The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1915-02-27
Her Husbands
Twin Brother
A Story of a Deserted
Wife
By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS


q pleasant smile on his lips. was walk
ing on Main street swinging a light
cane. Pretty girls were moving hith
er and thither, for Donald was In 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 revel-
Ing in the display. His heart was light
and when young man is in happy
mood the appeal OF fair faces and trim
figures is especially strong
Who is this young woman advancing
slowly with little girl not four years
old clinging to her skirt2 Dona,d
thought her prettier than any one be
had yet met Her glance met his. and
with cry she sprang to him. threw
her arms about his neck and cried out
I'm sweet. appealing voice:
"Oh. Walter. why did you leave me!
Come back: Do. Walter. dearest, come
back and all will be forgiven"
Donald Brewers admiration for the
fair sex was general. and he preferred
that the favors he received should be
general. This was altogether too par
ticular. Besides, it was too public.
and. like most men worthy of the
name. be detested scenes"
He assured the lady that she had mis-
taken him for some one else. This only
OccaSioned burst of grief and re-
proaches. The child began to cry.
crowd collected, and policeman came
hurrying up to discover the cause Of
the blocking Of the sidewalk. He saw
young woman clinging to a young
man who was evidently not as well
pleased as he should have been. Don
aid explained that she had mistaken
him for some one else. The lady ex
plained that he was her husband. VIII
had deserted her. The policeman evi
IDENTITY believed the latter story anC
viewed Donald with disfavOr
IL think he said to the woman
"we'd better go to the police officer
You can make a charge against him if
you like. and that'l bring the matter
into the courts"
Don't Walter: don't force me to do
that. Come home. and we will agaip
OC Adppy-
And she wept on his bosom.
Walter signiied to the policeman
that he preferred to go with him. So
the party adjourned to the police 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 nonaId RraUor oDd @bo Iot+o. 10
clared that, though he resembled him.
ne 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. look
hg at him appealingly out of a pair
OF liquid brown eyes. made a last ap-
peal while the pretty little girl begged
papa to come home and not make
mamma cry.
1t makes a lot of difference to a man
when appealed to by a pretty woman
whether he is free or wedlocked. Un-
der certain circumstances-action for
alimony, for instance-the word wed.
lock is suggestive Of bolts and bars.
Donald, being exonerated from being
a fugitive husband, 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
her and would be glad to serve her in
any way.
A beautiful hope shone in her eyes.
and, giving him q 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 carriage, and, getting into Il
with her little girl. who insisted on
giving papa parting kiss, she was
driven away smiling through tears.
A few days later Donald called upon
the grass widow He found her good |
deal changed. Her sister-in-law had
convinced her that there was doubt |
as to Donald being her husband. |
When she came into the loom to re.
ceive him she paused on tbs. threshold, |
searching every line of his counte-
nance. Then beautiful bushes rose
60 her cheeks at remembering the ca
reSSes she bad given him, and she
hung her head in shame at the remem-
brance of the caresses she had bestow-
ed 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 lady would claim him, was now
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 trying to get into and the 9TH
er half Is trying to get out Of.
Donald had not experienced any
Measurable sensation In the caresseS