The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-18
w WRITTEN
IN PENCIL
Dy clxRgssx MxCklE

Il can't stand It any longer-I won't
stand III" was Nellie Pages decision
~ she sank YEARLY into . chair. III
I had dreamed that Bob was 30
wretchedly poorII don't care, will
Say I'll would never have married
him. 20 there!"
There was no one to hear this pas
sionate outburst Of Bob Pages young
wife, unless one counted Bob's homely
bull dog Flinders who crouched on the
dusty rug before the empty fireplace.
his dubious eyes hxed on the girls
flushed pretty face and his black lip
curled In it, habitual sneer Of derision.
Nellie had always thought Flinders
sarcastic expression was cute to de-
gree but tonight as she saw his steady
gaze fixed on her, as II he suspected
disloyalty to his master, she hated the
curl Of his lip above his row Of little
white teeth-she hated Flinders be-
cause he was Bob's dog.
Il had been q miserable day, . day
like q hundred others since she had
married Bob Page. Bob had left hasti-
" to catch his train into town and
Nellie knew that he had scarcely tasted
the wretched breakfast which was the
best she could prepare after several
months Of experimenting In the
kitchen.
Nellie Page was like thousands Of
other girls in her station in life. Her
father made just enough money to keep
his daughters hands free from the
soil" of Homework, to save her from
the drudgery that her mother had suf-
fered when they we're first married.
Henry Borden had so provided that
Nellie could have accomplishments OF
snowy sort, depending upon the
beauty and charm of his daughter to
consummate the sort of marriage that
would lift her above all the petty de-
tails Of economy and housework. There
fore Nellie Borden was a brilliant
pianist and could sing prettily; could
paint a little, embroider exquisitely.
could make a concoction of creamed
eggs In the chatting dish-and that was
all.
Nellie didn't fall in love with man
who could Immediately place her at
the head Of a retinue of servants who
might relieve her of any responsibility
In the home making. Nellie fell IN
love with struggling young lawyer
and Bob Page was struggling, slipping
sliding. scrambling to keep foothold
on the running board Of an overcrowd
ed profession. But he stayed there
though he had to wait for his money
/ and that made them behind with theil
butcher and baker and grocer and Mel
lie grew peevish and Bob became more
tired and careworn as the months wen
around and he saw how impossible i
was for poor man to make any head
way when he had q wife who loathet
homework because she did not under
stand how to do 1t properly, WHIT
couldn't prepare a meal At to be eater
and who persistently reminded hin
that they were poorer than thei
neighbors.
| Nellie Page was slowly becominl
that most unfortunate of women,
disconnected wife, and Bob was beinl
as slowly disillusioned Of his dream
Of love in cottage.
Nellie reread letter she had re
ceived from her mother that morning
In the epistle Mrs. Borden had sal
that she and her husband were abOu
) to take little southern trip and II
wovn nat for Tho 20 ~ <hot poh poodo
) his wife at home they would take Ne
lie with them. Nellie rebelled no,
) because she could not go. She ha
nothing to wear and she was ashame
to tell her father that Bob was SO slo'
about collecting his bills.
Suddenly she jumped to her fee
and tossed the letter into the vast
basket. She looked at the clock an
saw that 1t lacked two hours Of Bob
Homecoming. "I'll do tit wi
brighten him well-and serve hill
right"
For a half hour Nellie Page worke
busily and at the end Of that time sh
packed suit case, dressed herself IL
q Journey and sat down and scribble
note to her husband. She wrote It |
pencil on q scrap Of paper and sh
managed to convey within a sma
} space and in few words all her di
content with their mode Of life an
! her disappointment in him and ST
! told him that she was going ava
! That was all. This note she placed Q
his desk in the living-room, exchange
! one defiant look with Flinders. ar
went out Of the house.
She was vexed that she had to wa
the quarter of a mile to the railros
station. One Of her neighbors passiI
swiftly in a motor car. apparently d
, not see her and Nellie's disoontel
: with life was deepened.
n There were NOT MANY Dersons gOiI