Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-06-29

- NdT1

Alix and Alan were in the grip of a
fever that is hard to break save
through safety and ruin. They were
still held apart by generations of sound
tradition but against this bulVark the
full flood of modern life as they lived
it was directed.
1t was only year ago that the table
talk one night had turned on what was
sOciety's religion and Alan had said,
Society has no religion nowadays;
it has given up religion for a corrosive
philosophy of nOnethics." He had seen
clearly then but not clearly enough to
save himself. He had played with the
corrosive philosophy until he had di-
vorced flesh from the soul and now it
was playing with him. He found him
self powerIess in the grip of his desire
for AliX.
With her, things had not gone so far.
From the security of the interrupted
she had watched her chosen world play
with fire and only now when tempta-
ton assaulted her, did she realize the
weakness that lies in every woman
once her outpOsts have fallen and her
bare heart becomes engaged in the bat
tie. Not many days had passed after
their return when Alan's constant at
tendance upon Gerry's wife became
the absorbing center of interest to their
part of town life. People said little
enough. Their eyes were too wide
open watching the headlong rush to-
wards catastrophe
One early morning Nance sent for
Alan. He found her alone. She had
been crying. He came to her where
she stood by the fire and she turned
and put her arms around his neck. She
tried to smile but her lips twitched
ALAN" she said, II want you to go
away"
Alan was touched He caught her
wrists and took her arms from around
his neck. You mustn't do that sort of
thing to me, Nance. I'm not fit for it. :"
He made her sit down on a great sofa
before the fire and sat down beside
her You remind me today of the
most beautiful thing l ever heard said
of you-by a spitefuI friend"
What was it," said Nance, turning
her troubled eyes to him.
''She said, She is only beautiful in
her own home l never understood
1t before. It's a great thing to be
beautiful in ones own home"
"Oh, Alan" said Nance, catching his
hand and holding 1t against her breast,
1T Is a great thing. It's the greatest
thing in life That's why l sent for
you-because you are wrecking for
ever your chance of being beautiful in
your own home. And worse than that,
you are wrecking AliX' chances. You
and Alix cannot do this thing. 1t isn't
as though her people and ours were
of the froth of the nation. You and
she started life with nothing but
Puritan to build on. You may have
built just playhouses of sand but deep
down the old rock foundation must
endure. You must take your stand on
that"
Her eyes had been fixed on the fire
but now she turned them to his face.
Alan sat with head hanging forward,
his gaze and thoughts far beyond the
confines of the room. Then he shook
himself and got up to go. Il wish we
could Nance" he said gravely and
then added half to himself, half to her
"I'u try"
For some days Alan had been pre-
pared to go away and take Alix with
him. should she consent. Upon his ar
rival he had had an interview with
McDale & McDale in the course OF
which that firm opened its eyes and
its pocket wider than it ever had be
fore. When he left their offices he had
contracted mere or less on his OWL
terms and McDale, Junior, said to the
Senior. He's only twenty Ska boy
How did be beat us?"