Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-04
TO-DAY's INSTALLMENT.

1910 DS D. u Lippihcott company
TODAY'S INSTALLMENT.
Twenty seventh chapter-centinued.
She christcned me her little Irish
! bambinO. meaning her child; and one
night In her drawing room, after din
! ner before the men had Joined US,
! she called me 10 her side on the couch
! ~ q n.eGrcttc, crossed hcr legs. and
gave ms with startling canGor her
views of The marriage bond.
what can you expect, you wom-
en? She said. You run after the
men for their titles they've very IT.
| tie else. except debts. uoor things -
and Wha, ls the result? The first
result Is that though YOU have bought
! them YOU belong to them. Yes, your
husband owns his beautiful woman,
! just as ne owns his beautiful horse OF
his beautiGl dog
This was so pointed that | felt my
face growing crimson. but Alma and
the other women only laughed, so the
Countess went on:
Wait then? once in a blue moon
each goes his and her own way with
out sin. You agree TO a sort OF part
nors hip for mutual advantage in which
you live together in chastity under
the same roof. What a life! What an
icehouse,'
Again he other women laughed, but
| felt myself bushing deeply.
But in the ma jority of cases il Is
quite otherwise The business pr
pose achieved, each is open to other
emotions The man becomes unfaithful
and the woman, if she has any spirit,
pays him out tit for tat-and why
shouldn't She"
After that I could bear no more.
and before | knew what | was saying
blurted out.
But | find that wrong and wicked.
Inhdelity on the part OF the man does
not justify infiGelity in the woman.
The prayer book says so.
Alma burst out laughing. and the
Countess smiled and continued
"Once In a hundred years there
comes great passion-Dante and
Beatrice. Petrarch and Laura Tho
woman meets the right man TOO late.
What a tragedy! What daily and
hourly crucifxion! Unless" said the
Countess, with emphasis, she is pre-
pared to renounce the law ard reject
society and live life OF complete
emancipation But in Catholic
country. where there is no divorce.
what woman can afford to do that?
Nobody in the higher class can--espe-
cially If she has to sacrifice her title.
So the wise woman avoids scandals,
keeps her little affair with her lover
and herself and and that's
marriage, my dears.
tWitter of approval. led by Alma.
came from the other women, but |
was quivering with anger and | said;
"Then marriage Is hypocrisy and
an imposture If ! found / loved some
body better than my husband, should
so to him in spite of the law, and
society, and title and and
everything"
"Of course, you would, my dear"
said the Countess. smiling at me as
at a child, but that's because you
are such a sweet. simple. innocent
little Irish bambino."
1t mus; have been a day or two af-
ter this that we were invited to the
Roman Hunt had no wish TO go,
but Alma who had begun TO use me
In order to save her face" in rela-
ton to my husband. induced me to-
drive them out in motor car to the
place in the Campagna where they
were to mount their horses.
Dear sweet girl said Alma. How
could we possibly go without you?"
IL was Sunday, and sat between
Alma in her riding habit and my
husband in his riding breeches. while
we ran through the Porta San Gio-
vanui. and past the osterie where
the pleasure loving Italian people
we're playing under the pergolss with
their children, until we came To the
meeting ground of the hunt by the
Trappist monastery of Tire Fontane.
The Young Doctor.
\ large company of the Roman