Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-12-03
onuraa "a lrnn.a,aon No. sassrra 81 raria neasae
By GERTRUDE STEVENSON

science: Il didn't know didn1
know"
.If we'd only had children" Mary
sobbed, losing herself In complete col
lapse. Nothing counts but children. /
They're all we get out OF marrsage |
when we're old. II we'd only had
children, he couldn't have Left mo hke
this" her shoulders shook.
Katherine started 10 her feet, un-
able longer to bear the sight Of the
woman'a suffering.
"Don't cry. Mrs. Slade, donf cry
she pleaded.
"My God!'' Mary exclaimed How
| am I a-goin' to live out my lifei
| can't. | can't. I'm used to him, and
| now he's going TO have another woman
| near him" There was renunciAsinn
and anguish and anger In her out
burst 'And I've lived with him al
these years. can't help lcvin' him.
she sobbed
Katherine watched her. Mghast at
the vision OF love such as she had
4 never before realized. The hot tears
filed her eyes and her lips tremhled.
Unable to fight any longer. she
stretched out her hand and touched
the older woman gently. aimost reyer.
/ sntly,
"Oh, please please don't cry Ike
that" she begged. II can't stand Il
u Oh, please don't" and suddsnly her
emotions swept away her control
her rsmembrance of why she haa
come--of everything but this slender.
j sobbing little woman. She nung hsT
arms around Mary, burying her face
on her shoulder. The woman In her
i. rose up and rebeiled at what she had
been about to do. Love, not OF the
world, mastered the worldly In hsT,
j az the tears overflowed.
Mrs. Slade, you fight," she sobbed,
I hreathlessly. Never mind what! You
fghtl He loves you best after all
I've seen that Don't you give In!
. You'll get him back. She's an out
: and-out bad, heartlees. selfish creature
i She's bad--bad, sitting every good
4 honest impulse for money money
. You're right to hate Il. II liz . dirt
q thing IL he were poor she wouldn'
L look at him. Don't you mind and dcn'
I! you cry, Mrs. Elade. You fight--agh
b them~-all" and she loosened her arsnl
r and sank sobbing and heartbroken
q into chair, throwing her head on he
r outstretched arms In perfect abaI
b don OF repentance and grief.
g. For a few moments the two womel
{, sobbed brokenly. Mary was the frs
10 recover.
t There. there" she cried, pattin
d Katherine tenderly on the shoulder
q don't you cry for me-"
II Suddenly Hayes appeared In the doc
It way. He hooked first at Mary, the
lie at Katherine. Katherine, her fac
1t still buried, her sobs sttli uncontrollet
had not heard him open the door. On
le sight OF the two women was enous
If 60 convince him that in the encounte
" | the stronger had been defeated an
4. that the gentle little woman whol
ly he loved had come OF the victor.
b. Mary stood looking from Hayes
10 Katherine In bewildered perplexft
ia Suddenly her eyes lighted with
10 thought. She began to read her q
4. swer In Bob's eyes, but he turned
i'd avoid her glance. She looked aga
It, at the sobbing girl and as she did
IN the conviction came to her TIL
lie Katherine was the woman her hu
:" band was planning to marry. 81
LII opened her mouth as IL to Rpea
e. and turned questioningiy again
Bob. But Hayes could not meet b
n eyes. Suddenly Mary pointed an q
In cusing finger at Katherine's bows
he head. "She! oh-h!" she gaaped.
~ Katherine. unconscious OF the rev
err lation that had Just taken place. vi
wv still sobbing bitterly. but with swes
-- er tears than she had shed for man
ng many years. The sight Of the SIR
Is misery called for all the treasures
Dr.. love end sympathy In Mary's natui
es sweetened by long years OF forgiyil
er and self-sacrifice.
IN There. there. there" shs croons