The Detroit times., 1915-01-08
The Confessions OF a Wife
The Queerest Secret l Have Ever Told

81 am &c go home from the hospital
Monday, dear Margie, and wonder II
YOU and Dick will not come over and
see me little on Sunday afternoon.
II am feeling fine, but miss my
friends. although they have been very
profuse in notes of inquiry and flow
ers. yet being in hospital is almost
like being in a mausoloum.
II wrote both Dick and Mrs. WAIVER
" a note OF coincidence when | heard
of the death OF air Wayerly. Wish ]
could have given my sympathy in per
son Please tell Dick, for me, that,
for an old friend. think he has treat
ed me very unkindly and that he can
! only ma Ike peace with me by coming
with you to Visit me on Sunday"
This was an extract from note
from Eleanor Fairlow which | handed
20 Dick al the dinner table that night.
II expect TO so out of towp sun
day" vas his only comment
But YOU are not going until late
Sunday night, and | do think, Dick.
YOU should go Eleanor Fairlow was
fine TO you when you were hurt"
You know how | hate hospitals
Why, Margie, it was all | could 10
TO go to the hospital when you were
there | do think Eleanor might wait
until she is in her home before she
insisted upon her friends visiting her"
Dick, | TANK YOU are rather selfish.
You know very we'll that Eleanor Fair
low is fonder OF you than she is OF
me"
Dick stirred uneasily and grunted:
And 1t Is no more than reasonable
that she should do SO. She has known
you ever since you were children and
me only slightly since we were mar
ried. Under the same circumstances
i am sure that | would feel very
much hurt"
"Oh, como, Margie. you 90 over and
see Eleanor yourself Saturday tell
her how feel about it, say that I'd
dance and be glad with her, but that
I've enough TO make me sorry and SAD
without seeing all the pain and hurt
find in hospital
ooh, Dick, you sometimes disap-
point me so Just when | think you
are not as selfish as other men then
you do something that shows me that
you are"
For Heavens sake, Margie, don't
try TO make q saint or even a near
saint. out of me. for. IL you do, you
will be doomed forever to disappoint-
ment. My dear girl, I'm just a normal
man with ~, normal mans big
faults and little meannesses. l. like
all my sex, want to have my fun and
let some one else pay the piper.
want to suffer If suffer | must, vicari-
ously when curiosity beckons or tempt
alton calls. ! usually heed no ones
" warnings | am selfish and eeotisti-
cal, proud OF ny physical strength and
careless of my moral weakness Mar
gle, ! sometimes hate everyone in the
world, even myself. and | am sure
that most OF the time play this game
OF life not only like a piker. but a
cheat"
He stopped abruptly and said
Don't ask me to 20 with YOU and see
Eleanor az the hospital. The thought
OF physical pain turns me sick"
"All right, dear, I'll 90 over and
see her late tomorrow afternoon"
Now hero. little book is the queer.
est thing : have yet told you I.found
that ! coGld go over 10 the hospital
F'dNuiNds hlpl ullS, llNltdu Ol ldlt ln
The afternoon, as | told Dick would
do. When ! was about block away
from the big front gate am sure I
saw Dick come out and walk away
down the street | know | could not
be mistaken in my own husband. bui
when went in Eleanor Fairlow smil-
ed and said Poor. silly Dick" when
told hcr how he felt about coming
TO hospital even to see her
"Tell>lhm" she said, that | know
he was not only lying 10 you and me
about MOI wanting 10 come to a hospi.
tai, but he was also lying TO himself.
ether peoples pain would. not hurt
Dick"
NShe put out her hand, across the
bed as # 10 touch mine and then she
drew it back and said rather ruefully
Perhaps YOU know more about men
than I do-at least you should know
more, having married one-but I have
never yet seen one that could always