Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-23
Moonlight and
Money
BY Marion Rubincam
v

oV
The doctor left at dawn, satlSneu
| that the crisis was past for the tILne
| at least. Louise went to hef room
and fell asleep from pure exhaustl0n
and Mr., Driscom went Town 10 ms
study, where he found leftover DTS
| of kindIing and tried to build a snlali
fire. He had paced up and Gown
the halls during the night, okl
innumerable cigars.
The doctor la given Mrs. Drlscohe
| something to make her sleep, assur-
ing them that everything was al
| right for a time and that he would
| come back in the afternoon.
Very late in the morning Louise
| dressed and had breakfast with her
| father downstairs.
IT am supposed to go away to Chi
cago," he said, but 1 called up the
| office and put 1t off for a while"
Louise nodded. She had very lit
tie idea what her fathers business
| was; she simply knew 1t had always
supplied them with more money than
they could possibly use.
1.-THE doctor told me some time ago
that there was something weighing
or mothers mind" Louise said. H
thought I might help her by finding
| out what 1t was and adjusting 1t. AT
least, he thought h would feel
better If she shared with me. But
she won't tell"
That's like her, isn't it?" Mr..
J Driscom said. II neve knew a wom-
an with SO much determination of
character" There was almost a
| touch Of pride in his voice.
"Of course I can imagine it's some
thing between you two," Louise hes
itated to say it, but the nearness of
death the night before brought them
to the real facts of life. Where
Louise would never before have
dared mention this great mystery.
she now had but the slightest hesi-
tation.
Let your mother tell you If she
wants." Mr.. Driscom said. IF she
doesn't and If she doesn't-live-IM
tell you. But / don't think il will
relieve her mind any to talk about
it."
Louise went up YEARLY to the sick
room. Her mother was awake now
but looking, in the clear daylight, as
though indeed she had died the
night before. Her gray pallor had
an appalling quality. Louise felt
chilled when she looked at her.
WAS that mans footstep outside
in the hall your fathers or Harry's?"
she asked abruptly.
Fathers Louise answered.
II thought it might be Harry" her
mother said in the curious half
smothered voice she had used for
the last few days.
"You don't want Harry around.
you know" Louise reminded her
gently.
No the other woman answered.
IT didn't want you to marry him,
and l don't want o to go back to
him. But you love him and I sup
pose it's the best thing for you to
do, after all. But If you do, I want
you to let your father give you
enough money to live on comforta-
bly,. You must promise this. I have
none to leave you, but your father
has plenty. Then you will have al
least the comfortable life I have
had"
go on" urged Louise gently.
That's all I've had, physical COM
forts, and you. My married life be-
gan as ours did. l was not az
young, but I'd lived away in the
country and saw very few people and
I was more foolish than you were 81
year ago."
but didn't you love father?"
Louise asked.
Yes, / idolized him, I was mad
about him. He was handsome, rich,
he had charming manners, he was
the only nice man I'd ever known. I
loved him too much, with a blind,
furious sort OF passion that must
burn itself out in time, in a short
time"
She paused for breath, but pres-
emily hurried on, as though afraid
she might not finish the story.
"In the city as he kept growing
richer and our friends increased. he
was made much of by men n WON
en- too. Some of 1t went to his head.
He liked to go about with people: I
wanted to stay home with him. I
was Jealous and unreasonable. That's
all, it's the usual story. It wrecks
eight marriages out of ten.
st fretted, then nagged, then quar-
relied. One day he told me he didn't
love me any more. I told him 1 hated
him. We didn't speak for weeks"
ibid you-hate him then?" Louise
asked.
mo, but I thought I did. He
thought 1 did. And we nursed along
the feeling. And by and by we did
hate each other earnestly. He began
to live at his clubs. I forced him to
come home once a week because I
said you had to know your father by
sight at least. I did it because I
knew 1t hurt him to come.
"And So" she went on, "~evorything
that makes marriage a success went
little by little. All I had was the
material comforts. And I want you
to have those, at least, when the
other thing goes"
but it won't go. I still love
Harry" Louise protested.
Her mother simply smiled grimly.
Tomorrow-Tragedy.