Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1911-04-01
CHAPTER ll.-continued.

CHAPTER il.-continued.
"You know I wouldn't, Annie" he
said earnestly. mot one second have
h ever regretted marrying you-thats
honest to Cod"
A faint flush of pleasure lit up the
young wife's face. For all her as.
tsumed lightheartedness she was badly
lin need of this reinsurance. II she
Thought Howard nourished secret re-
grets It would break her heart. She
tcould stand anything, any hardship,
hut not that. She would leave him at
ionce.
In a way she held herself respon-
Isible for his present predicament. She
had felt a deep sense of guilt ever
lsince that afternoon in New Haven
iwhen, listening to Towards impor-
tunities and obeying an impulse she
twas powerless to resist, she had flung
aside her waitress apron, furtively
peft the restaurant and hurried with
Ihim to the minister who declared
khem man and wife.
Their marriage was a mistake, OF
ITO marry They should have waited.
fThey both realized their folly now.
but what was done could not be un-
done. She realized, too, that it was
iworse for Howard than it was for
ther. 1t had ruined his prospects at
1.-THE outset of his career and threat
iened 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
lin 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 a haven against the cruelty
and selishness 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 it was an unsurmount-
able barrier 10 her ever being ad-
mitted TO the inner circle Of Towards
family. If her husbands father had
not married again the breach might
in htit
new wife was 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 a 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 were ever ready to lend an ear
to certain ugly stories regarding her
past. none of which were true. After
their marriage, Mr.. Jeffries, ST., and
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.
"Haye 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-
emily. Il haven't much appetite"
She looked at him with concern.
Poor boy, you're tired OUT"
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 abuse of alcohol had spoiled his
stomach FOR solid food.
81 wish knew where to go and get
that $1,000" muttered Howard, his
mind aill preoccupied with Coxe's
proposition. Lighting another ciga
rette. hc leaned back in his chair and
lapsed i2to silence.
Annie sat and watched him, wish
ing she could suggest some way tC
solve the problem that troubled him
She loved her husband with all hei
heart and soul His very weakness
of character endeared him the more
to her She was not blind to his
faults, but she excused them. iii.
vices, his drinking, cigarette smoking
and general shiftlessness were. sh,
argued. the result of bad associates