The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-05-10
POSSESSIONS
BY EMILY SLOANE.

r1ed, she had become something OF q
small town fixture, with the usual du-
ties of young mother, housekeeper
and a member of an afternoon club. It
was therefore surprise to John when
she announced one morning at break
fast that she would like to go with him
the next time he went to the city.
You'll be going down on the goth
for that AXtell case against the rail
road, won't you?" AS John ventured
no immediate reply, Amy added: Il |
hope l shan't be a dead weight"
Their first evening in the city was
spent at the theater, but the next +
morning John expressed doubt about I
/ being able to dine with Amy that |
night
That afternoon, just as she had COM
pleted her purchases, she happened to |
meet an old-time friend of her moth
ers family, Mrs. NARROW.
MY dear child" said that cordial
woman, after their first greetings,
you must come with me to dinner
and go with US to hear that poet ev-
erybody is raving about-Wheless
Raeburn, you know.
After a quick trip to the hotel,
where Amy left a note for John in
case of his return. they were off to
a delightful dinner.
Mrs. Marlows party arrived early at
the club meeting. Amy looked about
in wide-eyed interest at the handsome
ly gowned women, the sleekly groomed
men and the soft-footed attendants of
the fashionable hotel in whose gilded
parloTs the gathering was held.
Suddenly her eyes filled with a look
of panied surprise as she saw John
} enter with a handsome woman in an
ultra-decollete gown Of black satin
which shimmered but little more than
did her smooth black hair. She car
ried crimson roses. Amy found her
self wondering if it could be a night
mare instead of a reality.
- In a voice full of deep melody the
/ poet read his verses-poems of patriot
ism, Of childhood. of love. Amy kept
watch on John and his companion.
, who had taken seats half facing her.
With Mrs Marlows motherly bigness
= between them, Amy could see without
n being seen by John.
+
! by George, This is q surprise, John.
/ We were wishing for you at dinner,
and Amy said she was sure you'd come
2 out if you got the note she left for you
in time In his enthusiasm, Mr.. Mar
: low did not notice that his words
seemed to bring a look of perplexity
into his face.
z Amy he asked absently. Where
= 10 she?"
d "Oh, in that maelstrom of hero wor-
e shippers and sycophants," indicating
II the throng pressing about the poet,
Then, with sudden seriousness, he
added: old boy, you're a lucky man
,r to possess such a jewel Of a wife in
d these days when a truly balanced
IS woman is a distinct rarity. There s
IS more than one woman in this very
10 crowd whose husband neither knows
II knows nor cares where she is, and it's
d fake marriages like theirs that seri
ously undermine society. You stay
= here and I'll get our wives and well
= make a quick getaway.
to The handsome woman's expression
V changed from indifference to interest
~ and from interest to enthusiasm as the
IL poets musical voice filled the room
DC John seemed discounted, though Amy
II could not tell whether it was because
of the woman's forgetfulness of hi.
- presence or from a desire to escape
-, the whole thing.
IF AS the poets voice died away, :
n babel of voices rose in delighted com
IS ment. He was surrounded and lion
- lied by many. prominent and persis
e- tent among them being Johns compan
IL ion. Bored by the whole proceeding
ne John stepped into an adjoining room
Is, and, as he would have it, walked RICH
!" into ponderous Cyrus NARROW. VIII
~ had been detained in a committe
oh meeting.
i; Half an hour later, John and Am
ID were on their way to the hotel alon
n in the Marlow's Limousine. Amy he'll
her head high and her lips shut tigh
ne and John stared grimly ahead for som
"a minutes before he spoke.
80 Amy" his voice was hoarse, hi
,te sentences abbreviated, "of course I d,
Of serve to be thrown off forever, BIT
or don't do it without hearing me. "
I'D learned tonight what real values arr
he Most of all I've learned the value of
We woman like you. That woman is til
We wife of railroad official who is niue
/" away from home. She was amuse
O.. with my admiration until she caugl
f. that poets eye. While NARROW We
,ur looking for you she passed out an
-hv babe me good night, saying tn;
CT friends who live in the same apar
ISL ment she does had just room enoue
TX in their car for her and would not /
on her say no to their invitation. Whe
81 go I saw that the poet was also of Il
ne party, I understood, but didn't car
are She had passed out of my life befo
de- that, for as | sat there and faced tn
- lcft nlc,r,4,