Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-18
Chanfer EXVETH


49,. was not easy to talk of it to
MIN, although he had not appeared
to sense that I might apply it-prob-
ably because he had no idea that
knew of his detection.
"In a way Frank, l cannot. Of
course: appreciate a position like
that of the wife in the play In the
first place should you stray away
have my work, something to fill at
least crevice Of my mind and part
nothing. Then I, of course, cannot
understand the mind Of a man who
could, after he was twenty-five at
the most, become interested in such
an inane sort of a girl"
That's the trouble with you wom-
en-. You never see mans view
point. That girl was bright, jolly.
gray matter? She kept him enter
tanned. That's what the men want!
They grind all day. They don't want
to listen to sombre talk of business
or to be whined at. girl who can
keep man entertained at home need
never fear he'll go very far away
for companionship.'
What contradictory creature
Frank was. Would L ever understand
him? L surely never had whined, at
least [ had not that fault. Perhaps
though, [ had talked my business
plans, let my interest in that make
me a bit blind to other things and yet
he always had seemed to be content
ed. But would he have been if Annie
had not lived with us? Would he
have grown discontinued just the
same and would there inevitably have
been the "other woman?" I hated to
think so, but gradually l began to
see that perhaps |, too, had some
thing to change in myself, that I had,
like the woman in the play. made no
effort to amuse and entertain him.
Mother used to say that "all men
were but children grown up" And
children love to play.
"a man who is true to the best
there is in his nature will not insult
himself, as we'll as others, by giving
way to an infatuation which can but
mean untold misery for all concern
ed" [ said as he finished speaking.
cit takes a pretty yellow streak,
and trusts a man, even though she
may not be so attractive as some one
else. A woman has the right to think
her husband loves her because he
chose her from the whole world Of
women. To my mind if either a hus-
band or wife find they have made a
mistake there is only one thing to do
talk things over seriously, in a
friendly way. Then if they cannot
agree, separate. 1t is better for both
than to drag along in a sort of death
in life-especially is it that for a
her no longer"
ct thought you did not believe in
DIVORCE
81 do not. Of course. my belief
doesn't make it wrong. But L could
no more marry another man while
you lived than l could commit muir
der or do some other sinful thing.
But we are getting serious, aren't
we? That play was a silly thing.
badly conceived, yet it made me
think"
From that night I saw my way
more clearly. AS 1 looked back over
my short married life 1 saw that in
sensibly 1 had stayed in the back
ground and pushed Annie into the
limelight of Franks attention. 1 had
been content to remain quietly in a
chair or on the couch while they
for music a strong bond between
them, and Armies beauty, her youth,
making at the same time strong
sex appeal.
haps helped me more than | realized
to think this thing over calmly. Yet
at times it seemed my heart would
break. [ loved Frank, had loved him
from the beginning in the way
woman loves but once in her life.
was bitterness.
Thoughts of that short note to An
ME, the note in which he had told her
that leaving our home would make
no difference in his claiming her-at
least in claiming her love-made me
very miserable. Yet as 1 thought of
Franks natural Incidence | felt it
was at least one point in my favor
If I could interest hinl-keep him in
terested-he would be apt to remain
at home. The point of least resist
ance always attracted him in mat
tiers outside of his business.
AS I have said, l knew many soci-
ETY. people before mother left me and
now that l was only a business wom-
an in the morning, I felt I could re-
new my acquaintance with some of
them. I went through my list care
fully. l would make no more mis-
takes if it were humanity possible to
avoid them. Then I gave a little din
ner and invited two young married
couples, the girls old time friends,
gay, happy girls whose husbands
adored them, and who were interest
ing to know.
Goodness. it is after midnight"
Frank said when they left. 81 did
not think it was SO late"
1 made no remark just smiled to
myself that my attempt to entertain
my husband had made him forget
the time.
(To Be Continued,)