The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-10
THE EVENING STORY
When Marcia Came Home.
(By Jerome Sprague.)

4
tensely, but I'm not going back"
Constance looked at her in amaze
ment. You're not-going back" she
gasped.
I'm tired of it all, and I've told
PHIL
How could you?" her sister de-
"Oh, I know it, but love isn't
Everything, Connie. I thought so
when I married Phil, and went up
there in the lumber regions and tried
to live his life. And you know I've
tried to be happy, but I'm not used
to that sort of thing, and every time
I came back home to live in the midst
of the beauty that surrounded me
when was girl-and saw you with
your lovely things-why I was wild
with envy, and it wasn't little feel
ing or a mean feeling, it was just
that I can't live where everything is
\ rude and rough. And as for baby
you know how I want her to have
everything that life can give her, and
she can not up there
But how could you tell Phil?
What did he say?"
"He-he didn't say much. He just
| looked at me in puzzled way, and
asked, Aren't you happy?' and 1 said,
| No, but it isn't your fault. It's only
because I'm different-and there's
| nothing here to do Then he asked,
What do you do in the city?' and I
said, oh, there are the shops, and
the theaters, and the bridge parties
and pretty clothes and he said, I
can't give you such things. OF course,
I can't keep you if you want to co.
and so I came. And mother thinks
it's just for a visit"
oh" Constance cried, chow can
you do such a thing, Marcia? ~
Because Marcia painted, because
know what life up there means.
You don't. OF course, Phil is law
yer, but his clients are all the men
who work in the forests, and the
women-why they are the wives of
those men-and there isn't anything
to do, and I won't go back-so don't
ask me, Connie-don't ask me-"
ct won't" said Connie, gently, but
if you knew, Marcia, how I~have en-
WED you. You have all of the things
that I want: haven't husband
who loves me heart and soul; instead,
I have a memory Of a man who Tilted
mel haven't a child to make my
life full of interest. 1 have only the
hollowness of excitements that have
lost their power to please"
Marcia bent to kiss her sisters
cheek. poor Connie" she said. II
know I seem heartless--but life here
seems so good to 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
naments, robed exquisitely in rose
color or in white.
She dressed Baby Margaret like a
doll and took her with her. To-
gether they were petted and praised.
And if I were up there with Phil"
Marcia said to Connie. "I should have
spent this summer listening to the
frogs croak and the chickens sing"
you would have shared Phirs
hopes and sorrows" said Connie.
"Oh, Marcia, isn't he lonely?"
He doesn't say So" said Marcia, |
evasively.
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 I wasn't
coming any more?''
THAT iswhat you said, and thought
might 'et you have your way. But
I'm not going to let you take your life
in your hands. I promised to love and
protect you. My duty to my child I
places upon me the same obligation to
love and protect her-I haven't any /
right as 2 husband and father to let
you stay here"
but I'm not slave; she protested |
Indignantly.
4 kn,w," he said, sadly, "and If you
think it is easy or that it doesn't hurt
my pride to take you back this way
you are mistaken. But love must not
take account of pride. And love you
IF yod loved me- she said, you
would want me to be happy"
He came over and took her hand.
Dear heart," he said, II know you
better than you know yourself. Back
of all the childish frivolity there's a
woman the woman I love, and
woman who is going to take up life as
it ought to be lived-a woman who
would hate herself some day If
should let her do a. she wants to do
That night Marcia talked 1t over
with Connie. DO you think 1 ought
to go back %
IF a man loved me-" said Connie.
''as Phi! loves you, I would go with
him to tie end of the world"
That's what I thought" said Mar
cha, bitterly, when married Phil, but
doesn't survive long when you
are up against the hard things of
life"
willing wife. The trip on the train
was a silent one. Only little Margaret
prattIed of the return. "Are the
oussies and the chickens expecting
me ?" she asked her father. |,
Eyes. and the pine trees have lots of
you know when the sun is setting how
hey whisper, whisper, and sing lullaby
yes" said little Margaret. land
hats the time when you always tell
mother how much you love her.
March,, listening, felt her heart leap.
That had been one of PhiPs little cere-
monies in their temple of love. At
sunset he would take her in his arms
md say. Another day is ours, dear
leart.'
Whom had he stopped? She remem-
1ered with a shock that 1t was she who