Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-01-13

4 suppose lndt the plan, ChSi ,
said, lifelessly. HE says he'll want
me to join him about the middle of
August"
ooh, help" AIix said, dlsgustedly.
Cherry was silent a few minutes,
and Peter smoked with his eyes on the
fire.
'If-"Cherry said presently, IF
1 get my money I'll have enough to
live on, won't |, Peter?"
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 I want you to know" Cherry
went on quietly, with sudden scarlet
in her cheeks, that I'm going 10 tell
Martin l think we have tried IT long
eneugh."
Peter looked gravelJ at her, sober
Iy nodded, and resumed his study OF
the fire. But Alix spoke in brisk pro-
test.
Tried it'll You mean tried mar
riagel But one doesn't try marriage !
It's fact. It's like the color Of your
eyes"
"Alix," the little sister pleaded eager
ly. "you don't know what 1t is~-you
don't know what it is Always meeting
people l don't like; always living in
places 1 hate; always feeling that my
own self is being smothereu and lost
and shrunk; always listening TO Mart
complaining and criticizing people.
Peter interrupted seriously:
TN go this far, Cherry. Lloyd mar
ried you too young"
"Oh, far too youngl" she agreed
quickly. 1.-THE thing FL can't think
Of" she said, "is how young was
only a little girl. l knew nothing;
1 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 child, even, or II Martin
needed me-" Cherry said, then it
might be different! But I'm only a
burden to him"
aHis letter doesn't sound as If he
thought of you as burden" Alix sug
gested mildly.
"Ah, well. the minute 1 leave him
he has different tone" Cherry ex-
planned, and Peter said, with glance
almost Of surprise at his wife:
tits an awfully difficult position for
a woman Of any pride, dear!V
Alix, kneeling to adjust the fire, as
she was constantly tempted to do, met
his look and laid a soot-streaked hand
on his knee.
"Pete, dearest, of course II is
But" and Alix looked doubtfully from
one to the other ''but divorce Is a
hateful thingl" she added. shaking her
head. 'It-lt never seems to me JUS
tifiablel''
Divorce is an institution" Peter
said You may not like IT any more
than you like prisons or Warehouses;
1t has its uses"
People get divorces every dayl"
Cherry added. isn't divorce better
than living along in msrriage-without
lover"
"Oh, lover ak said scornfully.
Love is just another name for pas
sion and seIfishness and laziness, half
the timer
you can say that, because yours
is one of the happy marriages" Cher
~ said. ut might be very different
II Peter weren't Peter -
AS she said his name she sent him
her trusting smile; her blue eyes shone
with affection. and the exquisite curve
of her mouth deepened. Peter smiled
back. and looked away in little con-
fusion.
II can't imagine the circumstances
under which | shouldn't love you and
Peter T. Alix summarized 1t. triumph
antly.
"And Martini" Peter asked.
"Ah, well; didn't marry Martini"
his wife reminded him quickly. ~
didn't promise to love and honor Mar
TN In sickness and health for richer,
for poorer; for better. for worse-ty
George Alix Interrupted herself. In |
Der boyish way, "those are terrific /
words, you know. And a promise Is
promise %
And even for inhdeity you don't /
relieve people ought 10 seperate7"
Merry asked.
Nonsense :" Peter said
But You said-~tEat Martin never
mo, I'm not speaking OF Martin
low ("
We'll wouldn't that come under
sofsecT Allx asked
But my child" Peter eKpostulated
indy my dear benlghted wife
bore Is such ding a. soul mind
personality 20 ~ tlfd % o.
~, 10 eQarssnlns innusnee day after