Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-23
MY MARRIED LIFE
BY ADELE GARRISON

| w down the stairs which led from oui
third floor apartments TO the street.
had no idea where I was going or wha'
I was going to do. Only one idea pos
sessed me--to put as much space as pos
slble between me and the apartment which
| held my husband and his mother
Reaching the street started to walk
along it briskly. But, trembling as I was
| from the humiatng scene had just gone
through, I saw that could not walk in.
definitely and that must get to some place
at once where I could be alone and think
Taxi, ma amp"
A taxi whose driver evidently had been
watching me in tho hope of a fare rolled
up beside me.
dived into It gratefully. At least in It's
shelter would be alone and safe from OBJ
servation for few. minutes, long enough
for me to decide what to do next.
where to, ma'am?"
searched my memory wildly for a mo-
ment. Where to. indeed But the chauf-
feur waited
Brooklyn bridge" I said desperately
Very well, ma am" and in another min
ute we were speeding swiftly southwark
cannot imagine why l gave that par
ticular address to the chauffeur. | must
have had some hazy idea in my mind that
Brooklyn bridge was a good safe central
point, from which I could travel to any
point of the compass / wished
As | sank back against the cushions of
the taxi l had sudden, swift vision of
Jacks face as | had seen 1t on our last ride
together.
| could almost hear the deep tones of his
,snfa h. H,I
it he had said?
IF the impossible should happen and
your husband should fail you, remember
Jack is waiting, ready to do anything for
you"
Well, my husband had certainly failed
me, l told myself bitterly The thought of
my brother-cousin's ready sympathy, the
protecting care he had always given me,
made me long suddenly TO tell him my
troubles as | had done ever since we were
tiny children.
He had written that he was going to
sail in the morning to join the French Engi-
neering Corps. If saw him at all / must
go straight to his rooms
l took the speaking tube in my hand
to give the driver the address of Jacks
rooms-and then sanity came back to me.
THE MOMENTS MADNESS GONE
"You are not Margaret Spencer a free
agent, who can do as she peases but Mar
garet Graham, the wife of Richard
Graham ] said to myself. / remembered
what Jack himself had said to me over
the telephone when told him / wanted to
see him and bid him good-by.
NO. Margaret. you must not do that.
Frankly, l could not bear to see you with
your husband and you must not come to
see me off without him."
He had said other things too words
which stung me now in the light of my
present actions
Margaret, ! am going to send no mes
sages to you. l want none from you Re-
member, you are married. Your husband
objects to your friendship with me. l will
do nothing underhand."
And in the face of words like these I had
thought in my blind anger of going to
Jacks rooms to burden him with my trou-
bles, an action that would have sorely en-
barrassed him, compromised me and added
to Dicky's jealous rage.
My face burned with humiliation as
realized what my momentary madness had
almost led me to do.
MADGE CHANGES HER DESTINATION
Another realization came to me as I
covered against the cushions Of the taxi,
with burning cheeks and crushed spirit
My marriage with Dicky was not a yoke
that l could wear or not as l pleased It
was still on my shoulders, heavy just now,
but burden that l realized loved and
could not live without
i
dashed out of the apartment
l knew that l could have done nothing
else but walk out after Dicky uttered his
humiliating ultimatum. But also knew
Dicky we'll enough to realize that when he
came to himself he would regret what he
had done and try to find me. / must make
it an easy task for him.
So I decided my destination quickly.
would go to my old boarding place, where
my mother and had lived and where /
had first met Dcky. My kindly old land
lady, Mrs. Stewart, was one of NV best
friends Without telling too broad false
hood I could make her believe had come
to spend the night with her. The next day,
hoped, would solve its own problems.
This is the bridge entrance, ma'am."
The chauffeurs voice broke my reverie.
had made my decision just in time
How much do / owe you?'
Two dollars and five cents"
Can you change a ten?"
'Yes. ma'am." He pulled out bill book
and gave me the change.
How fortunate it was that I had chosen
the Brooklyn bridge destination! / only
had to walk up to the stairs to the elevated
train. which would take me within three
squares of Mrs. Stewards Brooklyn home
BLESS your heart. child, but I am glad
to see you!"
This was Mrs. Stewards hearty greeting.
Then she glanced at my bag. I hastened
to explain.
"Mr. Grahams mother is with us, SO /
haven't any scruples about leaving him
alone" I said lightly IT'S so far over
here 1 thought I would stay the night with
you, so that we could have the good, long
visit promised you when was here last"
That's splendid" she agreed heartily,
"and I'll wager you can't guess who's
here?"
My prophetic soul told me the answer
even before 1 saw the tall figure emerge
from an immense easy chair which had