Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-03-04

DIT, ne dQueu.
Ethel smiled her most enigmatical
smile.
NO? | think you do She waited
a moment Brent said nothing. This
was new mood of Ethel's 1t baffle6
him.
Presently she relieved the silence by
asking him:
What happened last night?'
He hesitated Then he answered.:
I'D rather not say I'd sound like a
cad blaming woman"
Never mind how it sounds. Tell it.
1t must have been amusing
"Amusing!' He bent over her again
"Oh, the more look at you and listen
to you the more | realize | should new
er have married"
ton.
Brent answered with all the power
at his command. Here was the mo-
ment to lay his heart bare that Ethel
might see.
Have you ever seen a young hare,
fresh from it's kind, run headlong into
a snare? Have you ever seen young
man free of the trammels Of college
dash into a net? did! I wasn't trap
wise.''
He paced the room restlessly, all the
self pity rising in him. He went on:
Heavens. what musings we are
when we first feel our feet! We're
like children just loose from the lead.
ing strings. Anything that glitters
catches us, Every trap that is set for
our unwary feet we drop into. | did
dropped in. caught hand and foot, mind
and SOUL"
"Soul?" queried Ethel. with note
of doubt.
EYES," he answered.
Don't you mean body" she sug
gested.
Body, mind and soul!' he said. with
an air of finality.
"Well. body anyway" summed up
Ethel
And for what?" he went on. "For
what? Love! Companionship! That
is what we build on in marriage. And
what did | realize? Bate and wran-
Cling; wrangling. just as the common
herd with no advantages, wrangle
and make it a part of their lives. the
zest to their union. It's been my curse.
"Why wrangling?" drawled Ethel
"She didn't understand"
"You?" asked Ethel, in surprise.
my thoughts. my actions"
How curious!
"You mean you wouldT"
Probably"
Pm sure of it." He tried to take
her hand She drew it away and set.
tied herself comfortably to listen again:
Tell me more about your wife"
1.-The slightest attention shown to
any other woman meant ridiculous,
humiliatng scene"
"HumiliatingT'
Aren't doubt and suspicion humii-
iating?"
'They would be compliment in
some cases.
"HOw?"
They would put a fictitious value on
some men"
"You couldn't humiliate in that way.
he ventured slowly.
mo. | don't think l'could. II man
showed preference for any other
woman she would be quite welcome to
him.
mo man couldr" said Brent insin
uatingly.
She looked at him coldly moment
Let me see-where were you: Just
married. weren't you? Go on"
"Then came the baby" He said
that with a significant meaning and
paused to see the effect on Ethel, II
it had any Ethel effectually concealed
it Her only comment was:
"Ahv'
Brent went on:
lone would think that would change
things But no. Neither of US want
ed her. Neither of US loves her Chi
dren should come of love. not hate.
And she is a child Of hate" He paused.
looking intently at Ethel. She looked
Understandings at him, then dropped
her eyes.
Brent went on as If following up an
advantage: ''She sits in her little chair.
her small, wrinkled. old. disillusioned
face turned to US. with the eyes watch
ing us accusingly. She submits to ca
resses as though they were distasteful,
as if she knew they were lies. At
times she pushes the nearing face away
with her little baby fingers" He stop
ped, watching her eagerly. Her eyes
went down.
81 shouldn't tell you this It's ter