Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-09-17

CHAPTER I.
By GERTRUDE STEVENSON


newspaper In the handsomely appoint
ed library OF his spacious home. To
all intents he was man at peace with
the world. He had money and power.
He had advanced from a penniless
miner to millionaire figure in the
business world. At fifty his were the
fruits OF well-spent, energetic life.
Handsome and immaculate in his per-
fectly tailored evening clothes, he TT
ted into the beautiful room with it's
rich tapestries and oriental rugs with
all the ease and naturalnegs Of a man
born to culture and wealth.
Every now and then his eyes wan
dered from his newspaper to the fig
IRE Of his wife sitting at the other side
81 the richly carved table. The tiny,
unimposing little woman in her badly
cut, dun-colored gown was the one In.
congruous detail In the room. She
was like a shabby little prairie flower
suddenly transplanted to a conserva-
tory where brilliant orchids and lovely
soses bloomed all about her, her faint
little fragrance overpowered by their
heavy sweetness-her delicate lowell.
ness completely submerged by very
contrast with the radiant beauty OF
Der surroundings.
To SHADES critical eyes. the dowdy
little figure, with the work basket I'm
her lap and her head bent over the
stocking she was contentedly darning,
vas an actual eyesore He had fitted
Hp a magnificent home that would
nave made perfect setting for prin-
sess, and His wife's appearance had
BOT changed q particle from the days
when they lived in a tumble-down cot
Eage and he worked in the mines In his
shirtsIeeves. With the getting OF vast
amounts OF money he had acquired q
veneer Of manners and tastes that ut
dmes failed to conceal the rough and
brutal instincts of the real man. His
social horizon was enlarging, but
within 1t his wife seemed to find no
place He wanted, beyond this and
everything, to climb the political tree
and pick the fruits thereof. His wife
seemed not to know that there was
such a thing as a political tree to
climb. With herself, her husband and
her work she was contented and
happy.
The wives OF other men of his po-
sition were social queens noted for
heir beautiful gowns, their entertain
ug and their clever wit. He alone
sas shackled to a woman he would
his friends. Only he was tied to a
wife he could not force either by
pleading or argument to enter into
The life which meant so much to him.
Tonight as he rehearsed in his
mind his many unsuccessful efforts to
make Mary advance and take an inter
est In his life as it was now, rebellion
surged In his heart. He had struggled
year after year to attain his present
standing, his present position in the
world, and Mary, the one loved thing
Of his life, insisted on hanging like u
milestone arouEd his neck.
Why, oh, why, couldn't the woman
progress? Why hadn't she developed
as he had done? Why was she com
placently sitting there satisfied to re-
main jast as she had been twenty
years ago. hopelessly behind the
times?
And II she wouldn't advance-why
should he consent to be held back by
herr II she wouldn't go on with him
he would leave her behind. The
thought. and the resultant decision
had their birth suddenly but positively
In the mans mind. He would make
one more argument, one last appeal
II Mary wouldn't meet him half way,
Mary could stay behind with her ever
lasting darning and her eternal knit
ting. She could wash aud cook and
stew and sew, IL she liked. but she
couldn't do Il In his mansion.
But Daniel S'ade was no more un'
comfortable at having her there than
Mary Slade was at being obliged to
i've In this great, elegant house, with
fts crowds OF servants and it's routine
absolutely foreign and well-nigh hate
full to her. She knew she didn't al
into her surroundings She realized
her own fnharnoHy. Her attempts tc
look natural and feel comfortable
were pathetic. She felt lost withou'
the task of overseeing the Mondays
washing. She was heart-broken be
cause she couldn't personally superin
tend the making of Dams coffee. Hei
iise was incomplete because hired
cook made the bread that was served
on tse table and because Dan neVei
seemed to miss the evenly bpowr
loaves that had been her especia!
pride in the old days.
Mary Slade was az commonplace al
q cup of boiled tea She was plain
ordinary, everyday woman. who iovet
q Simple, unpretentious life. with tht
neighbors dropping In for q word o.
two, exchanging recipes for mufini
and debating the proper way to sea
son n stew.
There was neither charm nor com
fort for her In the vista Of rooms open
ing out from the spacious library. IN.
hrocaded chairs were straight ant
didn't rock. They were high-2ostet
and stiited compared to her ovn low
seated little rocker In the rsstage
When she sat back In then, stim,