The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-23

| 1u0 ulNOTCc Was granted, the
papers signed, and Margery Graham
and Henry Wade. whom God haG
Joined together some eight year.
earlier. were put asunder by Norton
4 Norton. as attorneys for the hus
band. and young Kelley West. repre-
senting Mrs. Wade. The whole at
fair, their friends agreed, had been
beautifully managed. incompatibility
was the plea. and the only disagree
able feature Of the arrangement was
that which necessitated a Anal meet
Ing Of the parties to the suit at the
ofioe Of Norton & Norton.
Margery had cried before the meet
ing. for It seemed absurd to think OF
Henry as not belonging to her any
more. as marrying some other
woman. perhaps. Then she had dried
her eyes, powdered her nose and put
on her most becoming suit, feeling
that Henry must be made to see that
he was losing something precious
and fanked by her bosom friend
Rita Whitmore. and on the arm OF
young West, she had come to the ap-
pointment with just that look Of re-
signed martyrdom on her face which
the occasion demanded.
Henry came to the meeting by him.
self and looked frankly worn and
wretched. moreover. he made no at.
tempt to ease the embarrassment Of
the situation. but was cold. gruff and
unnatural, "a perfect brute" as Rita
said afterward, with a congratulatory
squeeze Of Margery's hand
Margery went back to the mansion
that Henry had built for her when
they moved into town five years be-
fore. and, putting her head down on
Polly Marie's curls. cried so that her
tears ran down Polly's fat neck. That
tickled Polly Marie and she laughed
such a splendid. hearty gurgle that
Margery had to laugh, TOO, though she
was very miserable. a burning sense
or indignation had upheld her during
the ordeal. but now that Henry had
granted all her demands the trans
gressor had in some way managed to
put her in the wrong she Nas sich
OF life, she hated this marble palace.
which had been the sc,nc uf her iron.
bles. and suddcnIA tn rem mbcrod
the little brown Eptf.r
She had not hera taci, Ter wears.
becaus" i WAS essen so lal out in an
undevclolod sHbGga. Mat small, snug
homo whore she aud Henry had be.
gun nous. keeping when they ran
away from ihcr people and were
married Years ago Old Martha. her
nurse, lived thcr" now, and kent
everything Just as they had left it.
Dress Polly Marie for walk
she called to the govcrness. and be.
gan stuffing things into her hand
bag.
Inc g0verness protested pointing
to the heavy clouds that were gather.
Ing outside, but her mistress was OBJ
durate.
There was a long trolley ride and
then a walk across an open field,
with Polly Marie. who had fallen
asleep. hanging Imply over one
shoulder. and the bag humping
against her ankles in a most uncom.
Portable way But she struggled
bravely on, for over the high stone
wall In the distance she could see
tho gables OF her haven.
Through the iron gate, up the long
walk. and then came disappointment.
FOR the sitting room shutters we're
closed and Martha was evidently NOT
at home. A moment she paused in
then she recalled the |
broken hasp on the shutter of a back |
window. 1t had been so long since
she was there that she had almost
forgotten. All she had TO do was 10 |
limb on the garden bench. pull the
shutter open, and-there she was,
But this was not SO easy with
Polly Marie and the bag. and only
after two or three futile leaps did
'he reach the ledge and scramble 10
he floor inside. The sky had dark.
aned and great splashes 81 rain were
falling. but from her vantage ground
Margery leaned out and called do.
fantly. Rain away. rain away. we're
safe in our little brown house"
From room TO room she went and
he house Mas full Of memories
lice, domestica,cd memories that
lowered about the linen closet and
,urred from the kettle on the stove
The tiny bedrooms. dining room,
! sitting room anu best or worst
II all. lienry's den. Al that door
he stopped: it would be so dark In
here, for the heavy panels needed a
heery fire to light them up With
omething like sob. she threw Omen
he door and caught her breath with
heer JOY. A bright fire cracked on
he hearth and the reading lamp
rought out warm lights from the
raises in the room. and in front of
he fire, with his head buried in his
ands. sat Henry. I,
But of course Henry should be in
is den. II was the most natural
hing in the world So, Please" sba
egged. may we come in We're
readfully cold