Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-04-04
The Test Of
Patience
1919. BY Western Newspaper UniOn,J
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE

N0pJNbn'' AoAV' ~ western Newspaper Unlon')
Her life was wrecked and, searching
memory for the cause, Aida Reeves
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 IL 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 a professionally in q col
lege where, so far. he had not got be-
yond the salary of a tutor. They could
not start in housekeeping and he de-
clded temporarily to board.
"You made 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. I don't say that Morton Is
not a 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 Blakes 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 a chair
In new university in Oregon. Blake
greeted the prospective change with
delight. He was to go alone to 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 a
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
pling one limb, his general health
broke down and, hearing of u little re-
mote settlement where q schoolteacher
was needed, he went thither, planning
to get along on the meager salary UNI
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
object. She called In the young law
yer, Thorne. Between them they pol
soned AIda's mind. They almost infu-
enced her to believe that Blake had
purposely deserted her, anxious to
shlrk responsibilities he could not
meet. Step by step Aida was led on to
action she later regretted. 1t came
finally to n divorce. Sharp-wltted
Rodney Thorne applied for alimony
and, with 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 a month
reached Aida. 1t was after she found
herself legally separated from the hus-
band she had loved that she began to
realize the enormity, the sheer wicked
ness Of her actions. She upbraldod
her sister. she wept at the slightest
provocation and one day a flood of
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
plot-you never liked Morton and you
have conspired with Thorne to inhu-
ence me to break the heart Of the tru-
est man In the world. Oh, why did
desert him In his time Of sore trou-
blel"
Alice Leigh was sullenly discomft-
ed. Mr.. ThOrne became uneasy and
conscience-strlcken. Poor Aida broke
down utterly. She became almost a
nervous wreck. The report of the ply
slcian 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.
While her sister was seated In the OBJ
servatlOn car Aida hastily indlted a
note, placed II on the seat In the sec
tlOn 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 Oelweln was only |
twenty miles away, from which town
had come the remlttances from Blake. |
II must see him; my heart is hun
gering for hlmi" was the burden OF |
Aida's soul. That afternoon she stole |
a 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-nlgh gone without the bare COM
forts Of life in order that she might
receive the money the law had award
ed her.
ohe It'll upOh HeI hueeb DeIOTe MIN
as he entered the rude cabin where
she was awaiting him. She sobbed out
all her sorrow and heartbreak and
penltence. His great soul knew only
pity and gladness, and she chung to
him, not to leave him while life lasted,
after they were rewed. To her hungry
soul the humble domiclle was a man
sion, and his love the GROWING Joy Of
her life.