Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-07-10
The Test Of
Patience
(copyright, 1919. BY Western Newspaper Union.
BY VICTOR REDCLIFFE

Copyright. 1919. By Western Newspaper Union.)
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 if 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 professorship In a col
lege where, so far, he had not got be-
yond the salary of tutor. They could
not start in housekeeping and he de-
cided temporarily to board.
you made a mistake In marrying a
poor man." Alice Leigh said. "There
was Rodney Thorne, the young lawyer,
with a 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 cut true. The
shrewd manipulation of more polite
and planning candidates entirely
swept Blake's 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 o 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
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
ping one limb, his general health
broke down and, hearing of a little re-
mote settlement where a schoolteacher
was needed, he went thither, planning
to get along on the meager salary I'M
Ill 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 infiu-
enced her to believe that Blake had
purposely deserted her, anxious to
shirk responsibilities he could not
meet. Step by step Aida was led on TO
action she later regretted, 1t came
finally to divorce. Sharp-witted
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 enormty, the sheer wicked
ness OF her actions. She upbralded
her sister, she wept at the slightest
provocation and one day food OF
light came to her mind when Rodney
Thorne asked her to marry him. She
rebufled him almost harshly.
81 see 1t all" cried the distracted
Aida to her sister. later. 1T is all
plot-y0u never. liked Morton and you
have conspired with Thorne to infu
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-
bleW
Alice Leigh was Sullenly diScomfit-
ed Mr.. Thorne became uneasy and
conscien te-stricken. Poor Aida broke
down utterly. She became almost Il
nervous wreck. The report of the ply
stefan alarmed Alice. Change of scene
was urged and Mrs. Leigh going to
NsAA1billidf AFRh %Nthl WIN NV va hAA'
trip.
The train halted for two hours 10
make connections ut junction point.
While her sister was seated in the OBJ
Seryation car Aida hastily indited
note, placed il on the seat in the sec
tion and left the train. The note In
formed Mrs. Leigh that She would re-
join or telegraph her later ut the ter
minus.
Time tables she consulted had in
formed Aida that Oelwein was only
twenty miles away, from which town
had come the remittanceS from Blake |
Il must see him; my heart is hun.
gerlng for him % 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,
aud 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 |
wel.nigh gone without the bare com |
]