The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-10-19
BY LOUISE pRIscoLr.
tcopyright.l

tuAo. AH6I6 was rocking cnalT ne
had chosen himself He felt a little
pain creep into his throat as he looked
at it. 1t was as though the mani
mate thing had risen to strike him.
And there was the piano
So Rose had kept the piano. 1t
showed the effect Of having been
moved more times than was good for
it.
There was an air of disorder In the
room, little wads of dust lay on the
floor against the wall, where the rug
didn't meet the Dashboard. The table
was overlaid with a light cloud of
dust.
An impulse to run away seized him.
new fear joining the old repug-
nance; but he conquered both and
rose to greet her, looking quiet, only
his eyes were tense.
Rose had come in carelessly. She
supposed he was looking for rooms.
We'll, of all things!" she said, and
sat down suddenly; and then: 81 sup
pose you're looking for rooms? Amt
1t funny?"
Ellsworth found his voice. why,
no." he said. He found it was not easy
to tell her the truth. You see-I was
looking for you l met Sara Walton
in London last month. She told me
about you. All you had been doing
these last years. The time you we're
on the stage-in the store-keeping
boarders-"
She interrupted him. You didn't
think was living on what you sent,
did your" she inquired tartly
Il sent all l could" he protested,
'and as long as I knew how to reach
you; but after Desborough died
couldn't find out where you were. !
have more money now My last book
really paid-you find 1t hard to believe
that?" he smiled for the first time. 4
She refused to meet his Jest.
II got along" she said sullenly.
He felt very awkward. Rose hadn't
changed. He laughed uneasily
eve made rather a mess of things,
Rose" he said.
She flashed another look at him
without making any answer, SO he
spoke again:
1T was rather shock to meet Sara
as / did. She brought it all back to
me SO wildly. She set me, wondering
how much of it could have been
helped. / know / was wrong a good
deal of the time. / want to be fair
about that"
"You houay,,t ohorood n h;4 - .,Lo 4 :,
clared holly. you just sit there and
talk; and you'll sit there and talk all
night, If I'll let you
Ellsworth was slightly offended. 1t
was all ridiculously like the past they
had both dropped
Il only wanted to make the thing
clear" he told her; IF we could talk
it over quietly. we might both feel
better"
Rose shook herself impatientIy.
What's the use of talking 1t over?"
she exclaimed. Who wants to talk 1t
over? I've got along all right and you
look as though you had. People are
good to me-Fm that kind. You got
notice Of the divorce. didn't your"
"Yes-yes." he said, from Dakota
Yes. To tell you the TRUTH confess
Il didn't pay much attention to it.
I've never thought of marrying again,
and / was so busy with my book
Rose shifted audibly. Il can believe
that" she remarked with some as
perity.
Perhaps l gave too much attention
to my work. he confessed Il can see
that now. At first 1t was with the idea
of making more money-you always
needed money, Rose He was very
uncomfortable. What ground did you
| give for divorce?" he asked with
new curiosity as he reviewed their
life together.
"Nonsupport and extreme cruelty"
replied Rose glibly.
He laughed involuntarily, and Rose
stiffened perceptibly, half insulted.
Then he rose and paced the little
| parlor; twice and three times he went
before he stopped In front of her
chair.
OF course that's all nonsense" he
said You know that as we'll as l do.
gave you more than | could afford,
I and you didn't know what cruelty was.
probably did spend too much time
over my work. You needed lot of
things | never thought Of I don't
blame you for being dissatisfied /
was SO tired Of quarrels and worried
with debts that l wasn't really sorry
when found. you'd gone We may
as well be honest about that. | just
went into my work a little harder and
left the country before long
Il sent you money through Desbor-
ough as long as could. After he died
couldn't seem to reach you
"Oh. I got along" she said. 81 al
ways do I'm the kind people look out
for. / got paid pretty we'll in the
chorus because I'm pretty, and they
put me in the front row But couldn't
learn to dance, so l couldn't get in
the next show Then | went in Opper-
sham's and sold lace for while till
they put me in the millinery to show
off hats. Then had friend who had
boarding house and she wanted me
to come with her. so did and stayed
until she died We did pretty good,
but since then I've only kept dodgers
because / wasn't going to bother to
/ try to suit people with meals"
Ellsworth stood looking at the rock
ing chair. 1t seemed to understand
him better than she did After a min
ute he came back to her.
There is one thing, Rose, I've got
to know he said Sara said-the
child-was that true? Was there a
child. Rose?"
Roses eyes went wide with look
that flashed deep into his soul She
clenched her little hands and opened
them befores he spoke.
THAT was soon over. It was born
dead" she said.
"When?"
1T was eight months after left /
didn't know till I'd gone Then it was
too late. went to hospital 1t was
born dead. 1t was a girl. | didn't
think l had to tell you"
How you must have hated me- he
said.
Rose moved uneasily. "Oh, | don't
hate you now" she assured him. 'Tm
like that. / get over things"
Ellsworth paced the floor and came
back to her again.
''Will you try 1t again, Rose?" he
said gently. Il was very wrong.
wish you'd try it again"
Rose edged away from him. shrink