Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-14

fOllies. He had always been decent.
His conscience was clear. And - he
had never loved any one but her. He
had had few ephemeral boyish fan
cies, such as he had had for Ka.e
Boyd, whom he had been beauing
about a bit before Marcia came home
from college. He was too chivalrous
Of mind to have 1t come to his mind
that Kate might have cared. She had
been jolly, Kate.
Christmas cold and snow and good
cheer all passed. Stephen Wright
felt numb. His anger had left him,
and only helpless, hurt remained.
He had given up going anywhere lest
he meet her, as he had done, a few
times. Once he had taken Kate, In
the old way, to little company
Marcia was there. Somehow she
managed to avoid even speaking to
him, and early in the evening went
home with headache which he be
lieved to be unreal. Twice thereafter
he met her ON the street. Her dark
bright eyes seemed not to see him.
| Then he refused invitations from the
set to which they both belonged. He
would not trouble her nor torture
!. himself.
| That was a bad winter. January
and February crawled by. March
came suddenly, unseasonably warm.
The SHOWS melted to rivers in the
streets. People caught colds, but an
electric shock of vitality passed
through everything. Spring was on
the way.
On such an afternoon Stephen, his
face a little thin and drawn, left the
oyerwork of the office and strolled
out into the air. He began for the
millionth time to wonder why Marcia
had-then he stopped himself. That
way lay heartbreak and sort of
madness. But--he still wanted ar
explanation. He accepted dismissal:
! that was her right Perhaps when
summer came she would remember
and pity and send him word. He
no longer had any pride In the mat
ter. She could do as she would with
him.
The sun was hot, though the winl
was cold in Swallowed places, and.
wandering about, he could no longer
control his worriment. He must find
distraction He turned asido to allow
the passing of group Of young girls,
shining-eyed, white-gloved, festive
with violets on their open coats.
matinee-bound He looked after rhen
Youth and beauty meant nothing to
him but Marcia; but he needed dt.
version He also would 60 to the
theater. though he knew the play
would be drivelins.
He bought his ticket, checked his
coat and found his seat. The curtain
was yet down and the orchestra play
ing in the dim place. Women we're
chattering all about him.
revealed about what Stephen Wright
had expected little truth, much
mere rot. He wondered why people
should need amusement SO much -
why this should amuse them. But
some of it was not bad. 1t all turned
on misunderstanding between
lovers, separated by the Vaccinations
of Jealous woman. The theme was
very, very threadbare and ancient.
He wondered If such things really
happened? In plays, unlike life.
however, things were cleared up.
Everybody knew why. There was
explanation.
Gazing about between the acts, he
saw Kate at the edge Of box. Hs
studied her face. 1t was queerlv
drawn and pale almost tragically
worried. He had not seen her Of late
He reproached himself for neglectin5
friend just because he happened to
be wretched himself.
He straightway rose and went for
moments talk. She was very con
strained and quiet. No, she had not
been i'll. She was afraid he was too
late about coming to see her. She
was starting that night for the west
to live with a widowed aunt. Yes, IL
was sudden. It must be = good-by
AS the curtain went up she gave him
her hand. It was cold as ice and she
was white He went back to his seat.
Was all the world gone wrong?
The wise old man who explained
things to everybody in the play hei
the center of the stage in this last
act. Stephen found himself really
listening.
"A man is helpless with women, .
said the man In the play. They
fight each other and use him for a
tool. They leland he believes them,
and perhaps his whole life is spoiled
by a jealous whim which he dies
ignorant Of. Men come out in the
open and explain. Women let pride
or jealousy make fends of them at
moments, though they are angels
when themselves. You can't blame
| them-it is a sort of insanity, not to
be straightforward. How they will
II let a man suffer for lack Of word or
/ two!" There was more of 1t all
banal enough, all, to his taste, le
tie cheap, but perhaps with grain
| of truth.
Then an usher handed him a folded
note. He glanced up at the box, but
i Kate Boyd was not there. He forgot
everything, reading her penciled
not. 1t began without preface:
GO straight out and see Marcia
She will be waiting for you. for be-
fore you get there she will have a
note from me telling her what this
says to you.
/. Last November I lied to her
was afraid you loved her. l care