The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-02-21

/ me. Why he ADDED thiS IN a burst
CT confidence, there wouldn't be
twenty people around town would
know you'd gone! l can keep close
tongue, and SO can YOU
"But, John, why should we? I've
never crossed you in any way. I've
always tried to do what you liked.
Why should We part? III be willing
just to live along here quietly. L
can't bear to think of going away. I
like my things, john" she said sud-
denly, and seemingly irrelevantly,
'who told you about all these things,
these collectors pieces that you've
been getting for so long?"
He WINGED with sudden self-revela-
ton. astonished at this intuition on
her part. He had been sincere in his
statement that there was no other
woman in his affections. He had only
i forgotten that he had no affections.
He flushed now, but tried to pull to-
gether.
"Very we'll, Laura" said he; you
only prove to me what I've felt for
some time. You can't understand me,
you simply are not up to my require
ments. I'm willing to say you'd be
content to live along here, just as we
did at Kelly row. am not content to
do anything of the sort. I've been
thinking over this, studying over it
for some time There's the answer"
He nodded toward the bundle which
lay upon the table.
''It's no use trying to make the
world all over again, Laura he said
after a time. We've both done our
best but our best didn't tally. We've
hung together. What's right is right.
Is it right for me to be dragged down
by your own limitations-o l to
stop in my own career to conform to
that? Would that be right, now, Lau-
ra, for man like me?-Is it right for
any man? If you can't go forward,
ought to go back? If We can't both
travel the same gait, whose gait ought
to govern? Whatever you do, don't
blame me, that's ALL But you did
blame me-you do now" A grave
look sat upon his face. He felt him
self an injured man.
Eyes, John," she said. 81 do"
"Of course, of course! That's the
reward a man gets for loving his wife,
treating you as I have. Well, we're
not the first to face a situation Of just
this kind Things travel swifter now
than they did when we were children,
or when we were married. What did
then will not do today. Why blame
ourselves for that?-blame the time,
the way of the world, the way things
20 today. This country has changed
it goes faster every year. We've got
to keep the pace, I tell you, when we
get into it. Those who can't must
drop out, and that's all there is about
it. was born for the front, and that's
all about that. Don't blame me. I've
never blamed you!"
Then, what do you blame, John?"
Nothing, l say. It's the way life
runs. We're married, why? Because
we thought We were to have. some
property to protect. There is much to
be said in favor of the marriage insti-
tuition. 1t holds property safe under
it's contract. Property-that's the
sign of power! Property is the only
reason for marriage; or for govern
ment, when it comes to that. Property
is the token of power I've got that!
Put something else goes with it!
Why, Laura, when I lock at us both l
wonder that I've been patient so long,
neld back as I havs- been by your own
narrow ideas. II you'd had your way,
you'd have set uD Kelly row right
where we are noT
"Tm old-fashioned, John" said she,
her head high, though her tears fell
free, I'm just an old-fashioned, worn
out wife, that's ALL Pm not so very
much, John, and l never thought l
was very much. just did the best
l could, all tie time. l couldn't seem
to do any more, John. don't know
how. 1 did my best!"
I'VE all do!" said John Rawn philo-
sophically. eve all do our best. But
when our best isn't good enough to
keep us up, we go down."
He spoke generously, gravely, ju-
dicially. He was arbiter, in his own
belief, not husband. The country had
changed since they two had married.
eyes, there's much to be said for
the institution of marriage, Laura" he
repeated after time. "In fact, it Is
a necessity, as society is organized.
But divorce is a natural corollary of
marriage. There are contracts. and
broken contracts. That's ALL"
What is "a corollary, John" she
asked.
Its consequence; it is something
that follows. | meant to say, that If
it is right for two people to be mar
ried, it is right for them to be di-
vorced when the time comes. It's prop
erty. and the consequences to proper
ty, which sometimes determine that"
"But we said, John, when we were