Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-21
THE WELTINC OF MOLLY
By MARIA THOMPSON DAVIES
Copyright bs-hferrir Company.

cry rose up from my heart with
kind of primitive savagery at what l
felt was coming down upon nlo-
Without waiting to->take him with
me, or think, or do anything but feel
deadly savage anger, hurried across
the garden and into DR.. Moore's
office, where he was just laying off
his gloves and dust coat
ssWhat do you mean, John Moore,
by daring, daring to think you can go
and take Billy away from me?'' I de-
manded, looking at him with what
must have been such fear and mad
ness in my face that he was startled
as he came close to the table against
which l leaned. His face had grown
white and quiet at my attack and he
waited to answer for along horrible
minute that pulled me apart like one
of those inquisition machines they
used to torture women with when
they didn't know any better modern
way to do 1t.
II didn't know Bill would tell you
so soon, Mrs. Molly" he said at last
gently, looking past me out of the
window into the garden. II was
coming over Just as soon as [ got
back from this call to talk with you
about it, even If it did seem to i'm
trude Bills and my affairs into day
that-that ought to be all yours to be
be happy in But Bill. you see, is
no respecter of-of other peoples
happy days If he wants them in his -
"Billy's happy days are mine and
mine are his and he has the heart not
to leave me out even if you would
have himi" l exclaimed, a sob gather
ing in my heart at the thought that
my little lover hadn't even taken in a
situation that would separate him
from me across an ocean.
bill is too young to understand
when he isis being bereaved, Molly"
he said and still he didn't look at me.
II have been appointed a delegate to
represent the State Medical Associa-
ton at the Centennial Congress in
London the middle of next month
and somehow feel a bit pulled
lately and I thought l would take
the little chap and have-have
wanderjahr. You won't need him
now, Mrs. Peaches, and | couldn't go
without him, could II" The sadness
in his voice would have killed me
| If l hadn't let it madden me in
stead
Wont need Billy any more!" 1
exclaimed with a rage that made my
voice literally scorch past my lips.
WAS there ever a minute in his life
that I haven't needed Billy? How
dare you say such thing to me?
You are cruel, cruel, and have
always known it. cold and cruel
all other man xubn dot,,t oopa han,
they wiring the life blood out of
women's hearts and are willing to
use their children to do it with. Even
the law doesn't help us poor help
less creatures, and you can take our
children and go with them to the
ends of the earth and leave us suf-
fering. have gone on and believed
that you were not like what the
women say all men are and thai you
cared whether you hurt peagla or
not, but now l see that you $50 aust
the same and you'll take rs- sAby
away If you want to-and cz@1 do
nothing to prevent it-nothlng in the
wide world-I am completely and alb
solutely helpless-you coward, you'll"
When that awful word, the worst
| word that woman can use to a.
man, left my lips. a flame shot up
! into his eyes that I thought would
burn me up, but in a half-second II
was extinguished by the strangest
thing in the world-for the situation
"a perfect flood of mirth. He sat
down in his chair and shook all over
with his head in his hands until 1
saw tears creep through his fingers.
had Gained down SO suddenly that
I was about to begin to cry in good
earnest when he wiped his eyes and
said with low laugh in his throat
1.-THE case is yours, Molly, settled
out of court and the possession
nine points-of -the-law clause works
in some cases for a woman against a
man. Generally speaking, anyway,
the pup belongs to the man who can
whistle him down and you can whistle
Bill from me any day. I'm just his
father, and what l think or want
doesn't matter. You had better take
him and keep himl"
At intend to-" I answered haught-
| lily, uncertain as to whe | had bet
ter give in and be agreeable or stay
prepared to cry in case there was fur
| Their argument. But suddenly q
strange diffidence came into his eyes
and he looked away from me as ne
said in queer .hesitating words:
you see. Mrs. Molly, I thought
from now on your life wouldn't have
exactly a place for Bill. Have YOU
considered that you have trained him
to demand you all the time and all
of you? How would you manage Fill
--and-and other claims?"
mr. c,.,,n, r.