The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-03

I'm tired Of it all, and I've told
Phil"
How could YOU" her sister de-
manded. "lIc loves you, Marcia"
ooh. | know it. but love isn't every
thing. Conrie jhcueht 50 when
/ married Pill, and Went up there in
| the lumber REGIONS and Isi.d to live
| lis life And You irow I've tr!ad 10
be Eatpr. hut I'm IoJ led TO that
sort CT thing AMI as f.. baby-you
know how want her to have every
thing hat life can 1--WE hor, and she
cannot UP there"
"Eut how could You tel Phil?
What did he say??'
"lTe--he didn't say much. lie Just
looked at me in a puzzled way"
oh" Constance cried. how can
you do such a thing, Marcia"
Because" Marcia painted, because
| I know what life up there means
You don't. OF course, Phil is a law
yer, but his clients are all the men
| who work in the forests, and the
women-why they are the wives of
those mea-and there isn't anything
to do, and won't 20 back-so don't
ask me. Connic-don't ask me-"
For two months Marcia lived in a
whirl. Her mother, joyous at having
possession for a little while Of her
youngest girl, loaded her with gifts,
and Marcia appeared at garden par
ties and tennis events, and golf tour
namcnts, robed eXquisitely in rose
color or in white.
She dressed Baby Margaret like a
doll and took her with her To-
gether they were pctted and praised.
And if l were up there With Phil"
Marcia said % Connie, Il should have
spent this summer listening to the
frogs croak and tho chickens sing"
you would have shared Pills
hopes and sorrows" said Connie.
"Oh, Marcia, isn't he lonely''
HE doesn't say So" said Marcia,
cvasiyely.
Two weeks later Phil came down
to fetch his wife
You are coming home with me.
Marcia" he said.
"Why?" she looked at him in sur
prise Il thought you knew wasn't
coming any more?"
THAT is what you said. and !
thought I might let you have your
way. PUTIN not going to let you
take your life In your hands. l
promised to love and protect you.
My duty to my child places upon me
the same obligation to love and pro-
tect her-I haven't any right as
husband and father to let you stay
here"
That night Marcia talked it over
with Connie. do you think ought
to 60 back?"
III a man loved me-" said Connie.
as Phil loves you. would 60 with
him to the end OF tho world"
That's what thought" said Mar
cia. bitterly, when married Phil.
but romance doesn't survive long
when you are up against the hard
things Of life"
Philip Ames took with him an un.
willing wife. The trip on the train
was a silent one Only little Mar.
garet prattled of the return. Are
tho pussies and the chickens expect.
ing me?" she asked her father
Yes, and the pine trees have lots
Of things to whisper in your ears.
Don't you know when the sun is set.
ting how they whisper, whisper, and
sing lullaby songs?"
YES" said little Margaret. and
that's the time when you always tell
mother how much you love her"
Marcia. listening. felt her heart
leap. That had been one of Pills
little ceremonies in their temple Of
love. At sunset he would take her in
his arms and say. Another day is
ours, dear heart
When had he stopped? She re-
| litHiotiSu VIII Suoth lNal II was
she who had rung the kncll TO ro.
nance. Il was She who had been i'm
patient of his carcsses. Ii was she
who had. one night, interrupted his
sunset litany TO say. Another day Of
toll and troublc-ano,her day-of
loneliness"
After that he had not kissed her at
sunset. After that he lad withdrawn
little. After that he had worked
harder and more dogsedly. Suddenly
the reason Of his iAccSSant iabor.rC
dawned upon her. nii l.e think she
wanted an easy lie more than She
wanted romance. and SO he had ~
dcavorcd 10 give i ID lgr'
Their horses were wa inc fertae,l
at the station. They drove .,r3-ei,
the long aisle OF the forest
TIE russ;es were Il tAe deer 10
, meet Margaret. The m@n drove ~ ~
with the horses. the maid Who lad
greeted them turned and went into
the house to serve the evening neal.
Philip looked at his wife. You
are home again. Marcia" re said,
simply. viii you try to believe it
is for the best, and not blame me
FOO ,-,,ct,