Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-29
Euening Story
A DELINQUENT HUSBAND.
Copyright, 1915, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
BY Erne OImste ad.

Copyright, 1915, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
Beatrice Strengthened up from her
darning and glanced across the living
room table at her husband e~ngrossed
in the evening paper. Her appraisal
was silent, but comprehensive. Except
for a little thinning of the hair above
the temples and the addition of a little
flesh and eyeglasses, Fred was the
same fine looking fellow she had mar
ried. In fact, the glasses but empha-
sized an air of distinction that had
ever been characteristic of him and
Beatrice had noticed too, that his mag
netism seemed to grow with the years.
She sighed, then got up and went to
a hall mirror and began an invest1ga-
ton of herself. She felt pretty
ancient, with eight year old twins
asleep upstairs. 1t had been a long
time since she had given herself much
thought, but now she looked search
lngly at each individual feature, her
hair, her eyes, the curve Of her mouth
and her smooth, velvety cheeks. She
gazed long and carefully, but finally
turned away. satisfied. 4.gsr@> .sr
She had once been the most sought
after girl in town on account OF her
beauty, and she felt that there was
enough left to carry out a plan b was
making. For Beatrice had been think
ing as she darned and had Just about
concluded to do something.
Fred's magnetism - the thing that
had caught and held her when she
struggled against marriage and the
loss of her freedom - unfortunately
had the same effect upon other women
that 1t had upon herself. Fred was the
lion of the hour. And just because he
had a way with him"-mak1ng every
body feel that he, or especially she,
was the only being on the globe who
amounted to anything he was hirted
with and petted by every pretty wo-
man he met.
The effect had been slow, but sure
Fred had been spoiled and had gotten
away from her. He was to all purposes
his old devoted self, but 1t was a cas-
ual, accustomed sort Of love he had for
her now, she felt, and his devotion was
a habit rather than a passion. He call
ed her his dear old Bee" and all that,
1t is trus, hut II anything kept her
home from a party it didn't AFFECT
either his own attending or his own
good time. And If she did go 1t did
not affect them either, for that matter,
for he was scarcely with her at all.
Beatrice had never cared much or
resented all this. She was busy with
home duties and her children and she
argued that Fred would come back to
her when the children were older and
she had more time. But now the chill
dren were older and she had plenty OF
time - too much, but Fred had not
come back.
81 think I'll run over to the club,
Bee" Her husband came out of the
living room and went for his hat. II
| am not home by eleven go to bed.
Goodby." He kissed her lightly on the
cheek and went out. Beatrice knew he
would not be home by eleven, and she
knew too. that he could have taken her
with him if he had wished 1t, for there
was an informal dance every Friday,
And the maid could have stayed with
the children well enough.
She sighed and went back to the
mirror. I'm all right" she assured
herself again, land I'm going to do 1t.
It's worth trying anyway, and If 1t
doesn't work I'll be no worse on than
I am now. I'm sure Fred still cares
for me, only he doesn't know 1t. SO
I'll have to show him."
+ She went to her desk and o out
two letters. The first was a business
letter ~inclosing a check for $500, her
own dividend that she received from
some family stock. The second was
from Evelyn Warren in New York,
urging her to make them a visit. I'VE
are in the midst of a merry whirl,
dearie," she wrote. 80 you'll have no
chance to be bored. Besides, Cecil
Frampton is here and not married yet.
CHe never got over losing you, Bee).
Two weeks away from that poky old
place will make a new woman OF you.
Do come. Lovingly, Eva
With the check she had decided to
do SO many things - to surprise Fred
on his birthday by fixing over the old
nursery into a billiard room, for one
thing, and to get the children a pony,
for another. But If she did either, she
couldn't accept Evelyn's invitation, as
she needed clothes, and that was part
! of her plan. She re-read Evelyn's let
ter and thought of Fred's indifferent
parting. "Ill do it," she said to her
| self for the third time. and this time