The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-18

night. Did you hear that she made
a soup out of smoked beef-tne
shaved sort, you know"
Somebody told me-wasn't 1t ao-
surd? l wonder who ate it," They
both laughed.
"She gave 1t to her laundress, anu
the woman told our Nora
What right has a woman 70 se'
married II she doesn't know now "
take care Of a house and make ner
husband comfortable?"
mo more right than q man mas 10
marry when he cant support q VIE.
But Bob Page is certainly holding UP
his end"
"she doesn't play fair in the matri'
monial game" was the other womans
comment. Il suppose she would %
thunderstruck to think that he was
disillusioned-I1l wager you he's SICK
and tired Of married life already.
1T will end in divorce" declared the
FIRST speaker decidedly, as they arose
and went toward the door for just tnen
the train came to q standstill In INC
big station.
Stunned by the realization OF nor
own position in the matter. as TO.
vealed by the thoughtless chatter OF
her neighbors. Nellie Page walked out
of the train and into another one tnat
was due to leave in five minutes one
thought whirled around giddily In ner
mind. She must hurry home and de-
stroy that dreadful note she had writ
ten to her husband. She must never
let him realize what selfish, unreas-
enable woman he had married. Wnat'
she asked herself. over and over
again as the train sped toward nome
what had she contributed toward the
happiness of their home?
Suppose anything happened to BOD
before she had a chance to tell MIN
that now she knew what was wrong
she would work hard to make 1t right
she would take cooking lessons-sne
would study the housekeeping maya
zines.
The more she pondered the greater
was her wonder that Bob had ever
married her; she marveled that he had
been so patient. Suppose, after all his
love for her was dead-that he was, as
the women on the train had suggest
ed, disillusioned. What would her lie
be without Bob's love and devotion?
Thoroughly frightened and remorse
full and hating herself for her blind
ness Nellie Page fairly ran down the
street toward home. Her heart almost
stopped beating when she saw light
in the sitting-room window. Bob must
be home. He had taken an earlier
train and by this time he had found
her note and read it and-Nellie die
not dare think of the look he would
give her.
The front door was unlocked and
she slipped noiselessly in and dropped
her tell-tale bag in the hall closet
Then she stood unnoticed in the door
way and looked at her husband will
questioning scared eyes.
Bob was playing with Flinders wht
frisked heavily around his master
barking sharply as Bob waved crum
pied scrap of paper to and fro ovel
the dogs head.
It was the note He had read 1t
Nellie leaned against the door. sud
den faintness assailing her. B0l
must have cared little for her II h
could give her note to the dog for
plaything.
All at once Flinders saw her, he
body stiffened and he stood rigidl,
watching her. his head poised on on
side, the little black sneer curling hi
lip.
Wool" said Flinders and tor
: across the floor to meet her as h
used to do in the days before she r.
buffed him.
What Is it," and Bob turned quicl
ly. to see his wife staring dumbly a
him. What is the matter. swee
hearth" he asked. gaining her side.
THE note, did you read it, Bob?
she gasped. pointing to the scrap c
paper he held and which was no.
nicked around the edges by the playf,
teeth of Flinders.
WAS it note?" asked Bob, SUI
3 prised. why. no. When got home
! found Flinders chewing this scrap {
) paper into a ball and we've been pla
! ing with It," He smoothed 1t out II
q tie and then shook his head over th
half obliterated characters. 1T wa
4 written in pencil and guess Finder
. has chewed all the sense out of It,"
r declared, tossing the paper into tn
waste basket.
d Nellie was down on the floor h
. arms around Flinders whom she WI
Il hugging. She turned a rosy face U
J. to her husband. "Oh, Bobby, dear,
d ever you're tempted to write perfee
Q ly silly. unjust note to anybody-ju
!. write 1t in pencil and leave 1t arour
n for Flinders to DESTROY"
d Then Nellie Page crept into her hu
d bands loving arms and told him Il
whole story.
< Because 1t will take both of us
d play the matrimonial game-and pl,
& 1t fairly" she said. in the light of h
d new understanding.