The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-08-22
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
eY ADELE GARRIsofl.

How Dicky Made His Meaning Clear.
/ sl1rank away from Dicky with a
feeling of repugnance as he uttered
lack of feeling he displayed revolted
me. knew that the constant presence
OF children irritated him, and 1 had
feared his displeasure at my revela-
tion Of the secret which Katie and jim,
the faithful couple which took care of
our home, had kept from us, the secret
Of Katie's prospective motherhood. But
/ had not expected the vehement vul-
garity with which he had greeted my
news.
He saw my involuntary movement
away from him, and his face flushed
Poor Lady Prim, tied to such a
rude, coarse brute" ne said mocking-
ly. She'll not allow even the hem of
her gown to touch him, so she won't"
I WINGED. When Dicky takes that
patronizing, mocking tone with me, /
feel as if some raw spot in my soul had
been flicked with Whiplash. He well
knows, too, the effect Of his ironic
pleasantries have upon me, aud when
ever offend him he Is very prone to
indulge himself in ridicule of me, more
or less covert.
And I had been foolish enough to
hope that the tenderness and courtesy
which Dicky had shown me in our
second honeymoon following his long
absence in California. might continue.
! had thought that he was radically
changed. I saw now that he had only
SY,d ~ -,
remorsefulness for the stupid, utterly
unreasonable jealousy which had driven
him to San Francisco, and condemned
me to such misery.
He was the same thoughtless, essen
TALLY selfish man he had been. re-
Elected drearily that the softening, up
lifting influence wife was supposed
to have over a husband was evidently
a minus quantity in my case.
And the emphatic, coarse phrasing
of this ultimatum against Katie.
"Well, If that isn't the limit! You're
shouting she'll go. No squalling brat
around my housed piled the clods upon
a grave, the mound Of a secret hope
1 hadsalways cherished that some day
tiny, clinging hand would take hold Of
Dicky's soul and make him the man
ne was meant to be.
These were his real sentiments
There was no mistaking the disgust in
his tone. At the full realization of
what his attitude meant to me shook
as with nervous chill. I realized that
/ must get out of the room or I would
disgrace myself in Dicky's eyes by a
burst of hysterical weeping.
do not remember how 1 got out OF
the room and into the shelter of my
own. But I do remember locking the
door and methodically changing my
clothing for my night attire mad a bath
robe before I crept into my bed. My
childhood never held the experience of
being whipped and sent to bed, but
believe I know just how great the long
ing for the warmth and shelter of ones
bed the heart Of such child must
hold.
The blessed relief of tears did not
come to me after all. 1 lay shaking
with the cold. feeling that / would
never. in my life be warm again.
had not realized the strength of the
potential motherhood within me until
my husbands words, the revelation of
his real feelings upon the subject, /
awakened it. I had been content to
wait for woman's most precious heri
tage until the inevitable first adjust
ments mad Establishments of marital /
life were past. But never for an in
slant had I faced the prospect which :
now stretched its weary length before /
me. Curiously enough II had never en-
tered my mind during Dicky's long +
absence in San Francisco. The anguish i
1 had suffered on his account left no I
room for any other sorrow.
But now,
Meyer 10 feel soft baby hands upon
my face, or pulling at ny hairi Never