Licking Valley courier., 1913-09-04

TO answer Scr long, horrible minute
that pulled me apart like one Of those
Inquisiton machines they used to tor
ture women with when they didn't
know any better modern way to do It,
81 didn't know Bill would tell you so
soon, Mrs. Molly" he said ut last gent
ly, 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 yon about 1t. even
IL 1t did seem to intrude Bil's 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 9th
er 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 II you would
have hfmp'. | exclaimed. sob gather
ing in my heart Mt the thought that my
little lover hadn't even taken In a sit
uation 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.
81 have been appointed delegate to
represent the State Medical association
at the centennial congress In London
the middle of next month. and some
how feel bit pulled lately, and !
thought would take the little chap
and have-have 'wnnderjahr. You
won't need him now. Mrs. Peaches,
and | couldn't go without him, could
n" The sadness in his voice would
have killed me IL hadn't let 1t mad
den me instead.
won't need Billy any moreT ! ex-
claimed. with n rage that made my
voice literally scorch past my lips.
was there ever minute in his life
that haven't needed Billy? How dare
you say such thing to me? You are
cruel. cruel. and have always known
it-cold and cruel like all other men
who don't care how they wiring the life
blood out of wOmens hearts and are
willing to use their children to do II
with. Even the law doesn't help us
poor helpless 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 wo'
men say all men are and that you
cared whether you hurt people or not
but now see that you are just the
same, and you'll take my baby away
II you want to. and can do nothing
to prevent it-nothing in the wide
world. | am completely and absolute
ly helpless. You coward, your
When that awful word, the wors
word that II woman can use to man
left my lips n flame shot up into his
eyes that thought would burn me up
but In q half second II was extinguish
ed by the strangest thing In the worl(
for the sltuution-a perfect Hood o.
mlrth. He sat down in his chair ant
shook all over. with his head In hii
hands. until saw tears creep through
his fingers. had Gained down 81
suddenly that ] was about to begin 4
cry In good earnest when he wiped hi
eyes and said with low laugh In hi'
throat:
"The case is yours, Molly. settled on
Of court, and the possession min
points Of the law clause works i
some cases for a woman against
man. Generally speaking anyway. tn
pup belongs to the man who can whls
tie him down. aud you can whistle Bi
from me any day, I'm Just his father
and what think or want doesn't mat
ter You had better take him an
keep him"
~ intend to-" | answered haughtily
uncertain as to whether ! had bette
give In and be agreeable or stay pre-
pared to cry in case there was furthe
argument. But suddenly strange dii
iidence came into his eyes. aud he lool
cd away from me as he said In quee
hesitating words:
"You see, Mrs. Molly, thought froI
now on your life wouldn't have exac
~ place for Bill. Have yon consl'
cred that you have trained him to d,
mand you all the time and all Of you
How would you manage Blll-and'
and other clnlmsg"