The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-23

the lady poured upon him such a tor
rent of abuse that he stood like one
tranSfixed
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 1t. 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 1t any
way"
Ihls 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 |
ne begun at the other end of his con
resslon-that all Of his would be hers /
did not appear; he had spoiled it by |
beginning with an announcement that
she had lost a 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 room, 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 a contemplate.
asininc, natural born fool" he began,
Il 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 | would have got into If l had
married that woman! He'll would have
been heaven to it."
lou are indeed fortunate in escap.
: ing such a fate. l have believed that
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
out Of the tolls of an adventures"
r Legal matrimony," repeated Wal
ter, for the first time quieting down
: and pronouncing the words as If they
hurt him.
0 "And now continued Helen 81 will
Q say this: Since your fathers object in
8 withdrawing you from this woman
has been accomplished, whenever you
e and he concur in request that this
: marriage between you and me be an
|. nulled l will consent"
e The expression on Walters face is
& not describable. He had received one
n blow during the evening; here was an
r other. The realization suddenly came
o to him that for bad woman he hat
e exchanged good one. Had he not
e been fool he might possibly have won
the girl whom his father had wished
It him to marry and now, instead Of be
d ing In misery, he might be happy.
n Helen started to leave him to go tt
l. her room. He gave her an implorin,
E. look.
p Don't go at once" he said. I'm al
E. broken up"
She hesitated, turned and said: ANY
thing l can do to comfort you | will
~ do. But realized before | consented
~ to this match that | was giving NJ
i' much in deprlving myself Of one to low
= me and whom might love. With yol
!, 1t was different. You expected to fin'
:" that comfort which is to be derived
!. >. from a pure affection elsewhere"
y Still that wistful look on his face re
:. NAMED.
h Come" she added, changing her ton
to a more cheerful one; "let us not be
m gin our life together repining. Their
10 are refreshments In the larder. w
may play, as the children say, that thi
10 Is a real wedding for us and be merry.
re She summoned maid and told he
ot OF several dishes TO bring that wou
n. be appreciated for a night supper
ot When the yiands were served the pal
| sat uoN IL at tiit ''ll'it' Il hC VI NV p'aS'
/ dainty bits on her husbands plate
and after eating the tOOthsome foo
r. and looking into pair of honest syn
g. pathetic eyes Walter began to recove
Of from the shock he had received, an
O. It occurred to him that possibly afte
o. all, he might win this girl for his rea
,r as well as his legal wife.
~ An hour passed. and they had be
th come sufficiently chummy for Waite
ne to express this hope He was met b
the assurance that. while the early re
n. mantle love period would not he theirs
o. they might grow with that more ms
o. ture. stronger affection that come
r. through long companiOnship and III
or ion of interest. This made the youn
H. husbands heart leap within him. ii
at took her hand. bent toward her an
We kissed her.
ce This evening-eventful in the live
is of these two persOns-took place Ion
IL enough ago to warrant the growing u
an almost to manhood and womanhood Q
le. several of their children. The fathe