Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-11-09


love her so long Us he lived.
But Walter got no further than
beginning. He began with the words
81 have been married." whereupon
the lady poured upon him such tor
rent Of abuse that he stood like one
transaxed.
And SO that old heather has kept
you under his thumb, after ALL she
said In rasping voice that he had
never heard come from her before, II
always considered you a milksop, and
now am sure Of it. Tell the woman
you've married that she hasn't got
much of man with the fortune. I'm
lucky in escaping that part Of it any
way"
This is but sample of what the
woman poured out upon the man who,
looking on love purely as a matter Of
sentiment, had come to- tell her that
the place she held in his heart would
never be occupied by any one else.
What she would have said to him had
he begun at the other end Of his con-
fession-that all Of his would be hers
did not appear; he had spoiled 1t by
beginning with an announcement that
she had lost large fortune. Her
flaming eyes, her rasping voice, her
red face, her contempt for him, drove
him out before she had finished.
"Heavens!" he exclaimed when he
got out into the cool air. "What hor-
rible fate have escaped!''
He walked the streets for an hour,
then went to his house. His wife was
just going to her roome but, noticing
his agitation, delayed her going and
asked him If anything serious had hap
pened. He was in mood to desire an
ear into which to pour the shock he
had received. She already knew of his
infatuation; it only remained for him
to tell how he had been disenchanted
"If there was ever contemplate
asinine, natural born fool" he began
II am that person." Then he told her
where he had been, Of his confession
and the effect it had had on the object
of his previous alteration. "Why, just
think" he went on, what horrible
mess 1 would have got into If l had
married that woman! Hell would have
| been heaven to It,"
You are indeed fortunate in escap-
| ing such fate. / have believed that
i your father knew Of this infatuation
and one of his principal reasons in
forcing you into the condition of legal
matrimony with me was to get you
/ Ollf nf tho fHi1c, nf cd ,f,1r
Legal matrimony," repeated Wal
| ter, for the first time quieting down
| and pronouncing the words as If they
| hurt him.
"And now" continued Helen, 81 vii
say this: Since your fathers object ii
withdrawing you from this woman
has been accomplished, whenever yor
and he concur in request that this
marriage between you and me4be an
nulled will consent"
The expression on Walters face i
not describable. He had received on
blow during the evening; here was al
other. The realization suddenly cam
to him that for a bad woman he ha
exchanged good one. Had he no
been fool he might possibly have wol
the girl whom his father had wishe,
him to marry and now, instead of be
ing in misery, he might be happy.
Helen started to leave him to 90 t
her room. He gave her an implorn
look
"Don't go at once" he said. "I'm a
broken up.''
She hesitated, turned and said: "An,
thing I can do to comfort you l wi
do. But / realized before consente
to this match that / was giving U
: much in depriving myself of one to lo1
me and whom might love. With yo
1t was different. You expected to fir
that comfort which is to be derive
from pure affection elsewhere
Still that wistful look on his face T.
manned
Come" she added, changing her tol
to more cheerful one; 'let us not b
gin our life together repining The
, are refreshments in the laruer. "
may play, as the children say, that til
!. is real wedding for us and be merry
n She summoned maid and told b,
4 of several dishes to bring that wou
be appreciated for q night suppe
: When the yiands were served the pa
I sat down at the table. The bride plac,
I dainty bits on her husbands plat
and after eating the toothsome TO,
!. and looking into pair Of honest, syr
: pathetic eyes Walter began to recov
Z from the shock he had received, al
J. 1t occurred to him that possibly, aft
\ all, he might win this girl for his re
:. as well as his legal wife.
u An hour passed, and they had b
h come sufficiently ~chummy for Walt
q to express this hope. He was met
the assurance that. while the early I
J. mantle love period would not be theil
J. they might grow with that more m
; ture, stronger affection that com
r through long companionship and u
r. ion Of interest. This made the YOU
|. husbands heart leap within him. I
l..