The Yale expositor., 1913-06-05

slouchy about her. Ask her TO go TO
the theater and there wouldn't be a
woman in the house who could beat
her for looks and style. Besides that,
she was fine conversationalist, could
talk as easily as a book on any sub
ject. II / brought her a novel, she'd
read 1t and have the whole plot at
her fingerends. and be able to talk
II all over. have her own opinions
about every character. Oh, she was
an accomplished. fascinating woman,
II l say II myself! Any man might
have taken to her. She was for ever
telling me about California, and how
she wanted to get back there"
California;" interrupted Dominick
did she como from Californian"
From here-from San Francisco.
She was a native daughter of the state
and the town. was interested in Cal
ifornia myself at that time. though Ia
never seen II. and we'd talk OF that
and other things till. bit by bit, we
drifted nearer and nearer together
and the day came when we were en-
gagged. thought that was the happt-
est day OF my life. and 1t would have
been II she'd stayed true to her
promises"
The clock struck the single silvery
note of the half-hour and Dominick
heard it. He was interested in the
story. but he had only another half
hour to give, and said as Buford
paused:
Go on. It's very interesting. Don't
stop"
The first step in our married life
that seemed TO me strange. that cast.
not what you'd call cloud. but a
shadow. over my happiness. was that
she insisted on keeping the marriage
secret. She had several reasons, all
Of which seemed good and sufficient
TO her. She said her people would
not like her marrying a stranger far
away from home, and that they'd cut
up very ugly when they heard 1t. Her
principal reason, and the only one
that seemed to me TO have any force,
was that she feared she'd lose her
job. She had IL on good authority that
the firm where she worked wouldn't
employ married women. and II they
knew she'd got a husband who was
making a fair salary. they'd give her
the sack. Whether It was for all the
reasons together, or for Just this one
don't know. but she'd only marry me
II I'd solemnly promise to keep the
matter secret. I'd have promised her
anything. She'd out and out be-
witched me.
so we were married and went 10
housekeeping in little fat in a sub
urb. We had our mail sent to our old
address at Mrs. Heeney's. She was
in the secret, the only person who
was. We had to let her know because
of the letters, and inquiries that
might have been made for US from
time to time. We were married in the
winter, and that winter was the hap.
piest time OF my life. I'll never for.
get It. That little fat. and that little
| black-eyed woman-they were Just
! Paradise and the angel In II for me
! Not but what she had her faults; she
was hot-tempered. quick to fare up
and sharp with her tongue. But
never cared-just let her sputter and
! fizz till shed worked II all of and
then I'd take things up where they
were before the eruption began. II
was happy time-a man in love and
woman that keeps him loving-you
can't beat 1t this side Of Heaven"
/ 40 a
actor for a moment was silent and
then with a sigh went on.
Il suppose 1t was too good to last
Anyway, it ended. We'd lived that
way for six months when in the be
ginning Of June the Dramatic School
failed and l lost my job. 1t came on
us with almost no warning. and II
sort of knocked us out for bit.
wasn't as upset by 1t as Mrs. Carter
was, but she"
Who's Mrs. Carter?" said Domi
nick
MY wife. That's my name, Junius
Carter. OF course the name l use or
the stage is not my own. took that
in the Klondike, made It up from my
mothers and the name of pard
had who died, Well, as l was saying
Mrs Carter took It hard. She couldn't
seem to get reconciled to 1T. l tried
to brace her up and told her it would
only be temporary, and I'd get an
other place soon, but she was terribly
upset. We'd lived well, not saved g
cent, furnished the fiat nicely anC
kept a servant. There was nothing
for 1t but to live on what she made
1t was hard on her. but I've otter
thought she might have been easier
on me. l didn't want TO be idle or eat
the bread she paid for, Lord knows!
l tried hard enough TO get work.
tramped those streets in sun and rsir
till the shoes were falling OF my feet
But the times were hard. money was
tight, and good Jobs were not to b.
had for the asking. One OF the worst
features OF the case was that / hadnt
any regular line OF work or profession
The kind OF thing I'd Neen doing don't
At a man for any kind OF Job. II
couldn't do my own kind of stunt I'd
| a.,