Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-12-16

OIL 4ga
delight TO both AK and himself. She
=, seemed to flower softly; every day
q Of the simple forest life brought her
new interest, new energy, new bloom
She and L.llx washed their hair again
dam.ie1 the creek again, ,trampcd and
sang duets. again. Sometimes they
cooked, often they went Into the old
senseless spasms of laughter at moth,
ing OF almost nothing. X.
One evening, when In the sitting
room there. was no other light than
that Of the fire that damp July eve
ming made pleasant, about week
after her arrival, Cherry spoke for
the, first time of Martin. She had
had long letter from him that day,
ten pages, written IN q flowing hand
6n ten pages Of the lined paper OF a
cheap hotel, with a little cut OF the
building standing boldly against a
mackerei sky at the top OF each page.
He was well, he had some Of his din
ners at the hotel but lived at home t;
he had been playing little poker and
was ldckier than ever, he was look
ing into a proposition in Durango
Mexico, and would let her know how
1t panned out. AZ ~ !, ~ ai}f2
Peter Nhad been playing the piano
laziIy when the letter was tossed to
Cherry by Alix, who usually drove
into the, village every morning after
breakfast for marketing and the mail.
He had seen Cherry glance through
1t, seen, the little. distasteful move
ment Of the muscles about, her nose,
and seen her put It carelessly under
candlestick on the mantel for later
Consideration. At luncheon she thad
referred to 1t, and now 1t. evidently
had caused her to be thoughtful and
a little troubled. :.
"Mart may go to Mexico" she said,
presently, with a sigh.
ITO stayf" Peter asked, quickly.
Cherry shrugged.
'tAs much as he stays anywhere"
she answered, drily.
"H'ml Does that mean your ak
asked. ~.
81 suppose that's the plan," Cherry
said, lifelessly. "He says he'll want
me to join him about the middle Of
August"
2 "oh, help!p ak said, sdisgustedly.
Cherry was silent few minutes,
and Peter smoked with his eyes on the
fire.. ,... ........ ...ya .G.
'.If-"Cherry said presently III
1 get my money I'll have enough to
live on, won't /, Peterr ...
you'll have about forty thousand
dollars-yes, at FIVE per cent you could
live on that. Especially If you lived
here in the valley" Peter answered,
after some thought. '.,.-.
"Then / want you to know" Cherry
went on quietly, with sudden scarlet
in her cheeks, shat I'm going to tell
Martin I think We have tried 1t long
enoughw ..
Peter looked gravely at her, sober
-Iy nodded, and resumed his study Of
the fire. But Alix spoke in brisk pro-
test.
"Tried 1t! You mean tried mar
riagel But one doesn't try marriage |!
It's fact. It's like the color of your
eyes"
"AiiE," the little sister pleaded eager
ly, "you don't know what 1t is-you
don't know what 1t is! Always meeting
people I don't like; always living in
places hate; always feeling that my
own self is being smothered and lost
and shrunk; always listening to Mart
complaining and criticizing people"
Peter interrupted seriously:
'I'll 60 this far, Cherry. Lloyd mar
ried you too young"
"Oh, far too young!" she agreed
quickly. 1.-THE thing IL can't. think
Of" she said, "is how young l was
only. a little girl. knew nothing
I wasn't ready to be anybody's Wife,
Something in the poignant, sorrow of
her tone went straight to their hearts,
and for the first time Peter had an
idea of the real suffering she had
borne.
"If I had a child, even, or II Martin
needed me-" Cherry said, "then II
might Ibe different! But I'm only q
burdea TO him"
"His letter doesn't sound as If he
thought of YOU as burden" Alix sug,
gestea&mIldly. -.......
"Ah, well, the minute leave him
he has a different Tone" Cherry ex'
plained,- and Peter said, with a glance
almost of surprise at his wife:
"It's an awfully difficult position fol
a woman of any pride, dear!'
Allx, kneehng to adjust the fire, as
she was constantly tempted to do, met
his look and laid soOt-streaked hand
on his knee.
"Pete, dearest, of course 1t Is
But" and Alix looked doubtfully from
one TO the other "but divorce is 6
hateful thingw she added, shaking hel
head. "It-it never seems to ME JUS
tifablew
"Dlvorce Is an institution" Pete
said. "You may not like 1t any more
a., ..o,, lilo nrisnnS or madhOuSpS