South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-01
REVELATIONS OLA WIFE
By Adele Garrison

as !, but he ate fairly good meal
A Katie cleared the dishes away
and brought the coffee with a GER
tain kind Of cream cheese OF which
Dicky is very fond. he looked at me
whimsically.
Shall We risk our coffee in the
living room again?'' he asked.
] WINGED at the memory of the
evening before when Katie had
served our after-dinner coffee be-
fore the gas log in the living room.
The financial discussion which fol-
lowed had precipitated painful
scene. But Dicky, in his penitence.
had granted everything / had wish
ed so there seemed 10 be nothing
left which would cause any discus
sion.
Why not?" l turned TO Katie
Please bring the things into the
other room"
We slipped our coffee and then
Dicky lighted a cigar. You ought
to smoke, Madge," he said careless
ly. Won't you try a cigaret?"
He drew out his case of cigarets
and proffered me one. l drew back
in horror.
"Dicky!" l calculated You do
not mean you would like TO see me
smOkingi"
He looked at me curiously. II
beg your pardon" There was a
touch of irony in his voice. 81 seem
fated to stumble on your preju-
dices." He replaced the cigarets
in his pocket.
But Dicky.' / persisted. 1T
means a lot TO me. Tell me. would
you he willing to have your wife d
user of cigarets?"
If you mean a cigaret fiend.
no." returned Dicky, nor. IF
course. 1 wouldn't want to see you
use as many as Lii does. She gets
pretty nearly dafy if she doesn't
have her regular allowance. But
I think it would be mighty comfy II
you would smoke a cigaret Occa-
sionally with me. incidentally, Ia
like 10 see how you would look with
one. The combination of that cold,
calm saintliness of yours with
lighted cigaret ought TO be inter
esting.'
Did his voice hold a covert sheer?
| thought again of the woman in
the theater dressing room who had
referred to me as "the marble
bride" Were the principles upon
which my very character was built
10 be the rock upon which our hap
piness would be wrecked
recognized the fact that 10
Dicky my principles were only
prejudices A tiny voice somewhere
in my inner consciousness whisper
ed: Are you very sure that some
of them are not?"
I felt bewildered, shaken. The
trihing query of Dicky's concerning
my smoking had been to me as the |
sudden loosening of an anchor must |
be to a boat / was swept into un- !
familiar seas. Secure in the haven |
of the limited circle which had sur
rounded my work and life before !
my marriage l had never questioned |
the soundness Of the theories which |
had been bred in me.
| wondered what my mother |
would say 10 me. / knew she had !
possessed my temperament. ! knew |
also that her life had been wrecked |
by my fathers desertiOn of her. !
What had she said TO me on that |
last terrible day before she left me?
II wish I had kept a record of those |
days of my own unhappiness so I |
could warn you Of the hidden rocks !
in your path" Had she regretted /
some of her own acts2 Would she /
advise me to yield some of my !
prejudices to Dicky's. and save my /
resistance for a time when some vi /
tai principle might be i'm question /
All at Cnce the realization swept /
over me that her advice would be /,
just what / had fancied. 7 made "A
sudden decision. leaned forward I
and held cut my hand TO Dicky.
IF you will promise that it won't 1
make me i'll as a small boys first /
cigar is always said to do. I will try |
one Of your cigarettes" / said with |
a smile.