Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-06-12
HER LACK OF FAITH
Young Bride Jealous of Own Note
Found in Husbands
Pocket.
BY clARISSA MACKIE.

Copyright, 1914, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
Young Mrs. Dewey took her hus
bands brown coat and sat down In the
sunny window to sew on a missing
button.
Antoinette Dewey had been married
only three months and she still be
lieved Jim to be without a fault-un
less 1t might be the minor one oil
twisting his coat buttons when he was
talking busily
This is the third time I've sewed
on this blessed button" smiled An
toinette as she shipped off the thread
At that moment her hand brushed the
pocket of the coat and something
cracked
Il do wonder II he has forgotten
to mail my letter to Edith! forgot
TO ask him and he is so absent mind
ed. It's funny she hasn't answered
If"
Antoinette's slim fingers had gone
down into the inner breast pocket OF
the brown coat They brought up a
half dozen letters, a railroad time
table and leather card case.
She picked out the letter to Edith
Delano and actually gave the brown
coat pinch as she tossed It on a
chair. 81 must telephone to her at
once. What will she think OF me?"
Antoinette sat down before the tele-
phone and pulled the instrument to-
ward her. While she waited for re.
sponse to her call. she stacked the
other letters on the desk.
Just as Mrs. Delanos voice came
thrilling over the wire, Antoinette. her
eyes idly scanning the package Of let
ters she had taken from her hus.
bands coat, noticed that the top one
was without an envelope. 1t was
hastily written In pencil on tiny
sheet OF paper and the signature was
folded underneath The writing was
rubbed and blurred as II the note had
been carried around in Jim's pocket
The idea!" breathed Antoinette
quickly.
Then she had to talk to her friend
and when apologies had been prof
fered and accepted and some girlish
gossip exchanged, Antoinette rang of
and slowly picked up the little note.
For a long time she sat there with
Il In her hand she shrank from
opening the sheet and reading the
words-but she was Jims wife and
she ought 10 know! For It was q
Noman's writing-and that fact ex.
planned how Antoinette Dewey put
honor aside and deliberately read the
note
II. was tantallzingly short-for one
who wanted to know!
Dearest: The days are co hours
long while YOU are away Come back
soon to Your own"
The hor-hor-horrid-- --creature'
sobbed Antoinette, after awhile The
bold thing--to write like that to n
married mani never would have
believed II OF Jlm-oh. Jim. Jim
Jim"
Antoinette flung herself down on
the couch and allowed her bitter tears
TO soak into the brown coat. After
awhile she arose and removed the
traces or tears She stared at the re.
Election OF her wan. white face and
laid down the hand.mirror with a gasp
OF jismay. A few minutes later she
put on her hat and a thick veil. She
went TO the corner drug store and
when she returned she set forth on
her dressing table a number OF little
Jars and bottles.
Antoinette had never used rouge
in her life but now to hide the raw.
ages of grief. she restored her com.
pleXion 10 lts usual brilliancy and the
highly satisfactory result lent an
equally artincial expression OF happi
ness TO her face She put on n becom.
ing frock OF pale blue linen and piled
her hair on top OF her head.
When Jim Dewey reached home
that night he found pretty little wife
waiting for him.
After his first quick kiss Jim drew
back and stared hard at Antoinette;
his look coldly impersonal and his
manner stifH.
What has happened'" he asked
quickly.
He has guilty conscience," :"
thought Antionette Ms she sat down
hastily for fear her trembling knees
would give way.
What did YOU expect 10 happen ~
she retorted lightly
jim looked az her closely ana his
mouth grew sulky. Nothing" he said
curtly' and with that word the con.
ycrsatiun languished
II was a hldeuus meal TO both q,
them. Antoinettt scarcely touched
her food and Jim refused dessert
was his iayorite pudding. too Even
Nora noticed that something was
wrong and tried 10 patch up the quar-.
rel In her own Kind hearted way. for.
when the meal was over and she was
washing dishes In tho kitchen tbey
could hear her strong soprano sing.
Ing Justify: "Tls Only Love Can
SOV,ne a Broken Heart"
Jim settled down 10 read tho ovo.
ming paper ana Antoinette picked nm
some sewing hut her fingers tromblod
and her eyes tilled with tears Che