The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-12-20
A4FAMILY
4
AFFAIR
By OLIVE EDNA MAY

devoted, for his wife Why he pre-
ferred the latter did not appear. Pos
sibly he might have thought that she
would on the whole make him a better
wife. Those who knew hiM believed
that he would rather have married
'Clementine Brooks, but that there
were certain objections in. the way Of
his doing So Miss Brant was a mer-
ry, devil-may-care creature, without
any predispositlon to economy. and
would not have made a good manager
There We're other reasons why Jones
might have decided against her, but
whether they influenced him or not
nobody but himself knows, 4!
Jones insisted on retaining his init
macy with his old flame. His!Wife
objected, but Jones would not give mp !;
Miss Brant, though he simply 'i'etair7, !.
ed her as y friend. And there was no /
suspicion on the OF 5thpsey who !
knew him hest thai ne acted tawar{h'
her as anything more Than d friend
But naturally his wife was notasatis-5 I;
fed She consented to receiysiNIIss \
Brant at her home, but never display
ed any cordially toward her S2S se
One day Jones came home from, biJsi-
ness much earlier than usual and. found
gentleman making an afternoon call
on his wife. Jones bowed to the vfsi-
tor cooly and passed on upstairs. Aft
er the man had gone Jones asked who
he was, Mrs. Jones Informed him that
her visitors name was Steadman and
was a very old and very dear friend
Of hers. Then Jones remembered that
some one had In his presence twitted
his wife about a. man named Stead
man, and he grew very Jealous
What do you mean by receiving
this old lover Of yours during my abb
sence?' he asked. ''
What do you mean by keeping up
your intimacy with Julia Brant after
our marriagey"
"Julia Brant, and I are old friends"
Henry Steadman and / are older
friends than You and Julia"
Jones saw the point, 81 presume you
Inteud,' he said ito use this man
Steadman to separate me from my
friend. Jealousy absurd jealousy has
separated more couples than any other
cause" Il
"Then don't be jealous Of me.
Jones went away grnmbling, but he !
had sense enough 70, see that his wife
had as mach right to keep up her init;
macy with Steadman as. he hgd to keep
up his intimacy. with Miss Brant But
he did not intend to be forced away
from his friend in this way. He arr
gled that. he was conducting himself
with perfect, Pr6priety toward her-lnE'
deed, that be had no desire to conduct
himself toward her in any other way.
His wife should take his word for this
and not try TO break up friendship
of long standing on account Of her sus-
plclon. to which Mrs. Jones replied
that there was no more reason for her
breaking off her relations with Stead;
man than for Jones to break with
Julia.
Finally Jones, who was perfectly sat
lsGed With his wife and really had only
a friendly interest in Miss Brant, as
sured the former that the only reason
he had for not breaking with her was
that he didn't like to do so without
giving the true reason, which was that
his wife was, jealous of her, to which
Mrs Jones replied that there was no
necessity of his giving a reason. All
ne had to do was to drop Miss Brart.
He asked his wife II in that event she
intended to drop Steadman, and she re-
piled that since She considered that a
wife should receive no man her bus
band objected to she certainly would
in that event give Mr. Steadman notice
to discontinue his calls.
Jones couldn't make up his mind to
break with Miss Brant-not that her
friendship was necessary to his com
fort, but because he did not like to ;
treat woman friend harshly. And
how could he discontinue his visits TO
her and cease TO invite her to his home
without indicating that Il meant a
break between them? Nevertheless
Mrs. Jones insisted on accepting theat
tentions Of Steadman as long as' Jones
continued on friendly terms wlthvMfss
Brant, and II he was ever to be rellev-
ed Of the occasional presence Of a man
he hated he must give in. He did so.
The next time Miss Brant came to the
house he remained In HIS room, and ne
never called on her again.
Mr.. Steadman did not again appear
at the Jones home, and both bones. Of
contention were removed. Children
were born to the Joneses, and united
family was the result.
Mrs. Jones died after the children
were all grown and most Of themahad
been married. At last Mr.. Jones was
left alone. He had only. the memory
Of his life companion. and the more
he thought over her many good traits
the more he revered her One day he
set about destroying the letters she .
had received and kept, thinking it best
that they should not he perused by'oth.
ers. Among them he found a small.
package marked Concerning Julia
Brant." He read some of them They
were letters to his late wife, giving CON
hdentlal opinions OF the lady, and did