Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-16

| listening TO them also found my p
| self refreshing my memory OF the
| hideous scene In Paris and wonder
| ing why / had ccndoned the offense
| by staying an hour longer under my
| husbands protection.
And then there was always another
| force at work within me my own Sc =
| Cret passion Though sometimes
| felt myself 10 be a wretched sinner
/ and thought the burden ! had to bear
| was heavens punishment for my
! guilty love at other times my whole
soul rose In revolt. and cried out
not merely for separation from my
! husband, but for absolute sunderinR.
Twice during the painful period OF
+, the house party heard from Martin.
| His first letter was full OF accounts of
| the far reaching work OF his expedi-
| tion-the engaging OF engineers, cleo
| tricians, biologists and masons, and
| the shipping Of great stores OF wire .
less apparatus for his spirits seemed
| to be high. and life was full Of good
| things for him
His second letter told me that
| everything was finished, and he was
20 visit the island the next week, go-
ing first TO the old folks" and com e.
| ing to me for few days Immediately
before setting sail
That brought matters to a head.
and compelled me to take action.
II may have been weak of me, but
not wanting repetition OF the scene
with Father Dan (knowing well that
Martin would not bear II with the
same patience), | sent the second let
ter TO Alma, asking II the arrange -
menl would be agreeable. She re
turned il with the Endorsement
(scrlbbled in pencil across the face),
certainly; anything TO please you.
dear"
submitted even to that Perhaps
was poor spirited thing, wanting
Ia proper pride, but | had q feeling
that II was not worth while to waste
myself in little skuibs of temper, be
cause an eruption was coming q
was sure of that in which Martin
would be concerned on my side, ana
then everybody and everything would
be swept out OF the path OF my life
forever
Martin came In due course ! read
In hte iusular newspapers OF his ar
rival on the island-how the people
had turned out in crowds TO cheer him
at the pier. and how, on reaching our
own village the neighbors U knew the
names of all Of them) had met him at
the railway station and taken him 10
his mothers house. and then lighted
fires on the mountains for his well
come home.
II cut me to the hearts core 10
think of Martin amid thrilling scenes
like those while | was here among de-
grading scenes like these. My love for
Martin was now like a wound, and /
resolved that. come what might. be-
fore he reached Castle Raa | should
liberate myself from the thraldom OF
my false position
Father Dams counsels had faded
away by this time Though | had
prayed Tor strength to bear my bur
den, there had been no result, and one
morning, standing before the figure Of
the Virgin in my bedroom, | felt an
impulse to blow out her lamp and
never to light 1t again.
The end of it all was that deter
mined to see the Bishop and my
fathers advocate Mr. Curphy, and
perhaps my father himself, that /
might know one way or the other
where ! was, and what was TO be-
come OF me,
News came that my father had sud
denly fallen III OF some ailment that
puzzled the doctors. and. making this
my reason and excuse, spoke to my
husband. asking II ! might go home
for two or three days.
why not" he said, in the tone of
one who meant. Who's keeping you?"
Then, in my weakness. | spoke to
Alma. who answered:
Certainly my sweet girl We shall
miss you dreadfullN. but It's your
duty And then youll see that dear
Mr. &c" What dye callum ~
t1naly, feeling myself poor pitt
fm hypocrite. apologlzed for my
going away TO the guests also, and
they looked as II they might say:
wen survive Il, perhaps"
That night before my departure my
maid said
Perhaps your Jadyship has forgot
ten that my times up, but III stay
until you return II you want me to-
asked her II she would like to
stay with me altogether. and she said
Indeed | should, my lady. Any
woman would like TO stay with a
good mistress If she is a little quick
sometimes And II YOU don't want me
to go to your fathers | may be Of
some use TO YOU here before YOU come
back again
saw that her mind was stijl run
ming on divorce. but did not reprove
her now. for mine was turning in the
same direction.
Next morning most Of the guests
came TO the han door TO see me off,
and They gave me a shower OF indul-
gent smiles as the motor car moved
away