Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-10-26
Copyrighted 81 Harper Brothers

dining room decorate, Is Il AZ n Il
party. s eyssss
who's coming what "a eartl ~.
she exclaimed.
"A little surprise A supper Tor tut
yo1 and me. my dear. Z.
1t was one Of his whlms. Dut11
the meal he made elaborate apeech q
In the names Of his friends
Ina inary guests ongratnlat ted hali::
In empty glasses they tcasted the IN
they extolled her beauty. they pral
his own gallantry, and vaunte
conquest Of the demon rum. But Wkls
all traces OF the feast had Disappeared
he swooped down out OF the clouda NJ !
confessed miserably:: ssS5
Il thought ! could kid myself, bnts1
can't. / want q drink. want
drink! God! how want It! ~
Lorelei went swiftly to him.
fight Is just beginning. Bob. yoQ,f6E.
doing nobly.' 4. SSsas s
ut isn't thirst" he explained IN
she saw that same strained uneasin
in his bright eyes. t.I'm not thirty
I'm shaky inside. get tired OF 6ghtS
Ing" II ;7'TI ~
Lorelei nodded sympathetically.
That's why it's SO hard to reform;sa
ones conscience tires, but temptation
Is always fresh. You must keep busy.ss
Pm. going to work.
''No, no! Not yet,n she cried, quick
". you must figllt 1t out where can
help ss4
Bob smiled gratefully. You're y
thoroughbred. promised to let yous
have your way, and you shall. Even
II we lose the patient 1t will be q dandy
operation "a 3
For the first time in her life Lorelell
really worked, and worked not for her
self, but for another. Although tn
experience was interesting in It's nor
city, the result remained unsatisfao.z
tory, for not only did love fail to ~
spond to these sacrifices, but she conld
see no improvement in Bob's condition
The thing she fought was impalpab le.s
yet enormous; It was weak, yet strong
1t seemed to sleep, yet II was ever
awake.
OF necessity the two lived In To
closest intimacy, than which nothing II
Ordinarily more fatal to domestic haNs
piness. But Bob was unique: he did
|. not tire; he began to rely upon Lorele1
as sick man leans upon his nurAs,
and to worship her as man worship8
his sweetheart. There was more.than
passion in his endearments now.
But 1t was discouraging to the sttl,
who gained no strength from her pSIl-
I ance and derived no satisfaction what
ever in service for services SAKE. The
whole Arrangement tried her patience
desperately; she was weary In mind
and body, and looked back with regret
upon her former easy life. There Waa
no time now for recreatio Bob had
to be amused. Salary day assumed !
new Importance, and she began to-
count the cost Of every purchase.
So spring went and midsummer
! came. 1t was terribly hot in the eli
1 the nights were breathless, the days:
were glaring, and this heat was espe-
1 cially trying to one-in Bob's condition.
In his periods Of gayety he showeref
| his wife with attentions and squaIi-
dered every dollar he could borrow In
presents for her; in his hours Of depres,
sion he was everything strange, morosss
and irritable.
Without her knowledge he applied TO-
his old firm for a salaried position and.
was refused. He appealed to Merkle.
with the same result, but succeeded sip
borrowing a thousand dollars, with
which he bought Lorelei set Of black
opals, going into. debt for half the
price.