The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-01-08

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ASHAMED OF THEIR SEX

hoHhUI EAg UT bh1<h
After Pat finished reading the
third letter which John Sterling
left behind telling the tragedy of
his life, little book, the strangest
feeling of suppressed emotion
seemed to pervade the room. There
was utter silence for half a min
ute and | know during that time
every woman there was saying to
herself that she was thoroly
ashamed of her sex.
At last Tim spoke UP, Surely,
Mr.. Sullivan" he said, your po-
lice reporter will give me the adj
dress of that woman. You say
she has no reputation to lose, so
what objection can there be-"
mo, my dear Mr.. Commission
err, | am afraid that | shall have
to kecp even the name of the wom-
an from you. The lady will get
into your clutches soon enough. !"
II hope she WILL" said Annie
viciously.
We all laughed at Armies We
hemence, for sane, sensible Annie
is not apt to make hard speeches
about any woman unless there is
very great provocation. Il would
not have believed" said Annie, IF
you had not read this to us, that
any woman could be so horrible.
"Pd like to hear her side of the
story" said Dick. Surely, she
was not born that way-some-
where in her character there must
be some spark of decency."
THAT is what most men who
have known her have thought, my
reporter Gays, and they have Sc.
out to find it only to be dropped
into the net as was John Sterling.
"What about your reporter man,
PATTI" / asked. as he immune?"
Il think so, / sometimes tell
him that he has printers ink in his
veins instead Of red blood. 1t
seems that he had seen John Sterl-
ing at this woman's home, and
when the news of the suicide came
out, he did a little sleuthing on his
own account. BY flattering the
woman one minute and telling her
that he did not believe she had
been able to subjugate John Sterl-
ing the next, he finally got the let
ter from her. He brought II to
me personally and was very much
chagrined when | told him l would
not publish it"
saw Alice's hand steal into
Pats as he said this and | was
very glad, for by that caressing
little hand clasp understood that
Pat and Alice had been reconciled
and that they were on basis of
perfect understanding and SYM
pathy again.
Dick, who loves a story quite
as much as a child, had quite for
| gotten about me and the check.
l could see Jim had not, but /
knew that he would never say a
word to me on the subject unless
first brought up the matter.
After the letters had been read
and discussed we had a bite to eat
and then Jim set the Victrola go
ing and insisted that he should
have a little turn at dancingH !
danced first with Harry Symone,
and took occasion to tell him how
happy l was over his election.
| II don't deserve It, Margie," lie
said soberly. You and l know
full we'll that nothing good would
ever have come to me IL it had not
been for Eliene. She has always
stood by me like a brick. She has
been more than friend, more than
wife, more than confidant, more
than councillor. l cannot tell you
how that letter she wrote to the
Newspapers at the time they dug
up the story of the twins affected
ME. 1t was wonderful, Margie, IL
know that Eliene could feel that
way toward me. / don't believe
any man living is worth what
Eliene has done for me-"
IL am SO glad that you appre-
ciate her now, Harry. You GER
tainly did not when you were first
married." l answered.
n