Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1919-04-10
The Il est Of
atience
Copyright. 1919. by western N.vspaper Union. !,
., VICTOR REDcllFFE


felt that she had unconsciously con-
tributed to that disaster Now that
the experience OF three years lay out.
spread before her, and she took first
calm and coherent survey Of Its details,
she doubted If the influence of others
had been at all salutary and her own
action wise or even just.
At fresh, blooming eighteen, Aida
Reeves had married Morton Blake be-
cause she loved him. He was poor and
his prospects lay solely along the line
OF acquiring professorship in q col
lege where, SO far, he had not got be-
yond the salary Of tutor. They could
not start in housekeeping and he de-
cided temporarily to board.
You made a mistake in marrying a
poor man." Alice Leigh said. There
was Rodney Thorne, the young lawyer.
with small fortune and deeply in love
with you. l don't say that Morton Is
not q good man and devoted to you,
and does the best he can, but you silly
two will starve to death waiting for
the princely professorship Morton will
never get"
This prediction turned out true The
shrewd manipulation Of more polite
and planning candidates entirely
swept Blake's chances aside. Aida
became irritated and gloomy at the
outlook ahead. She chafed secretly
He began to think of striking out into
new fields and one day announced that
he had been recommended for chair
In new university in Oregon. Blake
greeted the prospective change with
delight. He was to go alondto his new
post and arrange for her later recep-
ton. A month later there came de-
pressing news. The new college had
burned down two days after the ar
rival of Blake. Its rebuilding was
matter Of doubt. The gentle spirit of
Blake weakened under the strain of
disappointment and uncertainty. Aida,
urged on by her sister, wrote some re-
proachful letters Blake felt that he
was not welcome back at his old home
town. He met with an accident, Grip
ping one limb his general health
broke down and, hearing of ia little re-
mote settlement where. a schoolteacher
was needed, he went thither, planning
to get along on the meager salary un->
til he recovered his health.
Mrs. Leigh was convinced that her
despised brother-in-law would never
amount to anything. She advised Aida
not, to waste her life on an unworthy
Z no cd n thn lav
yer, Thorne. Between them they poi
soned Aida's mind. They almost influ-
enced her to believe that Blake had
purpOsely deserted her, anxious to
shirk responsibilities he could not
meet Step by step Aida was led on to
action she later regretted. 1t came
finally to u divorce. Sharp-witteti
Rodney Thorne applied for alimony
and. with q breaking heart in far-away
Idaho, Morton Blake silently accepted
the verdict Of the court and lived out
his broken life alone.
Regularly the fifty dollars month
reached Aida. 1t was after she found
herself legally separated from the hus-I
band she had loved that she began to
realize the enormity, the sheer wicked
ness of her actions. She upbraided
her sister, she wept at the slightest
] prOvocation and one day flood of
Il light came to her mind when Rodney
Thorne asked her to marry him She
rebuffed him almost harshly
/ II see 1t all" cried the distracted
/, Aida to her sister, later. ut Is all a
plot-you never liked Morton and you
have conspired with Thorne to infiu-
ence me to break the heart of the tru-
est man in the world. Oh, why did l
desert him in his time OF sore trou-
ble!"
Alice Leigh was sullenly discomfit-
ed. Mr.. Thorne became uneasy and
c0nscfence-s stricken. Poor Aida broke
down utterly. She became almost a
nervous wreck. The report of the ply
sician alarmed Alice. Change of scene
was urged and Mrs. Leigh, going to
California, took Aida with her on the
trip.
The train halted for two hours to
make connections at junction point.
Il
servatiOn car Aida hastily indited a
note, placed it on the seat in the Sec
ton and left the train. The note in
formed Mrs. Leigh that she would re-
join or telegraph her later at the ter.
minus.
Time tables she consulted had In
formed Aida that Oelwein was only
twenty miles away, from which town
had come the remittances from Blake
Il must see him; my heart is hun
gering for him!" was the burden of
Aida's soul. That afternoon she stole
glance through an open window
where Morton Blake was patiently, Low
ingly teaching little class OF children,
and later Aida located the little cot.
tage where he lived.
She learned Of the wretched pay he
received, and then how, submissive
to the DEGREES of fate, he must have
well-nigh gone without the bare com
forts Of life in order that she might
receive the money the law had award
ed her.
She fell upon her knees before hin
as he entered the rude cabin where
she was awaiting him. She sobbed ou,
4 all her sorrow and heartbreak and
penitence. His great soul knew only
pity and gladness, and she chung te
him, not to leave him while life lasted
after they were rewed. To her hungry
soul the humble domicile was man
l 1T htc -