Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-23

The divorce was granted, the papers
signed, and Margery Graham and
Henry Wade, whom God had Joined to-
gether some eight years earlier, were
put asunder by Norton & Norton, as
attorneys for the husband, and young
Kelley, West, representing Mrs. Wade.
The whole affair. their friends agreed,
had been beautifully managed, incom-
patibility was the plea. and the only
d!sagreeable feature of the arrange.
ment was that which necessitated a
final meeting Of the parties to the suit
at the once of Norton & Norton.
Msrgery 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 WON.
an, 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
hanked by her bosom friend. Rita
Whitmeore, and on the arm Of young
West, she had come to the appoint
ment with just that look OF resigned
matrydom on her face which the oc-
casion 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 congratulatory
squeeze Of Margery's hand.
Margery went back to the mansion
that Henry had built for her when
they moved into town Ave years be.
fore, and putting her head down on
Polly Maria's curls, cried 80 that her
tears ran down Polly's fat neck That
tickled Polly Marie and she laughed
such splendid, hearty gurgle that
Margery had to laugh too, though she
was very miserable. A burning sense
Of 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 was sick
of life. she hated this marble palace,
which had been the scene Of her trou-
HES. and suddenly she remembered
the little brown house.
She had not been there tor years.
because 1t was ever so far out in an
undeveloped suburb, that small. snug
home where she and Henry had be-
gun housekeeping when they ran away
from their people and We're married
years ago. Old Martha, her nurse,
lived there now. and kept everything
just as they had left It.
Dress Polly Marie for walk" she
called to the goyerness, and BEGAN
stuffing things into her handbag.
The governess protested pointing. 10
the heavy clouds that were catherine
outside, but her mistress was ohdurato
There was long trolley ride and
then walk across an oTer field, With
Polly Marie who had fallen aslec!,.
hanging Imply over her shoulder, anG
the bag humping against her a.liles
in n most uncomfortable way. nut
she struggled bravely or. for over The
high stone wall in the distance, she
could see the gables OF ,,tl 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
CONSERVATION; then ahe recalled The
broken hasp on the shutter of back
window. It had been so long since
she was there that she had almost
forgotten. All she had to do was to
climb on the garden bench. pull the
shutter oyen and there she was
But this was not SO easy with Polly
Marie and the bag. and only .af.
ter two or three futile leaps did she
reach the ledge and scramble to the
floor inside. The sky had darkened
and great splashes Of rain were failing
but from her vantage ground Margery
leaned out and called defiantly Rain
away. rain away, we're safe in our
little brown house"
From room to room she vent and
the house was full Of memories-nice
domesticated memories--that lowered
about the linen closet and purred from
the kettle on the stove. The, tiny bed
rooms. a dining room. q sitting room
and bcst-or worst-of all, Henrys
den. At that door she. stopped il
would be SO dark In there, for the