The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-05-20
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Divorce Cured.
BY JOHN GREGG,
tcopyHsht, 1913, Dy the Mcclure

II
Edith reasoned, anyway. Tom had
been the negiectful husband. almost
from their honeymoon. And quar-
relst Well, 1T was almost more than
she could stand. Everything she said
he disagreed with. Everything he
said she disagreed with, although she
! did not think OF that part OF 1t. She
did not ike his relatives and he hated
hers. His sister Argentine had made
the second summer Of their marriage
miserable for Edith, and now Tom had
perfect right to put up with her
brother Gerald. Gerald was good
sort, and was much better brother
than Tom was husband.
The last straw came when Tom had
refused utterly to publish one Of
oerald's stories. Tom was head OF
publishing house and could have easily
marketed one of Gerald's many liter
airy. endeayors, and Edith was quite
sure he would have done so had
Gerald been any one save her brother.
Their quarrel had been long and
heated one and that night Edith had
cried herself to sleep. In the morn
ing she came down almost ready to
forgive, but the first sound that greet.
ed her caused all the resentment to
came back into her soul. Tom was
lecturing Gerald scathingly.
IT won't have you sitting up writ
ing stories until 2 o'clock in the morn.
ing in my house." Tom was saying
1T would be more to your credit,
young man, IL you got out and did
some real work something that
would do some good in the world
At this point Edith clustered in.
Few women are beautiful when angry
and Edith isn't included in the few
It was terrible, that is all we can say,
and we might add that Gerald was the
only one OF the three that acted
creditably. He retreated to his room,
leaving Edith clustering and Tom
gasping In an endeavor to find some
rejoinder TO her biting words.
When Gerald came down stairs,
two hours later. Edith was still crying.
TITS all ended" she sobbed on
Gerald's shoulder. Tom has tele-
phoned for his lawyer and have tele-
phoned for mine. They will be hero
this evening to arrange for the di-
voice. 1t is better So"
AT z O'Clock Edith was in an even
ing gown. seated In the, library wait.
inY the arrival of the lawyers with her
!, husband. although they were not to
be there until s. She was fighting
hard to keep back the tears, and as
she sat there with just the tiniest
tears glistening in her eyes she looked
like a pretty little disobedient child
trying to stick to 1t that she had not
been naughty at all. She tried to
brighten up, when Gerald entered.
"Read this, Sis, it's my latest story"
her brother said as he pushed forward
. manuscript to her, and then passed
out. It was just like Gerald to give
her something to take her mind of
her trouble, she reflected, as she tried
TO open the pages. If Tom had only
been more like hint
Divorced, Edith was free. In her
hands were the papers that Cancelled
her marriage certificate. Somehow
the feeling OF freedom that she had
expected did not come over her. 1t
seemed odd to see Tom hailing a
taxi and not offering his arm to assist
her In. There he was, going away
alone, perhaps she would never see
him again, and he had not kissed her
Hood-bye. OF course, he hadn't He
did not have the right to now. It felt
funny 10 be hailing taxi for herself,
andSthe ride home felt horribly lone
~.
How wearisome the house was, and
how quiet! The servants had all gone
away for the day.
Where was the large portrait Of
Tom that had stood in the corner In
the library? OF course, he had taken
that away. How strangely unfamiliar
( vas the aroma In the den! Flowers
were on the table where his pipes had
stood and dish of candies replaced
his ash tray. Who had given orders
for those changes? Why Tom, of
course. He was always considerate in
little things, for no one knew as he
did what pleased her most.
The flowers were violets, too, her
favorites. In the excitement she had
not noticed that. It was good of Tom
to remember them. How would he
forget them how could either OF
them forget them? Was 1t not IN a
wood purple with violets where first
they had met? Were they not violets
he brought with the ring that sealed
their engagement, and had not her
wedding bouquet been most of yiolets Z?
How beautiful had the violets seem
cd then! What wonderful day IL
1 had been! What a wonderful lover
y had Tom beeni What a wonderful
husband had he started out to be!
Why had he changed? The question
etaTtled Edith. The thought that per-
hsps she had been to blame for the
whole thing came to her for the first
time.
In lonely apartment in a large
hotel, sitting before fireplace that
had not been kfndled. his head in his
hands, sat Tom, the loneliest man in
creation. That day he had lost his
edeGxegt possession. the most wonder
cuI little wife In the world, and he
had Just realised that the whole thing
had been his fault
he had crossed Edith IN her every
Little wfitm, just as she had crossed
him In his, though he should have
nYerIooked that. They had expected
too much of one another. To make
life happy one must give In to ones
life mate, but neither Edith or Tom
had surrendeped TO each other on even
small points. II was a wonder they
had not been divorced before.
w.a.N- n.