New Britain herald., 1920-03-03

up to her for the thing he can no longer give her. to save her from the knowledge of her loss. that he is far more devoted than the man whose heart is wholly in his Wife's keeping. and is therefore, careless abour proving Inc fact.
 felt as if l were d small girl again and had been compelled to swallow Il nuuseous dose or medicine. 1 could not deny that there was certain bitter plausibiitN about her philoso- phy, but nlN whole being protested against il.
 "I think you are wrorg." l said hotly "Why, If believed that, 1 should be miserable all the time. never would know whether--
 Her Morbid Cry.
 I stopped short for two reasons. was unwilling to discuss Dicky with his sister and the grim little thought came 10 mo that even il l accepted her philosophy it would rather re- assure me than otherwise as to Dicky's love for me. His "tenderness and devoted attention" were not so uniformly conspicuous as to warrant me in suspecting they were assumed.
 There was a hard note in the little SilS SdNc. out SuDllN NItSN that the hardness was not directed toward me, but toward herself
 You will not need to worry for F, number of years yet. not if you keep the looks you possess; she retorted. But years from now, when you look in your mirror and realize that so far as your beauty is concerned you are q corpse that ought to be buried. then you will know what suffering means especially if you are compelled to contrast your appearance against the fresh, glowing beauty of girl who, through uncontrolla ble circumstances, is thrown into daily intimate contact with your husband.
 l did something then which I never thought to do to my august sister-in- law. I bent over her and. taking her by her shoulders. shook her slightl.'.
 If l didn't realize that YOU are really suffering over this. Harriet" l said severely, II should shake Nou until your teeth chattered and laugh myself into mysteries while I was do- ing it, Of all the ridiculous rot I ever heard that is the limit. Oh. VOL aren't the first one I've heard say it, but l never heard d woman of your brains and looks say it before, Do you realize, my dear, that you are ona of the most stunning women I have ever seen and that your husband looks quite an old man beside you?"
 His "Other Self
 I did not give her a chance to an sWer or to protest. but rushed on to say the things I have been compelled to leave unuttere many other times when I have heard similar sentiments l,1-
 There are fools. of course, among middle-aged men. just as there are consenital idiots among women. But l do believe. Harriet, that this idea. so carefully fostered by ncurotic per sons that middle-aSed wife is in constant danger of having her hus- bands affections wander from her. Is a horrible fallacy. Husbands and wives who have gone down the years shoulder to shoulder as conlra des aren't apt to give anything more than a passing admiring glance at youth and beauty. ] don't ina zine that Ed win is worrying bout his gray ha ir and the old lines behind his ears and his Sagsing cheek muscles--sufferiny because he thinks you have been at tracted bA some handsome young in terne in his hospital-do you""
 How ahsurdly rdiculouS:' Her voice was disdainful, but l caught T lessenng tension in it, nevertheless
 "No more ridiculous. honestly Harriet. than your idea Why. yo,1 are your husbands other self. He i.s perfectly lost without you. I'll wage" he never had a disloyal thought toward you.'
 Not a conscious one. I'll admit" she said. "but--I was not blind. Mar garct. and Katherine is such an ador. able girl. I don't see how he cou'd help--''
 Of course. he was attracted Dr her" There was no use denying this fact which Katherine herself hal told me. But did il ever occur tr you. Harriet. that his feeling for hnr was simply an outburst of thwarted fatherhood---a longing for the dauSh" ter he has never had who might have been just such a girl? Think il over" I kissed her and went swiftly out