Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-26

T DO not mean to imply that Harper
! Carleton had an idea that Phyllis
Lawson meant anything to Robert
! or that he connected my husband with
4 her when he made the statement that
her story read like a leaf out of her
own life" Indeed I do not think any
one thought of Robert as in any sense
being what is commonly called ladies'
man. He was so sedate, so dignified
that he seemed not at all the kind or
man to have an affair"
Robert came home soon after Harper
| left and all the evening 1 looked upon
him in the most peculiarly impersonal
way; not as my husband, the father of
my children, but as the man in Phyllis
Lawson's story. The man who-perhaps
was in love with her.
would say nothing of having seen the
story but would wait and see if Robert
mentioned it. l felt positive he would.
The story written by the woman who
so evidently interested him. and of whose
! cleverness he had boosted would be in
his mind, and he would speak of IL. l
knew as soon as Harper told of seeing
him buying the magazine that he Had
bought It because of Phyllis Lawson
story. But / chatted as pleasantly and
unconcernedly as 1 could all through
dinner and afterward. relating little in
I
thought would either interest or amuse
him.
He was frankly amused at some of
Betty's prankS-the child was really ir-
resistibly funny at times. But when I
spoke of Bruce an axious look came
into his face, and he asked explicitly
about him. How he acted, if he slept
well, etc. Then, Just as we were about
| to go up stairs, he picked up the maya
zine and remarked quite casually:
'Ah. / see you have the Clarion! I
intended to bring 1T home. but forgot
It, 1t is an unusually interesting num-
ber."
$50 Harper Carleton said. He brought
| IL to me-" I replied. But what is there
of special interest? 1t is too hot to
read?"
1 watched his face for any change
when 1 told him that Harper brought
me the book, then to see If L could note
any change in his countenance or man
nor when he spoke of the magazine. But
his face held the same expression, and
he answered in the same tone:
| "Oh, several things! There's an ar
ticle on the war which will interest you.
1t is told in a conversational way and
| is easy reading even for hot day. Then
there is an unusual aviation story, and
| Phyllis Lawson has a very human little
| tale She is doing very good work. Take
| IL all in all IL is the best number the
/ Clarion people" have sent out in a long
/ time"
What is Mrs. Lawson's story about?'
I asked still watching him.
| "Oh, the usual thing! The interest
| a man and a woman have for each other,
and the obstacles in the way of their
| friendship. But she has treated ii cleY-
| erly. and that's all one can expect or
fiction writer's"
| 1 thought of how differently the two
men, Harper and Robert, had describ-
ed the story before l queried
/ What obstacles were there in the
way?"
Nothing but a foolishly jealous wife.
| The man in the story was married, his
| friendship for the woman purely pla-
| tonic; but the wife was narrow, did not
| trust him, and so made misery for her
self and all concerned. But I am not
going to tell you the story; 1T will spoil
it for you"
Il will read it when I get time" I
said. -r.. ~
1 was by this time positive in my
/ own mind that more than an ordinary
| friendship existed between Mrs. Law
son. the handsome divorce, and my
| husband. I was furiously jealous, and
was growing more and more so as time
went on. This may seem strange in
view of my feeling of neglect, and the
loss of my first feeling of love and ad-
! miration for him. But he was my own
husband, the father of my babies. He
had no right to spend his time, give
his thoughts and admiration to others,
especially TO a woman knew only cas-
ually as I did Mrs. Lawson.
So 1 thought bitterly, the while real
lied that a new sort of feeling concern
ing that if let Robert see that some
| mind, an inordinate pride in his bust
| ness success, a success 1 had unwilling
ly made it hard to win, and, which In
| the early days ] had disparaged.
Now. at times, / made many good res
olutions regarding my own actions.
did not know just where or how I was
to find my happiness again, but l would
try.
Then would come the old foolish feel
! I'm gthat If I let Robert see that some
one else admired me, he, too, would
/ think me attractive. And I tacitly en-
I couraged Harper Carleton, even while
I disclaimed-to myself-any intention
of doing so
So I foundered along, uncertain as to
/ what course to take. ] was desperately
anxious to be happy and too proud to
appeal to Robert.