News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-06-10
w9es.n he answered icIiy.

! its"
Like flash the possibility of an
other woman came into her mind.
But she dismissed it as quickly as it
had come. She would not insult him
or herself-or their love by such a
suggestion.
Il am another man from the one
you married." Slade agreed, "but you
wouldn't see it,"
is it my fault that married man
who's turned into somebody else?"
Mary argued, fighting, fighting for her
| life, her happiness-for him. Il mar
| ried you, Dan. l married a poor young
fellow who was hard worked and /
| helped him along. We started fair,
Dan, but this amt fair" lapsing more
and more into poor grammar and dia-
lect as her excitement rose. you got
| beyond me, but it was because |
worked and saved the pennies for you,
while you went out and got helped and
learned. Cooking didn't learn me.
didn't even know l was behind the
times or unsatisfactory until one day
YOU"
Slade nervously assured himself
that all the doors were tightly closed.
He suppressed the twinge of shame
for his stealthy action by assuring
himself that it was not fear-simply
business caution. To his cowardly
wrenching CT his wife's heart he gave
no thought at all. 1t was a move in
the game. He made it as dispassion-
ately as one moves a cheSSman on
the board. Mary was looking at him
with a new light in her brown eyes
as he turned to her again. She spoke
again.
at was all right until you made
that lucky deal, Dan, with the money
I helped you to make and you pulled
me out from behind my stove and
tried to make me a parlor ornament.
I'd hate to think where you'd been
today, if yer had. Five years ago you
took all the work l loved to do out of
my hands and now you're furnishing
me because did work."
mo, I'm not" Slade demonstrated
moved in spite of himself by her
blulpI6, SlOluSuL
yes, yuh are, Dan, you're just as
good as whipping me for layin' up
the foundation of every dollar you've
got and here l am at my age, sitting
in idleness in a great big barn Of a
house with my job gone," she finished
patheticalIy.
We'll, that's life," declared Slade
unfeelingly.
Then it's pretty poor thing" and |
she shook her head sadly. No, it amt
life. 1t shouldn't be. There's some
thing wrong in a mans getting so
far up he can't live with the wife he
married because she cooked and
worked instead of playing. 1t amt
just!"
ooh, what's the use, Nary" Slade
sighed YEARLY, as though he. and
not she, were the injured one.
DAN" Mary lowered her voice and
looked at him earnestly. eff l brought
up a girl today and we were poor,
would you advise me to say, Take
piano lessons, learn languages, keep
up to the times, never mind doing
your share or being economical""
I'm not going to argue" Slade re-
Piled loftily.
"Yuh can't, Dan," declared Mary
with conviction. There amt no ar
gument It's one-sided. Suppose I'd
changed and you'd stayed the same,
what would all your friends say?
Poor Slade, his wife's crazy-or bad
probably bad No, yer can't get me
to see it,"
well, whether you see it or not,
that's just where we stand You'd
better let me call Robert to take you
home"
"Wait, DAN" she pleaded. "Wirl
you see me again at home, if go
now?"
There was a tense pause. slade did
not reply.
81 see, see." She dropped YEARLY
into a chair and suddenly the tears
started in her eyes.
please, Mary, remember where you
are" Slade was a trifie less cold.
"Fll let you know my plans. All you
have to do is to abide by them. You
say you'll do anything for me, that's
all ask you to do, abide by my plans.
/ wish you much happiness, the best
of everything, life beyond anything
you ever had" and he was rapidly
being carried away by his own mag
nanimity. Il shall always think of
you with the greatest affection" he
concluded taking on a patronizing air
and trying to make himself believe
his own empty sentiments. His self
had been severely torn in the
last few moments of his wife's talk.
He had almost caught a glimpse of
himself as he really was, but he was
regaining what he was pleased to con-
slider control of himself.
well, you've conquered" Mary
dabbed her eyes and nose and tried |
to muster up sufficient courage to
meet the situation. 81 give in. I'll 1
abide by your plans. Whatever you {
want me to do" her voice broke into
n L . ! .