Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-04
TO-DAY'S INSTALLMENT.
chapter-cOntinued

She christened me her little Irish
bambino. meaning her child, and one
night In her drawing room, after din
ner before the men had joined US,
she called me to her side on the couch,
lit cigarette, crossed her legs, and
gave Us with startling candor her
views Of the marriage bond.
What can you expect you wom-
en-" she said you run after the
men for their titles they've very lit
tie else, except debts. poor things -
and what IS the result? The first
result is that though you have bought
them YOU belong to them. Yes, your
husband owns his beautiful woman,
Just as he owns his beautiful horse or
his beautiful dog"
This was so pointed that ! felt my
face growing crimson, but Alma and
the other women only laughed, so the
Countess went on
wait then? once in a blue moon
each goes his and her own way with
out sin You agree TO "A sort of part
nership for mutual advantage in which
you live together in chastity under
the same roof What life! What an
icehouse!'
Again the other women laughed, but
felt my self biushing deeply
But Ia the ma jority of cases il IS
quite otherwise. The business par
pose achieved, each is open to other
emotions. The man becomes unfaithful
and the woman, if she has any spirit,
pays him out tit for tat-and why
shouldn't she?'
After that / could bear no more,
and before knew what ! was saying
blurted out;
But find that wrong and wicked,
lnhdelity on the part Of the man does
not justify inhdelity in the woman.
The prayer book says so.
Alma burst out laughing, and the
Countess smiled and continued:
"Once I'm a hundred years there
comes a great passion Dante and
Beatrice, Petrarch and Laura. Tho
woman meets the right man too late.
What tragedy What daily and
hourly crucifXion, Unless said the
Countess. with emphasis. she Is pre-
pared to renounce the law and reject
society and live "A life Of complete
emancipation, But in a Catholic
country, where there is no divorce,
what woman can afford to do that?
Nobody in the higher class can-espe-
cially If she has to sacrifice her title.
So the wise woman avoids scandals,
keeps her little affair with her lover
and herself and and that's
marriage, my dears.
twitter Of approval. led by Alma,
came from the other women, but
was quivering with anger and | said:
Then marriage is hypocrisy and
an imposture If found ] loved SOME
body better than my husband, | should
20 to him in spite OF the law, and
society, and title and and
everything.
"Of course, you would. my dear"
said the Countess, smiling at me as
at child, but that's because you
are such a sweet, simple, innocent
little Irish bambino."
II must have been a day or two af-
ter this that we were invited to the
Roman Hunt | had no wish to go,
but Alma who had begun to use me
in order to save her face" in rela-
tion to my husband, induced me to
drive them out in a motor car TO the
place in the Campagna where they
were to mount their horses.
Dear, sweet girl said Alma. How
could We possibly go without you?"
II was Sunday, and | sat between
Alma In her riding habit and my
husband I'm his riding breaches, while
we ran through the Porta San Clio
vanni, and past the osterie where
the pleasure loving Italian people
were playing under the pergolas with
their children, until we came TO the
meeting ground of the hunt by the
Trappist monastery of Tire Fontane.
The Young Doctor,
A large company of the Roman