The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-10-02
CRAVED FOR LOVE,
SA VS. MRS. MELLEN

II Is not in me to fail so low as that.
Whatever else ] may have said am
done l couldn't disgrace my children.
/ did write those silly and Sentl-
mental letters, but they were the re-
suit OF years of neglect and heart
ache. Who OF US does not have silly
and sentimental moods?
Mr.. Brown seemed to understand
my position and seemed to sympa-
thize with my hard lot. / had no
one to turn to, so I turned 70 him
Human nature is frail and weak.
Everybody Graves sympathy and un
derstanding. Was / SO different
from other human beings? Here
Mrs. Nellen's hRzeI-brOwn eyes sud-
denly grew misty as a wave OF some
thing like self-pity swept over her.
NO one knows what ! have SUI
fered," she contilled bravely, hold
ing back the yelling tears. Il don't
believe one woman in a thousand
could have stood what l have en-
dured and survived. 1t is a wonder
that I'm not a nervous wreck after
all ] have been through.
'If / was not an innocent woman
I simply could not have stood it.
The knowledge that 1 have been
faithful to my marriage VOWS buoys
me up and enables me to stand these
insults which they are heaping upon
me.
There wasn't a thing in those fool
ish letters, which Mr.. Mellen pub
lished to disgrace me, that indicated
that 1 had ever done wrong with MI.
Brown. ] never SO much as dined
alone with Mr.. Brown during my en-
tire infatuation for him. He. like
the high-ninded kind of a man which
/ believe him to be, helped me to
avoid the pitfalls of New York life.
Mr.. Brown gave me lots of fatherly
advice. He warned me against GER
tain evil men and always had the
welfare OF me md my children at
heart. He was Mr.. Mellen's friend
and Mr.. Mellen trusted him.
Treated Al Pet Canary.
MY married life. with Mr.. Mellen
was never the kind OF life 1 imagined
it would be before l married him. l
was only twenty-one and he was
forty-two-a man old enough to be
my father.
From the very first he treated me
as he might his pet canary. IL he
wanted to come along and poke his
fingers at me, through the bars of
my cage. he did. If It suited his
mood not take any notice of me, l
went unnoticed. l was his play thing,
his beautiful baby doll.
81 never enjoyed his companionshlp
the way other women seemed to en-
joy the companionship OF their hus-
bands. Mr.. Nellen was usually rather
grouf and taciturn. ] could not talk
over household problems with him.
when I suggested going out for
an evening, or to some place OF
amusement like the theater. Mr.. Mel
len would say, Aren't you satisfied to
stay in your own home? Isn't your
home good enough for "ou:' His
grun manner sometimes made me
quake. he was so surly. Then
would creep into my shell, as II were,
and say nothing.
LOnEed for COmPanionshIp.
"'Oh. IL he would only understand
[ thought IF he would only try and
see how empty my life was and how
monotonous' 1t was then that
would sit alone evening after evening
and eat my heart cut ! was lonely,
[ longed for some human companion
ship.
HE never took me with him on
his trips like other men take their
wives. He would go to hineo, Me,
Cor recreation trips, but he never in
vited me to accompany him. And he
didn't want me to 70 anywhere alone.
III went on a trip on my own ac-
count or 10 visit friends, he refused to
pay my expenses. and I had TO pay
them out OF my own income. The only
reason I went TO New York when
wanted a change was because / had
credit there and everybody knew that
l was Mrs. Mrllcn.
During the past two years Mr.. Mel
len has absolutely refused to support
me. He sends d paltry 800 Z month to
our daughter. Hatheryn. who lives here
with me, to be sure. Eut what Is 800
a month In New Yorl; for girl who
has had the bringing up that Eatheryn
has. and who is accustomed TO every
luxury? The s. a week my daughter
receives from MIR. Mrlleu is ITihing
compared with her expenses"
why couldn't he have tried to sym
pathize with me just little, and saved
both OF US all this heartache and no.
toriety? That is what / cannot under
stand. All l craved was understanding
and sympathy from him.
Crayed Affection.
1 was desperate for a little real az
lection gave him everything he
asked OF me. But he never seemed TO
appreciate the price I paid or realize
my position. Even when our children
died lie was apparently but slightly
touched All men cannot be 80 unfecI-
Ing as WIS Mr. Mollen, | am sure.
Wien We were FOR six years In St
Paul, when he was president Of the
Northern Pacific railroad. Mr.. 1Icllen
used to sit and play poker by the
hour with other women and expect
me to sit and look on. He didn't ap-
prove OF card playing by women. and
forbade me playing whist, but he
played poker with other women and
thought il was all right. Can't you
see how narrow my life has been?"
Here Mrs. Mellen nearly lost con-
troll OF her emotions, as all the pent-
up feeling Of years welled up in a
mighty wave and threatened to en-
gulf her. when the unhappy woman
had recovered her composure she con-
tinued:
q was. as my attorney declared in
the courtroom. "A bird in n gilded
cage. had everything that any
woman could wish except my free
dom and a sympathetic companion.
-RTEaEfe