The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-06-22
CONFESSIONS
OF A Wife

TREActERY'S MASK is
INNOCENCE

What shall We do now. Paula"
said Alma as We read the story
again.
I'm 20 up and see her and tell
her just what ! think OF her I
said for | was boiling with rage.
and really wanted for once 70 tell
that little devil what thought OF
her
" No. you can't do that said
Alma. for Il would bo just like
Mistress F1oHsic TO add another
count 10 her petition and name you
- correspondent She Ia capable OF
anything tiendish.
Il sat down quickly. This was
the first time Ia all nay life. Margie.
that had come across a really bad
woman. and could sce that under
any circumstance / would be no
tLatch for her and would prob
ably get my boss into worse trou.
bic. n that were possible. than he
was In at the time.
I'm tell you what I'll do. said
Alma. I'll 10 up and try TO get 10
her as 4 newspaper woman
She won't see you
I'm not so sure. You know
have known her and her family.
You can make up your mind that
sae has fhiA scheme All worked out.
end n Il Is part OF II that she
will talk for the newspapers she
has her story ready
Alma went up TO SEQ her. and.
as she had predicted. Mrs Smith
saw her You see she wanted Alma
10 believe IN her. and 30 she had
a most plausible story from her
point OF view.
she made "A great point OF Alma
being a woman and an old friend.
and said she certainly would not
have seen any men reporters, but !
Iecially OF my own town. will mn.
dcrstand and pity me in my present
situation
Although | am somewhat older
than you. Alma. she began. when
married Frank Smith. was only
is ycarH old We have been mar.
ricd ten years Until lately he has
always been good to me personally.
altho early found out that he was
trying % make his wonderful mag.
ucilsm and silver tongue cloak
many grating schemes
II thought OF Frank Smiths
honesty and rather slow speech.
Margie. and ! honestly wanted TO
choke the lying words down her
throat when Alma told me this,
but | loved him" she vent
on. with husincss OF holding a deli.
cate handkerchief to her eyes said
Alma As she not only quoted her
words. hut acted the part so graph
ically ! had TO laugh. notwithstand.
Ing the tragic occasion.
I loved him she repeated with
sob. and when he was nominated
for congress | did all could 10
help elect him. OF course. you
know have never been anything
but a homeloying woman. but I
had n few Influential friends-men
Who had known my fnther-shades
q the nine tailors It takes to make
man, who were willing 10 help
me Ia every way possible.
The night he was elected !
made him promise he would 20
straight. but the moment he got
here he became embrolled I'm this
liquor mess. and when ! remon-
strated with him he--he struck me-
after that | knew there was moth.
ing for me 90 do but 90 separate
from him. II was really against my
conscience and training TO get "A
divorce but my lawyers. after hear
ing my story. said there was moth.
ing else for mo TO do.
az am not asking for any ali
mony--l could not touch any of
that money that know is tainted.
Great heavens. Alma. inter
rupted. Don't tell me any more
cant stand It. That woman knows
she has mortgaged the boss very
salary with her extravagance.
'Of course she does. said Alma.
but that did not keep her from
making what she thought was a
splendid roint. How viii YOU
live" asked her bluntly. said
Alma
81 am going to some ftiends in
New York immediately.' she an
swerod. and. Paula. as she said Il
she could not help a queer little
CLEAN coming into her eyes and 9.
quirky smile at her mouths coy.
ners
You can depend on It. Senator
Ross has made some provision for
her and she will probably 30 abroad
next summer and the senator iwill
follow. wonder If she can wake
him marry her
"'Alma. you don't thinl3 that
woman expects to marry Senator
Ross | said In derision.