Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-03
By Carolyn
BeeCher
ONE WOMAN'S
STORY

throw OF the lded Jlal III some way l
would have more unhappiness through
Roberts association with Tim Mulhany
and his crowd, that they would DE the
means of taking Robert from me.
That very afternoon | realized that
my fears were well founded. About
> O'Clock I went to the bank and drew
he money 10 pay the bills as Robert
had requested. Then left my card /,
Mrs Mulhany's To my delight she
was out As l was obliged to pass the
office on way home, l stopped, intending
to wait for Robert and walk home with
him.
Il am glad you came in Margaret"
he greeted, II shan't be home to dinner
tonight"
Not home to dinner" exclaimed
why not?"
II am going to his club with Mr.. Null
hany. He wants to talk things over
with me. and hasn't. time during the
day"
Robert turned back to his papers, as
If leaving me to eat my dinner alone
were nothing that mattered.
but, Robert
There's nothing to be said Margaret"
he interrupted, rather impatlently. AT
ter the way you talked and acted when
they called I couldn't ask him to dine
with me. 1t wouldn't have been polite,
anyway Men don't care 10 talk business
before n woman"
man doesn't always know when he
has hurt a woman. and surely Robert
didn't dream he was being cruel. But
my pride was up in arms in moment.
"a poor excuse is better than none
when YOU want to stay out and have
a good time, knowing your wife has no
servant" ] said.
shoulders suggested a shrug.
| picked up my parcels and started
for the door. Robert stopped me long
enough to give me an absent-minded
kiss and say.
Don't sit up, dear. | shall be late"
| am being thus specific with this
part of my story so that what came
after can the more easily be under
stood The first and second parts of
my life are so unrelated; and the third
part so detached. That is the way my
life has been divided. Into three parts,
like a magazine story
Mine at this time was the old story
of love and hope and despair. of Pc
RODS of happiness caused by an &C.
casional return of our courtship days;
but which soon hickered and went out.
l was very lonely, very discouraged,
that first year of my married life. That
year When l maze mountains OuI VI
molehills, not dreaming that the real
mountains of trouble were waiting to
crush me.
Without another word l left the office
and went home to my solitary dinner,
the first I had eaten alone. My food
choked me, but | forced myself to
drink a strong cup of coffee, and then
I went into the living room and COM
menced a new book | had bought that
afternoon.
Unfortuna tely, 1t was the story of a
neglected wife. AS l read l could see
the gaunt, unhappy years the book so
vividly depicted stretching out before
me. Her story would be my story. /
became completely absorbed. As each
chapter unfolded it's need of sorrow
and unhappiness caused by the hus-
bands Indifference, l put myself in her
place and wondered what | would do
under the same circumstances. Would
| follow the course taken by the woman
I'm the book? Would could leave
Robert and strike out a new path of
my own?
The idea fascinated me. l went back
and reread the chapter just finished in
which the load of sorrow seemed too
heavy for her to bear; and decided that
she had done wrong to endure so much,
that he had no right to spoil her life
1t was u o'clock when l laid the
book down, finished For long time
l sat idly thinking over what 1 had
read That other woman's troubles
were very poignant, dwarfing my own.
Roberts absence was forgotten in my
interest in the problems the book pre-
scented.
(Honfjunad IN HTaEt IaRna-l