New-York tribune., 1919-05-18
"L0ve'' A Short Story by Theodore Dresser

suasive tones had talked about the i'm
mense folly of attempting to adjust
natural human antipathies, the sad
ness of all human inharmonies, the
value of quiet in all attempts a. sep
aration, the need he had to look after
his own social prestige in C, and
the like, until finally Caldwell had per-
suaded him to accept decree of de-
silence and let her go out of his life
forever! Think of that!
The first call for dinner! Perhaps he
had better 90 at once and haze it oper
vith! He aoGntcd to retire early to-
night!
But Jessica-how she had haunted
him for years after that, The whole
city seemed to suggest her at times,
even after he heard that she was mar
tied again and the mother of two chill
dren, so strong was the feeling for
anything one lost. Even to this day
certain corners in C, the Bran
bingham, where they had lived tempo
rarily at first; Nine. Gateley's dress
making establishment, where she had
had her gowns made, and the Tussock-
Vile entrance to the park--always
touched and hurt him like some old,
dear, poignant melody.
Ho1o this train Iurched as one uuikedl
The crashing couplings between these
cnrsi
And then, after all these busy, sober
ing years, in which he had found out
that there were some things he was not
and could not be-a gay, animal man
of the town, for instances a "blood," a
waster, and some things that he was
a fairly capable financial and com
mercial man, a lover of literature of
sorts, and of horses, a genial and ac-
ceptable person in many walks of society
had come Idelle
Think Of the dining car being croavded
thus early! And such peoplel
He was just settling down to a semi
resigned acceptance of himself as an
affectional, emotional failure in so far
as women were concerned, when she
had -Idelle-this latest storm
which had troubled him so much,
Idelle had brains, beauty, force, in
isrb+ fhoo
or was he just older and that was
what made her so attractive to men. so
indifferent to women, SO ready to leave
him to do all the worshirping She
could understand him, apparently, at
his time of life, with his sober and in
some ways sad experiences and sympa-
thize with him most tenderly when she
chose, and yet, strangely enough. she
could ignore him also and be hard
cruel, Indifferent. The way she could
neglect him at times-go her own
way. God,
Not bad seat, only no1O 1t aoas too
dark to see anything outsidel These
heavy forks!
But to return to that dreadful pagan
youth Of hers, almost half-savage:
Take that boy who shot himself at the
age Of sixteen for love of her, and all
because she would not run awav with
him, not caring for him at all or she
would have gone What sad case
that was! And his father had come
and denounced her to her parents in
her own home, according to her. and
still she denied that it had been her
fault And those other two youths.
one of whom had embezzled $4,000 and
spent it on her and several other bows
ana girls, and that other one who had
stolen five hundred in small sums from
MS fathers till and safe and then
wasted 1t on her and her companions
at country inns until he was caught.
ihose country clubs. Those little
rivers she described, with their canoes
the automo obiles of these youtns-the
dancing, drinking, eating life under the
moon IN the warmth of spring and
summer under the trees! And he had
never had anything like that. never,
When one Of the boys, being caught.
complained of her to his parents as
the cause of his evil ways she denied
1t, SO she said, and did to this dav
saying she really did not know he was
stealing the money and calling him
coward or cry-baby. Idelle told him
OF this several years ago as though If
mad some humorous aspects, as possi-
bly, 1T had, to her-who knows ?-but
"1th some remorse, too, for she was
not wholly Indifferent to the ,light of
these youths, although sad contended
that what she had given them Of her
time and youth and beauty was ample
compensation. Yes, she was a bad
woman, just the same, or had been-a
Dad girl, say what one would. child
OF original evil impulse. One could
not deny that really But what fascj-
nation also, even yet, and then no
doubt-terrible! He could understand
the fascination of those youths. their
recklessness. There was sometime no
about sheer beauty, evil though II
might be, which overcame moral preiu-
dlces or scruples. It had done SO in