Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-07-24
WHY LEFT MY WIFE

AEwH we mdTrl0U. 110dV0n KNOWS
EXXXT there was no need for either
Of us to marry if we did not
want to. Doris could have had any
one Of several eligibles whom she
kept dangling after her-never quite
refusing a man until he insisted upon
her taking him or leaving him; while
I was very well satisfied with my life
as a bachelor physician with enough
money to keep me comfortable until
made q success of my practice. And,
as to him that hath is usually given,
so. as / was not dependent for bread
and butter upon the practise Of medi-
cine, was soon earning enough from
my profession to put jam on my bread
and to buy the "gilt-edged' quality of
butter. To drop the metaphor, I had
a handsomely furnished Office, and
lived with my mother. spent many
evenings at my club, and had goodly
number of friends. Altogether, my
life was a comfortable one in every
way-until / fell in love. Then I
thought could never be happy until
Doris married me-, Perhaps would
not have been. Who knows?
1 do not mean to be frivolous; but
in contemplating the follies in ones
life one must laugh-or curse.
All married people have their lit
tie squabbles, their little differences
of opinion, suppose, and | regarded
the arguments and disputes that my
wife and had as part and parcel OF
every welded life. For the first year
or two we were very well satisfied
with each other, and with our new
surroundings.
AS a physician had, of course, a
right and duty to keep professional
business to myself, but as / did not
mention this fact to Doris until an is
sue was raised, she did not know how
much or how little told her OF my
private affairs. When we had been
married about eighteen months, how
ever, had occasion to express my
views upon the subject. A patient
sent me letter which came when I
was out. This patient CHANGED also
to be a friend of my wife, and when
Doris saw her handwriting on the en-
velope she jumped to the conclusion
chat the writer had made a mistake
and that the letter was meant for her.
So she opened it. In doing this she
did not tear the envelope, as the flap
did not adhere tightly, and came un-
fastened easily, without marring the
Daper When Doris had read the let
ter, which was a request that CALI
professionally, the following evening,
she simply touched thu envelope-hap
with a drop of mucilage, and closed It,
putting the letter with other mail
on my Office table. Naturally I did
not mention the matter of her friend 8;
indisposition to Doris. In fact, knew
that the patient was averse to having
anyone know Of it. So when, at din
ner the next evening, Doris remarked
81 suppose you are going over to the
Clarksons' tonight?" / started slight
ly, then recovered myself.
"Ah! Mrs. Clarkson told you she
had sent for me, did she?" ! COM
mented.
My wife smiled and said nothing.
Later when I referred to the matter
in talking to Mrs. Clarkson, saying
that, Of course, I had not felt at
liberty to mention her illness to my
wife until I learned that she had
heard of it from the patient herself,
was informed that was mistaken,
and that nobody but the patient ana
her husband knew that she was not
perfectly we'll.
Suspecting that my wife had opened
my mail, reproached her with having
done so. She reminded me that, not
knowing I was the Clarksons' physt-
clan, it was quite natural that she
should have made the mistake think
ing that the letter addressed in her
friends handwriting was meant for
her, and that the dr." on the en-
velope had been written in error.
why didn't you tell me what you
nad done?" demanded sharply.
She tossed her head. We'll, If you
must know, because / was afraid you
would scold-as you are doing now.
You see. was right in my fears.
A week later l CHANGED to see lying
at my wife's plate one morning let
Ter addressed to her In the handwrit-
Ing of man whom / knew, and who
was an occasional caller at our home.
! supposed that when Doris came
1oWn to breakfast she would explain
tne letter to me. Instead, she opened
It, glanced over it, refolded it, re-
turned it to its envelope, and opened
ana read the rest of her correspon-
uehee' AS I was leaving the house,
sue remarked carelessly:
Shall you be at home to luncheon ?"
,,r replied that l expected to be.
'Why?" asked.
Katie will take care of you,' she
informed me, ''for / shall not be in. ;"
All" / said, ST did not know that
you mad anything on hand for this
morning"
am lunching downtown. with q
~T g, she replied briefly.
me next day one of my patients
+Se sI carelessly and innocently,
A1 ~ -