The Washington herald., 1920-12-08
The Marriage Mill
By Mildred K. Barbour
Copyright, 1920. by The Wheeler
Syndicate. Incl
BREAKING THE LAST TIE.

While the rage in her heart at
Larry's family was still burning.
Alison determined to go back to the
apartment she and Larry had oc-
tcupied together, and take away the
last vestige of her personal be-
longings.
Some little haunting tenderness
had caused her to shrink from
breaking the last tie that bound her
to the early days of her married
life. But under the impetus OF an
ger, she felt reasonably sure of her
self-controL
For that reason she decided not to
put of the task until a more sea-
sonable hour when the state of her
heart and mind might have under
gone a change.
Utterly ignoring the fact that she
wore an elaborate afternoon gown
and that it was after o'clock of a
cold winter night, she ascended the
stairs and entered the deserted
apartment.
The air was pleasantly warm, as
the sputtering radiators testified.
but the chill of a deserted home
from which the spirit OF love has
flown pervaded the place. It seemed
to Alison's ready imagination that
the atmosphere of death was prev
alent, the death of love and the
bright hopes OF youth.
She switched on the lights, and
then, denying herself the memories
that came crowding. went resolutely
to work.
She emptied the dresser drawers
OF final odds and ends, dumping
them recklessly into a travelling
bag. From the closet she took a
forgotten wisp of chiffon lingerie
ard pair of high-heeled satin slip
pers. A bathrobe of Larry's still
hung there rejectedly, but she turn
ed her gaze stonily from it.
1t brought back unwelcome memo
rfes of certain rainy Sunday morn
ing when Larry had tenderly ban
daged the fake burn on her arm,
and had brought her breakfast on a
tray by a living room fire. She
thought for a moment of the happy
day there by the fire and the
strength and tenderness of Larry's
arms-before putting the memory
definitely from her.
Room by room, she went over the
apartment into which she had woven
all her dreams of home and mar
riage, taking away little personal
belongings which had pade the
place redolent of her. She removed
only her own things and the we'd
ding presents which had been sent
by her family and friends. All the
others she left for Larry to dispose
Of as he wished.
He would give them to his mother
and Jane, she thought with a grim
ace, and, going over to the desk, she
picked up the rose quill pen and
scrawled on bit of paper:
This is for Fannie. Please see
else"
she pinned the note to an exquisite
Chinese brocade panel that covered
the space above the fireplace. Fam
ME had admired 1t on her one visit
to the apartment.
II all in-laws were like Fannie,
Alison thought with a sigh!
IT was IL o'clock before she had
nnlsned her task. Everything that
bespoke OF possession had been nut
away Already the place looked as
unoccupied as suite of furnished
ioOIhs III snop window.
she closed the bags and suitcases
which held the spoils, and TAGGED
them with her name and her moth
er's address. Then she made one
last tour of the rooms, and, going
back to the bedroom. slipped into
her wrap and adjusted her hat,
She came out into the living roor,
Tor one final survey. crowding down
the thought that this was the last
time she would stand there. sur
rounded by the remnants Of what
had once been home.
At the open door. into the hallway.
with one hand on the light switch
she paused and glanced back.
Larrys pipe lying on the center
table caught her eye.
She hesitated q moment. then went
swiftly back. and, picking IL up.
slipped it guiltily into her bag.
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