Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-03-17
Neglected Wife
By ALDEN CHAPMAN
la 1890. Western Newspaper Union)


A sad tangie of life Lionel Stod-
dard had made for himself. and reck-
lessly submitted himself TO the conse-
ouences in a desperate sort of way
when he realized what u wreck he
had made of his career and sought
70 cast the responsibility OF a wife he
did not love upon his mother and SIS
tiers.
There was no qualifying the stern,
sober truth He had wavered and
wandered from the path OF rectiude
ignored the duties Of young man
with great opportunities TO create a
successful career, had cut away from
home. had become an outcast and then,
10 Justify himself, had placed all the
blame on his stepfather, John March.
The latter had married the widowed
mother of Lionel at forty. He was a
Ian of wealth and position and had
HVen Mrs. Stoddard. her two daugh-
ters and Lionel truly regal home.
All that luxury could suggest was
rendered them, and Mr.. March was
proud of the family he had adopted
until there came TO the surface some
OF the reckless doings of his dlssi-
. pated stepson. He had at once cut
short his generous allowance and had
quietly, but firmly demanded reforma-
ton, or he would Danish Lionel from
the family circle and disown him for
A all the future. What Lionel took for
.fhigh-spirited indignation on his own
part was really the perverted sullen-
ness of a mind filled with distorted
ideas. Everywhere Lionel censured
and abused his stepfather.
"He has such a grand idea of his
social and business prestige that he
treats me like some bootblack" he
complained bitterly. "Well. I'll pay
him off yet. I'll take n pleasure in
pulling his proud name down into the
dust," and never needing the suffering
aid pleadings of his broken-hearted
mother Lionel went TO a wild western
district and abandoned himself 10 com
panionship with the toughest and
wickedest in a rude mining camp.
Lionel met and married Meta
Druse. She was the daughter of the
most notorious outlaw and cattle rus
tier in the district. He was shot down
IN one of his raids and out OF pass
ing impulse of pity Lionel married the
bereaved daughter. He regretted It
later She was a sweet. innocent girl
OF eighteen, and was all good where
her father had been all bad, bat he
had Gagged her up from all outside as
ISOLATION and she was kept so igno-
rant that she could not even write her
own name. Her great merit was her
sincere devotion for the man who had
welded her. Lionel lived with her for
month, wearied Of her. told her he
had great prospects in another section
Of the country that would take three
years to exploit. and sent her East,
with letter TO his mother asking her
10 care for her until he could recoup
himself financially.
He received week later letter
sSrom his mother telling him that his
Nsife was made welcome Then Lionel
practically forgot all about her and
the old home ties. He sought n new
environment, reformed and within two
years had made a fortune.
Lionel never thought of Meta save
as the uneducated girl she was. He
had taken n sort of malicious satisfac-
tlon In burdenng his stepfather with
guest who. while not at all uncouth,
was scarcely his equal socially. He
decided TO 20 back home, wondering
IL his wife had been happy in her new
environment,
In the meantime Mrs. March and
her daughters had learned TO love the
friendess girl bride. They had Mt
once, with the consent and apprOba-
ton of John March, seen TO her educa-
ton and she had become a peerless
being i'm education and refinement.
Much as she loved Lionel she received
him upon his return almost as
stranger. She had not become worldly
I wise hut she determined that he should
win her back through true affection
or not at all.
"She is my wife," he told his moth
or. "Yet she seems to forget the
fact"
NATURALLY, after your long neglect"
was the reply. "You love this now
Meta, my son, as / plainly see. Make
yourself worthy OF her"
Then real affection aroused all that
was better and higher in Lionel Stod-
dard. It was the patient labor of
weeks to convince Meta that he real
~ priced her now. Step by step they
came back TO the old companionship,
only this time made lasting because
of the new love instilled into his ma
ture.
1t was a happy day for the entire
family when husband and wife APP
peared in harmony with the changed
spirit of n new birth in an affection
that II had taken the years TO develop
TO its completeness
And Lionel Stoddard was proud of
the wife who, for his sake. had be-
come an educated and refined woman,
his equal. as also that of his mother
and sisters.
Church Bells Put TO Odd Use