Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-26
One Woman's Story ::
By VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WATER

You're all upset and unsettled,
Mary" she said, "and you will be un-
til this divorce matter is settled and
you have sold all your furniture Be
sides, what would be the use OF look
ing for a situation when you couldn't
take it until you finish breakin' up out
in Middlebrook?'
But" said Mary, that will take
only a couple of days, and l want TO
know what | can count on"
The other woman shook her head.
do the first task first" she advised.
Go out to the country tomorrow. and
stay there until you get rid of your
things. take a weelI-well. then. take
a week. Then you1l know where you're
at"
Considering the matter sanely and
soberly, Mary knew that she Had
shrunk from Doing the very thing, Mid
dlebrook held terrifying and sad memo
ries for her Stnl. they must be faced.
A week later she closed behind her
the door OF the little country cottage
for the last time She had had a pub
lie auction of all her household effects.
and these had gone. as is always the
case on such occasions. for about one
tenth of what they were worth. But
the weary young creature upon whom
such heavy trouble had come OF late
thought Of the money received only as
something with which to buy food for
her child until she could obtain work.
\ kind hearted neighbor. with whom
she had but a speaking acquaintance
suspected her distress and came in to
help her on this last day and went
SO far as the railroad station with her
Mary was grateful for this attention,
yet she longed to be alone. At last
she boarded her train and sat lost in
thought until she reached Jersey City.
She took a croSStown surface car at
the ferry, and the man sitting next to
her got out at Ninth avenue, leaving
an evening paper on the seat List
| leSsly, Mary picked II up and glanced
over it, Suddenly a short paragraph
in the lower corner of one sheet caught
! her eve. Ii was dated Philadelphia,
and at glance Mary took in the con-
/ intoxicated, had become confused cross
/ ing the tracks of the Reading Railway,
/ and had stepped right in front of an
| express train. He was killed Instant
( ly. Letters in his pockets and the
/ name on his clothing showed that he
| was a Herbert Fletcher, once Of New
| York. recently Of Philadelphia. His
| body was identified later by the wo-
| Horror held Mary spellbound as she
| read and re-read the item. The car
| had carried her down to the East
| Twenty-third street ferry before she
| noticed her surroundings Stll dazed,
/ she walked back 10 the avenue on
/ which lived and climbed the stairs to
/ the fiat which was now her only home.
/ Halfway up the stairs she heard a
] door above her open. ard her child 5
/ laugh rang out clear and happy. And.
/ as she listened, her heart gave a lean
! of gratitude. Her child was now hers.
/ and hers only! Then with a great
/ throh Of pity she remembered the elder
| ~ woman to whom the news that
/ meant the wife'S release from bond
/ ge would mean another stab from
| the son who Rad almost broken her
| heart The younger woman knew that.
no matter what son does, the true
/ mother-love can never die And she
! prayed for wisdom and strength to com.
! fort the dlSgraced and bereaVed mother
/ to whom this latest blow could not
| bring the peace and freedom from fear
> that it brought TO the dishonored wife,