Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-01-07

would not have listened to it had it
been made in the nature of charge;
it had come out Internationally as a
bit of information. 1t was then given,
after which the writer continued by
could possibly disprove the statement,
since he was seen. not by some Cos
siping old maid. but by Mrs. Timber
lake. the mother of grown children and
woman respected by all who knew
her.
"For once the poor, gossiping old maid
is not called upon to endure, the re-
sponsibility of making trouble"
Mr. Waters. never having seen or
heard of the Mrs. Mainwaring referred
to, was only troubled that his wife had
been made a dupe. Ii occurred to him
that it might be well to forestall in flu
ture any such information given his
wife, He had no respect for a tale
bearer, be the person man or woman,
and did not propose to enter defense
against such person to his own wife.
He dined alone. telling the maid that
his wife had gone to visit her mother
and her return was uncertain. Then.
lighting cigar. he strolled away to
his club.
Mrs. Waters. th1u~, SIZE could not
conceal from her mother that there
was trouble on her mind. resolutely de-
clined to tell why she had cofle. Her
husband usually returned to his home
about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and
an hour more would be required for
telegram denying the charge to reach
her.
No telegram arrived within that time
or double that time. Indeed, no mes
sage whatever arrived that night, Mrs.
Waters, not having slept any, went
downstairs in the morning expecting
that the postman would bring her
letter The postmans whistle and ring
were heard, as usual, but no letter from
Fred.
The trouble that had been brought
about by the information "she ought
to know" had increased and multiplied
overnight. First, her husband, if in
nocent of the charge, would surely
have denied at once. Surely he must
be guilty. Then came fitful flashes>of
terror lest something had happened to
him the night before and he had not
reached home at all. Perhaps he had
been run over by an automobile.
Heavens! Could it be that he was ly
ing mangled and bleeding in a hospi-
tai? If he had not been killed tele-
phone would have been sent to her at
home. But she was not at home. and
no one there knew where she was.
The contingency, though remote, was
appalling.
There are two powerful agents-the
one silence. the other nonreSiStance.
Both these seized upon Bertha Waters.
Her scheme of withdrawing as a digni-
fed wife should withdraw from a hus-
band who had been proved unfaithful
had been Il failure. She could not
stand this anxiety for another day or
even another half day. She must re-
turn.
She arrived at home at midday. The
first question she asked her maid was
whether her husband had been at
home and been given her note An
swered in the affirmative, she did not
demean herself by asking how he had
received the note. but she did ask
whether he had slept at home. She
was informed that he had, and the
/! maid did not mention that he had
looked especially gloomy or had been
heard pacing the floor at midnight. On
the whole, his wife could not discover
that he had been especially moved.
She began to dread facing him after
what had occurred. She concluded to
call him up by telephone at his Office
and hear what he had TO say This
was the brief dialogue between them:
Did you get my note?"
Yes"
81 suppose since you have not de-
MED that the information is true it is
true
I'm not in the habit of denying the
stories of talebearers. especially to my
own wife"
do you call Mrs. Timberlake a tale
bearer because she has told me what
she considered ought to know?''
Il do"
rs her story true or untrue?''
Il decline to answer
"Why?'''
Because when she told you the
story it was your duty to have asked
her to leave your house"
There was no reply to this for some
time. when sIrs Waters asked if he
would be home to dinner. He replied
that he would. provided no mention
would be made of Mrs. Timberlake or
her story. After slight hesitation
the promise was given; there was
click. and Mrs. Waters, leaving the
telephone. was obliged to content her
self till O'Clock. when her husband
would be home. She had made up her
mind from his action that there was
nothing in Mrs. Undertakes story.