The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-06-14
:. The ::
Confessions
Of a Wife
JIM DEFINES A MAN

What are you whistling
about, Jim?" / asked.
AT how quickly old Pat got
his work in," said Jim with a
laugh. You see, Margie, Pat
wants to get married. He wants
a home"
DO you mean to tell me he
was not in love with Mollie and
is not in love with Alice?" was
my indignant question.
with people of the greatest
capacity for loving, | have always
found that love was usually a
secondary affair. That's the kind
of man Pat is. That kind of a
man makes the best husband,
however, and your favorite Alice
has done mighty well to have
COPIED out old Pat. l don't
know a man | think would be
able to make a woman happier
than he"
jim" l said impulsively, edo
you think / could give a dinner
announcing it?"
Jim did not bat an eyelid.
Il don't know why not. You
could have the table set around
this beautiful sun room and you
could be placed in the middle Of
1.-THE room, not the table. |
think it would not only be
unique, but very beautiful. Let's
make it a rose dinner, Margie,
and you can wear all those flos-
sic pink flumdiddles, and we'll
have wreaths strung along the
tables"
Jim Edie," I interrupted,
"have you gone mad? You are
planning a banquet such as was
given in ancient Rome"
why not? I've been thinking
for long time that you must
be awfully lonely eating alone
here day after day. Why don't
on have Dick in with you occa-
sionally?"
Il did once, Jim, and it ended
in horrible farce" 81
"Margie, do you think you are
doing right by Dick?"
In what way?"
"By taking all the responsible
ity of your illness away from
him."
But, Jim, you don't seem to
understand. Think what it
would mean to work hard an day
and then come home to a. wife
such as, / am. Why Dick would
wish me dead hundred times
every week."
But even if he did," persisted
Jim stoutly, The would at least
know you were living. Margie
you know Dicks greatest fault is
putting all the responsibility he
can on someone else, and | think
it would do him good to have to
take care of you.'
But | can't do 1t, Jim. You
know | am very proud and 1t
would make my life a greater
hell than it is now il l thought
| was holding Dick to me when
he wanted to be away. Honestly,
Jim, if | could I'd set him legally
free tomorrow.
Poor Margie. Poor Margie,"
said Jim in a choked voice.
"You've been played a pretty
low-down rotten trick, haven't
your"
II presume So" l answered.
"But don't you known" he per-
sisted.
mo. dear Jim, | don't. I may
feel differently tomorrow, but to-
day | just don't seem to care any
thing about it." Just now Dick
does not seem any more to me
than you do
Jim came suddenly forward.
"Margie, girl" he said earnestly,
don't get in this kind of a
mood; it means death to all your
happiness. Dick is a good fel-
low, but he is a man-and, Mar
gle, a man where a woman is con-
cerned is always more or less OF
a cad"
I looked up quickly.
Yes, / meant it," he con-
tinued. IF man wants a wom-
an-any woman-you may make
sure he tries his best to get her,
honestly or otherwise, and when
his interest wanes he tries his
best to get rid of her anyway he
can. We are very apt to talk big
about our love and all that, but
we have not yet learned that the
woman who says she loves us has
not given herself into our hands
to keep or throw away as the
mood prompts us. "a
Honestly, Margie, / thinHFI
am as decent as most men, bit
want to tell you that one of he
reasons l am a lonely old bad he
Tor is because | have always een
afraid that after marriage JRd
find out | did not love my WE
Then you think no man I'm
tell whether he loves a womar Or
mot until he has possessed hHy
asked quickly. III
Very few" he answered m
ously. III
Then you believe in I'll
marriages." HE
NO." he answered, "but Do
believe in divorce" a.
Then, Jim. help me to Ut
Dick free" -
1T would be his ruination, De
said solemnly.
| (Cnu4inraJ rror,nrrour