The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-03
Thought She Ought
to Know
By EDITH V. ROSS
Copyright By American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

long QellDerdtlOu sue "ouiu h'"hS va
the instant.
Nevertheless Mrs. Hardenburgh was
a dear little woman, kind hearted, loV-
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 at 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 1nforma-
ton about her husbands dOings which
IL true would have marked him for
very dishonorable and contemplate
person, The informer had got the
news from another, who had got II
from some one else. Her ground lot
telling Mrs. Hardenburgh of 1t was
that she thought she ought to know
il. 1t did not occur to the tale
bearer that it might not be true, ana
IL it were true it was just the thing
of all others the guilty mans wire
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 OF
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, bel
mother was used to humoring her ana
on this occasion gave her unbounded
sympathy. Whether the good LADY
doubted the truth Of the story ana IN
tended later to pave the way to rec
onciliation does not appear. For the
time being she comforted her child as
best she could When the latter hau
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 "perfdious," disgrace
full" ubiquitous" and the like.
When Hardenburgh returned nome
in the evening and found the letter
instead of running right around 10 hl'
wife to explain matters he sat dowI
to think. 1t was certainly not pleas
ing that he had married a wife VINO
when firebrand was thrown into tn
family, instead of picking it up anC
tossing 1t back at the thrower hal
proceeded to set the house. atire Wit
t il. If he were going to live with III
: wife it was certainly necessary ina
he eliminate this trait in her, ana l
he could not eliminate it it was pei
haps better that they should remal
apart. ,,
He had for some time mediate
e going to a distant city to settle ion
n standing matter of business, but ma
: nut the trip off from time to time o
: account of having just been married
Within an hour after his return
y his home he had announced to the ser
!, ants that he was going away ana star
o ed for the railway station.
The Young wife meanwhile was pas
l. ing through the transition common
W all persons who act hastily. When 81
lie had been somewhat Gained her moth
le ventured to suggest that the char'
~ might not be true. To this the oaug
10 ter responded that the informef nj
nv no object in giving false informau'
re and had done it only since she thong
BIT the wife ought to know it. Nevertl
IS less Mrs. Hardenburgh began to
n worried. She noted the hour that b
TX husband usually returned home a
u oove him time to come to her. All
ns several hours had elapsed and MT. III
denburgh did not appear she could I
conceal her trepidation. She gave |
81, mother as q reason for 1t that S
,ty feared something might have happen
m to him.
so When 10 o'clock came and there W
er. no news from the culprit husband
hp butler was sent to the house to rec
III hotter. He returned reporting that
Hardenburgh had gone away.
=, The result of this information wh
IN Mrs. Hardenburgh's friend "tnoui
ew she ought to know" opened with
,gs most frightful night the young W
iSh ever spent. From her previous c
nd demnation of her husband she sWl
en- to the other extreme, and 1t rus
!, IN upon her with overpowering force
na' the really good man who had n
, ,ud ried her could not possibly have b
'or. guiltv of any such conduct as had
lars imputed to him. After a sleepless III
wn she went home, hoping to learn SO
thing Of her husbands moyeme
ing She was disappointed. The sery;
lew only knew that he had gone away
res night before. The disconsolate
sell went to her husbands office, but el
ne ed no information there.
) 10 And now Mrs. Hardenburgh
his thought herself to make inquire
md, the informer as to where she got
ami information. The dear woman who
ing, SO great an interest in her friend
rary fairs said that she had heard
Ae,y coming from And Mrs. Hal
''a'e burgh's investigations never got
further than "as coming from
, 10 After two weeks absence Mr..
SO 90 denburgh returned to find his
fail waiting for him, very penitent
city an, not likely to make the same
take again.
ated Strange to say, the young VINE
n in all did not appreciate having l
com what she ought to know and doe
onai- speak to the informer.