New Britain herald., 1918-02-09
REVELATIONS OF A WIFE
GARRISON
is Your Love Strong Enough tc
Stand the Test?"

/ A shadow had fallen on my enjov-
ment of the walk I was taking with
| Dlcky to the brook we both love so
| we'll. 1t was not alone caused by the
! remem brance of the distasteful task
LILLIAN expected of me, but by some
thing more tangible, yet misera bly, real
| to me.
! Dlcky's enthusiasm over the illus
trations he was to make for the avia
ton serial Jared upon me. What
| business had he, asked myself bitter
~, being only an onlooker in this cru
| cial test of the worlds civilization.
| Other men Of his age and ability were
| preparing to fight and die for this
| greatest cause the world had ever
seen. And he was on the side lines
| making little pictures of the activities
| of others.
r. l was glad that Dicky was in one
of his talkative moods, for he didn't
notice my low spirits. He chatted
away about the Illustrations he was to
make, and a dozen other topics as if
he hadn't a serious thought in the
world.
There was a something in his man
ner, however, that made me wonder
if he were not acting a, part, conceal
ing something from me. Twice I
my face with a wistful expression like
| that of a child who has offended but
doesn't know how. Yet the moment
my eyes met his he would utter some
bit of nonsense, 50 that I wasn't sure
but that my imagination was working
overtime" as he himself would put it.
The brook was all that we had
dreamed it, and as We sauntered down
it's winding course my thoughts went
back to the first day we had seen it,
and the high hopes and ideals I had
possessed then. An involuntary little
sigh escaped me.
''Never That, Dicl1y.''
I hoped Dicly hadn't heard it, for
he apparently paid no attention to it,
but a little later, when we came to
the trunk of a fallen tree which made,
as we knew from the summers, a most
comfortable seat, he drew me down
beside him, and sitting thus, put his
hand under my chin and turned my
face up to his
You think I'm poor stick, don
you, Madge?" he said, and again there
was the wistful note in his face and
voice.
Il don't think anything of the kind
7 returned Indignantly. 1t was a good !
thing [ was seated, for every nerve |
within me was trembling. Intuitively !!
! knew that Dicky meant deliberately |!
to bring up the subject which had |
lain between US SO long, the reason for |
his curious apathy in the face of the |
world war.
Can YOU look me straight in the !
eyes and tell me you are not disap- :
pointed in me?" No usefulness in |
his eyes now nothing but sternness.
I tried to lie, to evade, but his
steady eyes seemed looking down into
the depths of my soul. At last, un-
able to bear the strain, l twisted my
head so that my face was hidden
against his shoulder, and burst into
tears I could no longer keep back.
"I thought So" I heard Dicky say
softly to himself, and then he said
nothing more, but strOked my hair |
tenderly until I was quiet again.
I'm afraid you're inferring too
much from all this" [ said timidly, |
when at last [ raised my face again. |
your question was hardly a, fair one.
| don't mean that [ am
Don't try it, dear" he said quietly.
your lips were never made for quib-
bes They are too honest. [ know
you're disappointed and that you're
having a hard time not to brand me
a coward in that patriotic soul of
yours
ooh, never that, Dicky!' I cried,
and the note of sincerity in my voice
must have convinced him, for a look
of relief flashed into his eyes.
"That's some thing to be thankful for
at least" he said, and then his grasp
frightened on my shoulders until they
hurt cruelty, and he demanded
fiercely:
Tell me, Madge, do you love me as
much as you used to do?'
Thank goodness, there was a Ques-
ton I could answer unhesitatingly.
why Madgc Hesitated.
81 love you more, if possible, than l
ever did BEFORE" / returned fervently.
He kissed me almost savagely before
| he replied.
II believe you," he said at last "but
here's another question to which l
want an honest answer
II am waiting,' I said, after a min
ute or two in which he had seemed
lost in thought
He reused himself. ct is this" he
said slowly.
"Is your love strong enough to
stand the test of being disappointed in
me, not only for this short time, but
for always, as far as this war is con-
cerned?"
It was true, then, the thing 7 had
feared. My husband meant to shirk
his part Of the great conflict, secure
in the immunity that his two or three
years in the thirties gave him from
the draft!
The confirming Of my dread made
me Oblivious for the moment Of the
question he was waiting for me TO
answer