The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-04-28
AVE-
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AS I looked at Mary sitting
there SO calm and yet 90 perfectly
decided In the course she had
mapped out for herself in abso-
lutely eliminating not only Jack.
but all thought of him. from her
life l really felt sorry for him.
Don't misunderstand me, little
book, knew Jack was only going
to get what he deserved, but If he
had only realized that he had In
Mary and Mary's love the one
priceless treasure that all human
ity seeks--a mate-another part
of ones self, something more
than friend, lover. sweetheart or
wife, he would have died before
he would have let her 60 out of
his life.
Mary, with her high ideals,
could have been this to Jack. In
deed, she was eager to be 1t, but,
for fear the bonds that must bind
one to its real mate would chafe,
Jack quietly broke them one after
another. and now, when perhaps
he had realized that the thing he
had lost was the one thing that
could make life worth living, he
was going to find out ii was gone
forever.
But sorry as felt for Jack, l
felt sorrier by far for Mary. The
wording of that will makes II i'm
possible for her, with her great
sense of duty and honor, to break
the legal bonds that bind her to
a man who Is less than nothing to
her.
How will 1t all come out?
To you alone, little book, l
may say that the best solution
would be. for Jack to die of this
malady from which he is now suf-
fering. That only happens in the
story books, however, where the
complacent author can kill off
the obnoxious one at a moments
notice with no fear of conse-
quences. I thought these things
as Mary turned the conversation
to her books, as though the fate
full subject upon which we had
just engaged was ended and hap.
PLY forgotten. She had said she
could not go to Jack and consid-
cred the matter ended.
I interrupted, however: I'll
have to go back, Mary, and tell
Dick you will not go to Jack SO
that he can take the night train.
II imagined Dick sent you,
Margie," she said serenely. "Dick,
has not yet gotten over the school
boy fashion of delegating the
things he Is afraid will prove dis
agreeable to someone else, and
that someone is usually a woman.
But |, too, am glad you came, for
I could not have told Dick what !
have told you. l have a feeling
that he would not understand as
you do.
"Margie, did you ever remark
how surprised most men are when
they hear that some woman has
ceased to love her husband.
Il don't know why 1t is that
almost every man seems to think
that the wedding ceremony binds
the love of woman to him with
grip of steel that cannot be
broken.
He can grow tired, SO tired of
seeing the same face across the
table from him every morning. He
may decide that he knows every
possible subject that his wife can
discuss. He may almost confide
to himself that he is on the verge
of hating the woman he has prom
ised to cherish till death do us
part, but it never enters his mind
that the wife of his bosom may
have the same feelings in regard
to him. =
I'VE read in books and see in
plays, Margie, that a man goes to
great expense of time, trouble and
money to keep the interest and
inclination of his mistress. Why
will he not do the same to keep
the love of his wife? Why is 1t
that man seems to think that
his wife is his to do with as he
will? And yet he always thinks
that she still loves him, while all
the while he is giving her good
reason for hating him.
There is another phase of
mans mind that is past my COM
prehension, Margie. He never
seems to think that there III al
ways another man close by who
Is perfectly willing to shower
upon his wife all the attentions
he neglects to give"
us there one ready to do this
for you, Nary" I asked.
Plenty of them, Margie, plenty
OF them,' was Mary's mystifying
reply.
| (Contiuued Tomorrow.