The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-03-06
He paced the room restlessly, all the

He paced the room restlessly, all the
self pity rising in him. He went on:
Heavens, what nurslings we are
when we first feel our feet! We're
like children just loose from the lead
ing strings. Anything that glitters
catches us. Every trap that is set for
our unwary feet we drop into. I did
dropped in, caught hand and foot, mind
and SOUL"
"Soul?" querled Ethel, with a note
Of doubt
EYES," he answered.
Don't you mean body?" she sug.
gested.
Body, mind and soul!" he said, with
an air Of finality.
well, body anyway" summed up
Ethel.
"And for what?" he went on. "For
what? Love! Companionship! That
Is what we build on in marriage. And
what did l realize? Hate and wran-
Cling; wrangling, just as the common
herd. with no advantages, wrangle
and make it part of their lives. the
zest to their union. It's been my curse"
"Why wrangling?" drawled Ethel.
''She didn't understand"
"You?" asked Ethel, in surprise.
"My thoughts, my actionsw
"How curious!'
"You mean you would?"
probably"
Pm sure of it." He tried to take
her hand. She drew it away and set
tied herself comfortably to listen again:
"Tell me more about your wife,"
"The slightest attention shown to
any other woman meant ridiculous.
humiliating scene."
"Humiliating?"
"Aren't doubt and suspicion humil-
iating?"
"They would be a compliment in
some cases."
"HOw?"
"They would put a fictitious value on
some men,
"You couldn't humiliate in that way
he ventured slowly.
mo. don't think could. II man
showed preference for any other
woman she would be quite welcome to
him."
mo man couldw said Brent insin-
uatingly.
She looked ut him coldly a moment.
Let me see-where were you? Just
married, weren't you? Go on"
"Then came the baby" He said
that with significant meaning and
paused to see the effect on Ethel. If
it had any Ethel effectually concealed
1t. Her only comment was:
"Ahw
Brent went on:
Zone would think that would change
things But no. Neither Of us want.
ed her. Neither Of us loves her. Chill
dren should come of love. not hate.
And she is child of hate" He paused,
looking intently Mt Ethel. She looked
Understandings at him, then dropped
her eyes.
Brent went on as If following up an
advantage: "She sits in her little chair,
her small, wrinkled. old. disillusiOned
face turned to US. with the eyes watch
ing us accusingly. She submits to Gu
resses as though they were distasteful,
as II she knew they were lies. Al
times she pushes the nearing face away
with her little baby fingers" He stop.
ped, watching her eagerly. Hcr eyer
went down.
II shouldn't tell you this. It's ter.
rible. see 1t in your face. What are
you thinking7"
"1'm sorry" replied Ethel simply.
"For me?"
"For your wife,"
"My wife?" he repeated. aghast.
"Yes," said Ethel. aren't you? No?
Are you just sorry for yourself?"
Brent turned impatiently away. So
this laying open the wound in his life
was nothing to Ethel. Instead Of pity
for him, all it engendered in her was
sorrow for his wife.
How little women understood him!
There was n pathetic catch in his
voice as he turned to Ethel and said
reproachfully:
"You think me purely self1sh?"
Naturally" she answered quickly.
II am. Why not be truthful about our
selves sometimes? Eh?
1--WE quarreled last night-about
you" he said desperately.
"Really?"
Gossip has linked us together. My
wife has heard it and put the worst
construction on It,"
"Well?"
I'VE said things to each other last
night that can never be forgiven or
forgotten. left the house and walked
the streets-hours! looked my whole
life back and through as though 1t
were some strangers" He turned abb
M