering to the from
door, with no knowledge that Mis-
Jessica was at her post, sneering ant
malignant. She picked up a book AM
tried to read, but in vain. She rear
ranged the flowers; she shifted tn,
silver about uneasily on the table Oh
it was awful, this waiting, this sus
pense.
Continued on page 6.)