The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-12
THE OUTLOOK

To quarrel or not to quarrel? That
is the question in married life, which
clamors to be answered and never
will be. The easier way Is to say with
the careless thinker, Never quarrel!"
But quarrel Is not the cause of
marital happiness so much as the ef-
feet. 1t is the natural outlet for an
inner clash. Stop it's outlet and the
sore may tester and take some other
and more dangerous escapement
Janet was both exasperated and de-
pressed at Waits refusal to write the
serial story for Roy Nicoll. 1t seemed
to her there were a million crying
needs for him to do it; and not one
real reason against 1t. The lowering
of his little bank reserve; the monot-
onous reflections Of his work by edit
ors and play managers, with their
chorus of This is fine and strong, but
not for the popular taste; the lean,
famished look on his face from over
work and under-nourishment Of the
spirit-all these harassed Janet even
more than they did Walt, and made
Roy Nicoll's offer loom in greater
splendor. But she bit back every word
of disappointment at his course. She
felt he had enough to bear.
But IL she succeeded in suppressing
her fault-finding with what seemed to
her his stubborn refusal, she could not
find the spirit to praise and encourage
him in everything he did, as she used
to do. Had he only spoken out. he
would have met her complaints with
host Of good reasons why he could not
accept Nicoll's propositions. Quarrels,
MISUNDERSTANDING would have arisen
perhaps, but they might have cleared
the air; at any rate, the tension would
not have sought another outlet.
Nor was the tension only between
Walt and Janet Walt himself had
daily to fight within himself all that
had Janet's outspoken and inspiring
encouragement to hearten him was a
great loss and taxed his strength the
harder. He lived mostly on his cour-
age these days, and Janet's cheer was
sorely needed nourishment.
One evening, when he found work
impossible and Janet was at the Office
working overtime on her magazine,
Walter went to the Lafayette for
smoke and crumb of old-time COM
panionship. He sat down at table
by himself From a group at another
table Lucy Benton detached herself
and came over to him.
as your mood for one. two or
many" she asked, with the excep-
tional woman's instinct about the man
she loves.
Two" Walt said, pointing to the
opposite chair.
"That was a splendid bit of yours
in. Truth, The Silken Noose,-do more
like it," Lucy said.
Walt laughed. There was no pleas
ure in his laugh. Lucy read it we'll
Bit by bit she got him to tell her of
Roy Nicoll and his offer, though Walt
gave her no hint of Nicoll's suspected
motive. She had, nevertheless, no
difficulty in seeing Nicoll's whole mo-
tive and scheme. Even to herself she
tried to hide the exultation she felt
at the knowledge. But her face shone
with a gayer spirit as she said
You're In great company. Walt
Every man with message instead OF
an echo to utter has been alone and
had rough travelling. The hard road
you can't avoid. But you need never
be alone. Janet loves you so much
she can't bear to see you suffer re-
verses, starvation. But IL she under