The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-04-10
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A Story of a Deserted
Wife
BY LOUISE b. CUMMINGS.

BY LOUISE b. CUMMINGS.
Donald Brewer, a handsome young
fellow with light hair, blue eyes and
a pleasant smile on his lips, was
walking on Main street swinging a
light cane. Pretty girls were moving
the shopping district, and it was the
hour when the stores were much
crowded. He was an admirer of
beauty, and his expression indicated
that he was reveling in the display.
His heart was light, and when
young man is in happy mood the
appeal of fair faces and trim figures
lis especially str ing.
Who is this young woman advanc-
ing slowly with a. little girl not four
years old clinging to her skirt? Don
aid thought her prettier than any he
had yet met. Her glance met his,
and with a cry she sprang to him,
threw her arms about his neck and
cried out in a sweet, appealing voice:
ooh, Walter. why did you leave
me? Come back! Do, Walter, dear
given"
Donald Brewers admiration for
the fair sex was general, and he pre-
ferred that the favors he received
should be general. This was alto
gether too particular. Besides. it
was too public, and, like most men
worthy of the name, he detested
''scenes.''
He assured the lady that she had
mistaken him for some one else.
This only occasioned a burst Of grief
and reproaches. The child began to
cry, a crowd collected, and a police
man came hurrying up to discover
the cause of the blocking of the
sidewalk. He saw a young woman
clinging to young man who was
evidently not as well pleased as he
should have been. Donald explained
that she had mistaken him for some
one else. The lady explained that he
was her husband, who had deserted
her. The policeman evidently believed
the latter story and viewed Donald
with disfavor. =
II Think" he said to the woman,
wed better go to the police officer.
if you like, and that'll bring the mat
ter into the courts"
Don't, Walter; don't force me to
do that. Come home, and we will
again be happy
And she wept on his bosom.
Walter signffied to the policeman
that he preferred to go with him. So
Inc parry duJOuineu 10 Inc ponce Sta-
ton, where Walter sent out for his
mother and other friends to identify
him, and the lady sent for a sister,
in-law. All of the former pronounced
him Donald Brewer, and the latter
| declared that, though he resembled
him, he was not her brother. This
satisfied every one except the lady,
who was amazed and disappointed
that they should be so obtuse. When
Donald left her she took his hand
and, looking at him appealingly out
of a pair1of liquid brown eyes, made
| a last appeal while the pretty little
girl begged papa to come home and
not make mamma cry.
! It makes a lot of difference to a
| man when appealed to by a pretty
woman whether he is free or we'd
locked. Under certain circumstances
i-action for alimony, for instance
bolts and bars Donald, being exon
Grated from being a fugitive hus-
band, assured the poor woman of his
! deep sympathy and that he was
deeply touched by her faith, despite
proof to the contrary, that he
belonged to her. If she would give
him her address he would call upon
In any way.
A beautiful hope shone in her eyes,
and, giving him a parting look. she
said that she would trust. him once
| more, sure that he would not fail
her. Then, to evade observation, she
asked him to call a carriage, and,
getting into it with her little girl,
| who insisted on giving papa a part
| ing kiss, she was driven away smiling
through tears.
A few days later Donald called
! her a good deal changed. Her sis
ter-in-law had convinced her that
there was doubt as to Donald being
her husband. When she came into
the room to receive him she paused
on the Threshold, searching every
| tiful bushes rose to her cheeks at
rem embering the caresses she had
given him, and she hung her head
| in shame at the remembrance of the
caresses she had bestowed upon one
who had turned out to be a stranger.
What is forced upon us we don't
want. What we cannot get we crave.
Donald, who up to this moment
feared the ladv would claim him,
was now disappointed that she did
not. Those who are chained wish to
| be free; those who are free wish to
| be chained. In the words of the
crusty old bachelor, marriage is
something one half the world is try
ing to get into and the other half is
trying to get out of.
Donald had not experienced any
pleasurable sensation in the caresses
he had received the day before; he
was dreading being forced into great
trouble at establishing his identity
Now he longed to have those arms
about his neck and those appealing
eyes looking into his. An idea
occurred to him. It was an idea not
worthy of him, but it was irresistible
While a few days before he had been
telling the truth to keep out of
trouble, he now yielded to a tempta-
ton to tell a lie that would get him
there. Why is it that man who
will protect himself circumspectly
against ordinary entanglements will
plunge into a slough of despond
where a woman is. concerned?
| Donald Brewer was young and
reckless and behaved accordingly. He
smiled at the lady in a way to cause
her to doubt a decision she had just
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