The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-02
LETTERS OF
TWO WOMEN

BY ZOE BNCKLEY.

The "PaSt" Becomes Present.
New York, Monday, the 9th.
May Dear:
You ask how Paul regarded my
little escapade with Sonia Lubon. 1
am almost ashamed to tell you how
he 1auded me for it. I've told you
before, Maize, how Paul over-appre-
ciates me if anything. He is not like
some husbands, who finds virtues and
attractions in every other woman than
their wives. Paul often embarrasses
me by praising me to people who feel
that they have to agree with him or
hurt his feelingsI And it makes me
feel a good deal like a fool at times,
altho of course 1 love him for feeling
that way.
Well, when he heard from his
friends (the folks in whose home L
got Sonia a room) that I'd been nice
to Sonia, he Immediately had a fit!
Told me what a wonderful person 1
was. how exceptional wife, ETC., etc.
But 1 am far too modest. dear. TO
record Paul's full enthusiasm. AS 1
have told you many times. some men
are born to be good husbands. They
| becoming virtues and close their eyes
to their 'unbecoming faults. Look
about you, at the homely. horrid
women who have devoted husbands.
II q man Is tndC sort, ne Will love MS
wife as obstinately as a woman doves
her child. It's all luck whether you
get that kind of husband or not.
| happened to get one. Paul is DETER
| MINED to think me paragon-and 1
| suppose I'll come nearer to being one
| than I would if he were the other
| kind of husband. the kind that never
can see anything admirable in the
| woman for whom, alas. familiarity
has bred in him contempt.
DE
| what Paul said:
Il was willing enough to help her,
| but 1 couldn't afford to run the risk
of your misunderstanding. Kate! 1
owe her nothing. / was a mere lad at
| college when she crossed my path.
| She is a high-strung, temperamental
| Russian, and, quite Enthusiastically,
when we met again after years. in this
| land where she is still q stranger, she
reached out with an unf1aring of her
| old fire.
| But I couldn't have her coming to
the office, and to my home, and Great
ing disturbances like the spurned
heroine in a cheap melodrama. 1
couldn't have her making appeals for
money. 1 didn't dare help her, Kate!
wanted to. because 1 was sorry for
her, but I simply didn't dare-for
fear of being misunderstood. My
sentimental feeling for Sonia Luboff
is absolutely dead. Kate. My whole
/
was a student in Petrograd.
| But, dear, in my widest dreams 1
| could not picture a more ideal solu-
| ton of the whole thing than-than
what has happened. To think that
| you voluntarily went to her and did
a fine, splendid thing like that-Oh,
Kate!"
| I shall mercif,illy draw a veil.
Maize, over the beautiful, sentiments
| gush that my adorable husband was
| guilty of from that point on.
But the main thing is that PauTs
past" has resolved itself from an I'M
| certain quantity that worried me a lit
tie. into present reality that doesn't
worry me at all! On the contrary, i
get real pleasure out of Sonia and her
| friendship She is keeping her job at
| the language school and developing a
| talent for dressmaking that could
really amount to something in time.
She is as happy as a child at getting
away from the theater atmosphere.
| . Occasionally she comes to sec
US, but she has her own friends among
a little Russian clique. and enjoys
them most. May, do you know.
feel more "even' with Paul now?
He laid the ghost of c. J. for me. And
| now I've laid his ghost for him.
Lovingly ever, dear, KATIE.