Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-25
Hall Gaines Mastery Analysis in HEARST'S
MAGAZINE Of the Way in Which an In
nocent Girls Conception Of Marriage Was
Shattered by Her Sale in Wedlock to a
ProfIigate Lord

ProfIigate Lord
I'm "The Woman Thou Gavest Me-" the
new novel by Hall Game, now being
M published in Hearst's Magazine, the
distinguished English novelist presents
masterlv picture of the conflict between an
innocent girls high conceptions of mar
rage and the low ones OF the worldly
wise" BY his frank, yet reverent unfold
tho If the innermost heart of Mary O'Neill,
his conyent.bred heroine. Hall Game shows
the sources of the strength that on her
wedding night enables her to resist Lord
paa the aristocratic but profigate husband
n whom she has been sold
What Mary O'Neill wanted and what she
40, given Is partly told in the following
nvarnfs from 1.-The Woman Thou Gavest
Me reprinted by permission of Hearsts
ManazIne. The moving plea of Rather
Dan" the gentle old priest, who has been
MARY O'Neills only true counsellor, is one
of the noblest defenses of the sanctity OF
marriage in literature.
In the chapter preceding the opening
excerpts from THE Woman Thou Gavest
Me" Mary O'Neill takes walk with Lord
Raa while her lawyers and her father
souabble over the marriage settlement.
From 1.-THE Woman Thou Gavest Me-"
bv Hall Cane, now being published In
HEARsT's MAGAZlNE.)
HALFWAY up the glen he began to
RI look aslant at me through his
monocle, and then to talk about
nv life in Rome, wondering how could
have been content to stay so long at the
convent, and limiting at a rumor which
had reached him that had actually wished
to stay there altogether
Extraordinary! Pom my word, extra
ordinary! It's we'll enough for women
who. have suffered shipwreck in their
lives TO live in such places, but for young
girl with any fortune, any looks
why wonder she doesn't die OF ennui'
Throwing away his cigar and taking the
terrier on his lap he said, "Of course you
know what the business is which the gen.
tlemen are discussing in the library?"
AS we'll as / could for the nervousness
that was sitting me, l answered that
knew.
He stroked the dog with one hand,
prodded his stick into the gravel with the
other and said:
We'll. I don't know what your views
about marriage are. Mine, may say. are
liberal"
] listened without attempting 10 reply.
81 think nine-tenths of the trouble that
attends married life-the breakdowns and
what not-come of an irrational effort to
tighten the marriage knot.
Still I said nothing.
TO imagine that two Independent hui
man beings can be tied together like
couple of Siamese twins, neither to move
without the other, living precisely the same
life, year in, year out why, It's
silly, positively silly"
In my ignorance I could find nothing to
say. and after another moment my in
tended husband swished the loosened
gravel with his stick and said: / believe
in married people leaving each other free
each going his and her own way-What
do you Think"
l must have stammered some kind Of
answer don't know what-for I remem-
Der that he said next: quite so, that's my
view of matrimony, and I'm glad to see you
appear to share it. Tell the truth,
was afraid you wouldn't" ne added, with
something more about the nuns and the
convent
wanted to say that didn't, but my
nervousness was increasing every moment,
and before ! could find words in which to
protest he was speaking to me again.
"Our friends in the library seem to think
that you and could get along together,
and I'm disposed to think they're right
aren't your"
In my ignorance and helplessness, and
with the consciousness of what | was ex-
pected TO do, merely looked at him with
out speaking.
Then he fixed his monocle afresh and,
looking back at me in a curious way, he
OF hon 7 oh IN
dear. In fact, l should be rather proud of
having goodlooking woman for my wife,
and fancy | could give you good time.
In any case"-this with a certain condos
cension-"my name might be of some use
to you"
A sort of shame was creeping over me.
The dog was yawning in my face. My in
tended husband threw it off his knee.
Shall we consider it a settled thing,
them" he asked, and when in my confusion
] still made no reply (having nothing which
felt myself entitled to say, he said some
thing about my Aunt Bridget and what she
had told him at luncheon about my silence
and shyness, and then rising to his feet he
put my arm through his own, and turned
our faces toward home.
That was all AS | am truthful woman
that was everything. Not a word from me,
nay, not half word, merely passive act
Va aAiSAl dNqulesttuCt, anu III luS yOuIllul
and almost criminal innocence ! was com
mitted to the most momentous incident of
my life.
would go to my own room. and sit long
hours there in my dressing gown and
slippers hearing the hubbub that was go
ing on in the rest of the house. hut taking
as little part in it as possible. In this
semi-conyentual silence and solitude. the
excitement which had swept me along for