Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-15
MY MARRIED LIFE
MY MARRIED LIFE
BY ADELE GARRISON
"T ooE at me, Margaret.

|
"T oOK at me, Margaret"
IL Jacks voice was low and tense il
held a masterful note had never heard.
without realizing that I did so | obeyed
| him and lifted my eyes TO his
| What ! read in them made me tremble,
! This was new Jack facing me across the
table.
The cousin-brother my best friend since
! my childhood, was gone. | did not know
| this man who reached out his hand and
covered mine as It lay on the table before
| mo.
did not admit to myself why, but !
| wished, oh so earnestly, that I had told
! Jack over the telephone OF my marriage
| during his years absence in the South
| American wilderness, where he could
! neither send nor receive letters.
No brother could haye been kinder or
nearer to me during ali my life than this
distant cousin Of mine had been had felt
| guilty at having married during his absence
| without his knowing about 1t. So ! had
| waited to tell him OF nay marriage until we
! should have finished the dinner to which
Jacl; had asked me on the first day he re-
turned from his exile.
/ must not wait another minute, ! told
myself
Jack" said brokenly, "thcre is some
| thing I want to tell you-I'm afraid you
will be angry. hut please don't be, big
brother will your
JACK DECLARES HIS LOVE
"There is something I'm going to tell you
first" Jacl, smiled tenderly at me, and
that is that this big brother stun is done
for as far as I'm concerned. IN fact, I've
been just taking the role for two or three
years back because ! knew you didn't care
the way | wanted you to. But this year out
in the wilderness has made me realize just
ytf,. g., Hp to without
I've been kicking myself all over South
America that didn't try to make you care.
I've just about gone through Gchonna, too,
thinking you might fall in love with some
body while ! was gone But | saw you
didn't wear anyhody's ring anyway, so ]
said to myself I'm not going to wait an
other minute to tell her love her, love her,
love her"
Jacks voice. pitched to a low key any
way. so that no one should be able to hear
what he was saying. sank almost to WINS
per with the last words.
sat stunned. helpless, grlef-stricken.
TO think that ! should be the one TO
bring sorrow to Jack, the gentlest klndest
friend had ever known
did I sTARTLE your"
Worst of all. to think that by my own
short rt-siEhtedncss and obStinacy l had let
him tell me this secret, which ! knew he
never would have revealed II he had
dreamed l was married.
Mrs Stewart, my old landlady, had hinted
that Jack was in love with me.
My husband had told me point-blank that
| would find out Jacks brotherly attitude
to be a myth.
And yet had gone on bllndly TO this. /
had even removed my wedding and engage
rncnt rings and hidden them in my mesh
bag that Jack might not know OF my mar
rlagc before | was ready to tell him.
"Did l startle you, dear?" Jack leaned
over the table. his face anxious. tender
close to mine 81 shouldn't have told you
here. | know but | couldn't keep 1t II minute
longer"
"Oh, Jack. don't" moaned, and then to
my horror I began to cry. l could not con-
troll my sobs, although | covered my tace
with my handkerchief
"Therc. there. sweetheart, I'll have You
out of this in a jiffy" Jack was at my slde
hclping me to rise, getting me into my coat,
shielding me from the curious gaze of the
other diners.
waiter. pay my bill out of that, get us
taxi quick and keep the change. Hurry
"Yes sir thank you, sir" The waiter
dnshed ahead Of us. As we emerged from
the door he was standing proudly by the
wv Where to, glr?" The chauffeur touched
his cap.
ANYWHERE. Central Park" Jack helped
me in. sat down beside me, the door
slammed and the taxi rolled away.
The only other time in my life Jack had
seen me cry was when my mother died.
Then I had wept my grief out on his shoul-
der, secure in the knowledge OF his broth
erIy love. As the taxi started he slipped
his arm around me-
''Whatever it is, dear cry It out in my
arms" he whispered.
But at his touch / shuddered and drew
myself away. | was Dicky's wife. This
situation was intolcrable. | must end it
at once. With a mighty effort | controlled
my sobs and wiping my eyes, sat upright.
Dear. dear boy / said. please forgive
me- | never thought Of this or | would
have told you over the telephone"
Told me what?" Jacks voice was harsh
and quick. His arm dropped from my
waist.
There was no use wasting words In the
telling / took my courage In both hands,
Il am married. Jack" said family. II
have been married for over month"
God :" The eXpletive seemed forced
from his lips, I had heard the name ut
tered that way once before when a man I
an automobile accident. II made me real
ize as nothing else could what Jack must
be suffering.
But he gave no other sign Of having
heard my words, simply sat erect with
folded arms. gazing sternly into vacancy,
while the taxi rolled up Fifth avenue.
IIuddled miserably in my corner, waited
for him to speak. / had summoned cour-
age 10 tell him the truth, but | could not
have spoken 10 him again while his face
held that frozen look 1t frightened and
fascinated me at the same time
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