The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-07


tzS=SS door. But the only re. "
night!', delivered with more than the
usual emphasis
Now she held him by the vigor other
tone She would not dismiss the topic
thus. Perhaps there had been some
thing in s'the other woman's" voice as
she had demanded speech with Trask
which had aroused the Mgresse which
is latent in every woman scorned, even
the meekest. Perhaps it was the con-
temptuous, scornful mapner Of Trask
himself which reused her. It was not,
simple je4lousy. The time for that had
passed years before. Perhaps it was
the feeling that now she must insist on
her conJugal rights, so long fouted.
To his good night she replied:
EMO! I want to know who she isl
Trask's irritation now broke out
openly. His speech was rude as he an
swered:
whats the good of Raging me like
this? tell you / don't know who she
is. I suppose it is some business mat
ter"
Nobody would call you up at this
time of night on business. You know
very well it's not business
And joan ,Trask, seeing that it was
hopeless to pursue the former line of
questioning, Jared out at him with:
Aren't you ever going to changer
Gam never going to have a min
ute's peace? You're as jealous as q
schoolgirl. You're forever raising a
racket about something. If 1 look at
a woman or. a woman talks to me
you're ready to fly at her throat. -
Again the wronged wife spoke.
Don't you think you give me cause,
the way you conduct yourself? You
seem to forget that you have a wife
1t was the obvious retort, the cheap
wit that replies, but does not answer
which prompted him to say: You nev
er give me a chance to forget it. Ev-
cry time were alone it's the same
thing
= ..Then why don't you treat me as
your wife?
His tone was querulous and rising as
he said:t 10
ST don't SEE what you're complaining
about. I don't beat you, do I? You
get everything you want. You go
where you please and when you please
I allow you more money than, you car
y
your own. Do you think there are
many women who can say the same?''
1t was the old, old argument adj
dressed to the woman who is bought
with a price, Almost since the time
of Adam men have believed that they
could buy women with maintenance.
with dress, with jewels, with socia
position. Always the real woman, the
soul that is beyond all price, that can
be kept only by affection. genuine love.
has leIuded them. The husk may be
bought; the grain is given free. The
Woman's soul of Joan Trask, more
priceless than any of her diamonds or
pearls or rubies, was not to be pur
chased by the things of which her hus-
band spoke. It had been given to him
freely in the beginning. He had drag
ged it through the mire Of his indiffer
ence and unfaithfulness, and she ha
taken it back and cleansed it anG
nursed it in secret. 1t might yet be
his, but he must earn it anew.
It was her soul which spoke in the
words:
do you think that's all care about?
Don't you suppose marriage means
anything to me but spending money
and amusing myself? What good is it
if haven't the companionship of my
husband %
The words struck chord of coarse
ness III him. t.Companionshtp of my
husbandf' 1t was not in that vein
that the women spoke with whom he
consorted. He seated himself again.
For a moment he stared at her in
amazement. then he recovered himself
and said blasphemously:
MY God, are you going to get senti-
menta1?''
''1'ye never known what it meant to
be really married" said Joan Trask
sadly. For six years hid myself
away because I~didn't happen to suit
your family
''Well, you didn't lose-by it, said
the man to whom money was all or
nearly ALL. tsIf my father had cut me
off you wouldn't be living in luxury to-
day.
(To Be Continued)