South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-16
Revelations of a Wife
Ny Hear and Ny husband
81 ADELE GARRISON

I confess Ut shamefacedIy. I strain
cd my ears for Leiia's answer % Al-
fred's query "Did YOU tell her p"
But either her voice was too low or
my hurrying footsteps had carried
me out OF carshot. At any rate. 1
beard nothing further. and the rest
q the way down the boulevard my
curiosity tormcuted me prepOster-
uusly a. 90 the thing concerning
which Alfred had asked.
For Leila had told me nothing
which all Of us did not already
know about the wedding scheduled
for three weeks away. The Fairfax
sisters were orphans. and their
fathers old home in Virginia had
been sold under the auctioneer' s.
hammer several years before, some
thing % which neither sitser could
ever ailude without choke in her
voice. But Leila was not 90 be mar
RED without the blessing and the
background Of her own kin.
an aunt of her mothers. and cid
erly spinster lived still in the his
toric old house OF her family in the
sand hill' section of North Caro-
lima. tho Gland Of the long-leafed
pine and when the news Of Leila g
engagement had reached her. Aunt
Dora Paige had written a peremp-
tory yet loving command that the
girl should come 90 the old home
and be married from IT,
Tt is not fitting" the old gen
tiewoman had written IN beautiful
Old-fashioned ohirography, chat
Edith Pages daughter should be
married anywhere else than in her
mothers old home If your fathers
house was not in the hands of
strangers / should. OF course. waive
mv claim. but under the cirCum-
stances / must insist that you and
YOUR sister come % me. with your
betrothed and his family and any
OF your friends YOU may wish 10
bring"
When Leila had read me this let
ter I had exclaimed at such lavish.
unlimited hospitality but the Vir-
ginia girl brought up in an atmos-
phere OF similar llberality-I sus-
pected that Il was partly the reason
why there was no longer anything
but a slender income for the or
phaned sisters-had taken IL as a
matter of course.
Aunt Dora loves lots OF guests. 80
time OF her life fussiag around for
"a wedding"
Your mother went from this
house a bride" the letter went on.
L put the flowers in her hair, ad-
iusted her veil and gave her the
last kiss she received as Edith
Paige. for as you know I was all the
mother she had. Her own mother.
my dear brothers wife. died when
she was a baby. Since YOU girls
went TO New York have feared
sometimes that I should pass on
before either OF you married.
have made inquiries concern
ing your husband from some north
crn people who winter near here.
and am very well satisfied with I've
reports they give me. He is evident
ly Of very good family for a Yankee
AID / suppose 81 was too much 10
hope that either of you girls would
ind a mate down here, although
7 had thought once that Edith
but enough Of that now do not
understand Edith The last time j
saw her I thought that she was I'M
happy"
Leila had stopped abruptly at this
point. and ] knew that she looked al
me quickly. furtiveiy
That IS all about me" she said
Isn't she delicious? Evidently OF
very good family for a Yankee.
Poor Aunt DOral She's the best I'M
reconstructed rebel you might ever
hope 10 see. But she IS the sweetest
old dear for all that"
4 can well believe it." I return
cd easily. with a quick smile at her.
and saw by the look OF relief upon
her ingenious face that she thought
I hadn't noticed hey breaking OF
81 the letter at the sentence concern
ing her sister Edfth's unhappiness.
But I had noticed IL only too
clearly. had thought OF IL several
times since. and now. with wo-
mans intuition / wondered II the
answer TO Alfred's query had any
thing 70 DO with Edith Fairfax, tint
girl whose unreQuitted love FOR
Dicky had caused me so much un-
easineEs.
put the speculation away from
me firmly. however. as caught
sight OF DiCky. and smiled involun-
tarily as Alfred's description OF tn,
'Diolly- bird being gobbIed up alive
BY that old bore Sudthers."
For Snithers. n fellow commute OF
o. my husbands and characterized
by him as holding the champion
ship for a conversational gas at
tack" was literally buttouholins
Dic<y. despite his palpable effort,
20 edge away. and talking as II ht
were being paid by the word fol
his EFFORT
"Oh. Dickyl" I fastened my foot
steps and simulated perturbation a.
neared him. AIR. Mather calico
you W little while ago and IS very