The Detroit times., 1916-06-06

Leila Austin, daughter OF a wealthy
father. marries Tom Carter. poor
wifes marriage portion OF $40. oOo in
an Oregon mine and goes out with
her 20 a life 81 hardship. Their love
for each other withstands their dis
o Us'S dsy rsSsivs S letter from her
old chun Nellie Collins. that makes
her realize keenly how poverty
stricken her life Is Incidentally. the
am old sutton whom she threw over
for Carter. has become a millionaire.
Broodinsly she sat there. the let
ter clutched in her hands, her pretty
face dark with angry discomfort. She
was a drudge, an unpaid servant. the
wife OF a respondent failure And
sh. might so easily have married a
man who could have lavished ON her
all the countless little Injuries that
she had never realized she cared for.
until she had had 10 give them up,
Love in a cottage" she whisper.
ed It's all we'll enough in poetry.
But in real life, it's-it's horrible.
Presently. With a sigh. she got 10
her feet and crossed the room 10 the
shs bbX dresser and stood in cor
ner. She smiled cynicslly az the IN
kept image the dresser mirror re.
yesled 10 her.
Then, thrustins the letter and the
postscript sheet into half open
drawer. she went back 10 her hate.
full task Of dish Washing.
But today the routine OF household
Ia Dor was terfold more irksome than
ever before. Ever between her and
her work arose visions evoked by
Nellie Collins letter, A dozen times
Leila caught herself quoting the
postscript's words:
II hear YOUR old sweetheart, Hal
sey Brent. has cleaned up million
There had been another line or
two after the postscript's end. But
Nellie bad psinstakinEly crossed
them out. linking away every syllable,
TO make the obliterated words Who'll
~ unreadable This second post
script had read
Your mother tells me she and
your father are starting from New
York in day or two 10 pay you
flying visit I'm sending my love BY
them
Nellie had belatedly remembered
az this point that Mrs. Austin had
told her the visit was 10 be a sur.
prise TO Leila. Hence the careful
erasure.
After an interminable time, the
last Of the cheap. thick dishes was
washed and dried Juggling a boiler
OF hot water from the back OF the
stove. Leila filled the wooden wash
tub and rItoeeded TO toss carelessls
into II the File OF sclled clothes
The lifting Of the heavy DC Her was
acute pain r. her tired back fhe
swirl Of steam from the tub set her
&c choking. She dreaded the LABOR
Of rubbing the rough garments over
the washbosrd's corrugated plane.
She had not even bothered 70 soak
the wash over night.
Always, this housekeeping routine
was rank drudgery TO Leila But, on
this particular Monday, with her
mind full OF the pictures evoked by
NelIie's letter. she found it Gnbesr'
able Fierce rebellion sprang up in
her heart. She hated her work She
hated her squalid home She hated
tverything-everybody.
The cabin door swung open and
Tom Carter tramped in-tne mud on
his boots blotching the noue-too-
clean floor.
at isn't time 10 get dinner ready,
said Leila. dehantly. AZ she glanced
at the chimney-shelf clock. I'm
81 know it isn't" he returned lito.
lessly, as he drew his broad-brim
med hat on peg and slumped into
the nearest chair And well be
lucky IL we get any more dinners az
all"
What's the matter" she asked.
sharply: nettled by his weary hope
lessness. "A caye-in7'
Yes" with a mirthless laugh "A
cave-in. A cavein OF all our silly
hopes and our fools paradise
dreams. We're broke