Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-18

"Well. what woman on Gods earth
wants to be married out Of sense of
duty? And II he loves another woman
dO you think his wife will not find it out
some day? OF course she will. And
when she does what do you think will
happen? ,,
she's one Of the sensitive kind she II feel
herself crushed. .superauous and pine
perhaps take dose Of something
we've heard Of such happenings. haven't
we? And II she's a woman Of the other
sort she'll 60 farther"
You mean
"Suspicion, jealousy, envy! She
may not care brass farthing about
her husband, but her pride as wife
will be wounded. She won't give him
a days peace, or herself either. He'll
never be an hour out Of her sight, but
she'l II think he's with the other woman.
And then-what's sauce for the goose
is sauce for the gander! If he has
another woman as likely as not she'll
have another man--we've heard OF that,
too, haven't we?"
Stowell dropped his head. His heart
was beating high, and he was afraid
his face was betraying It.. The Gov.
continued:
'In the next place, it would be a
crime against the man himself. He's
young fellow of some prospects, I
suppose?"
she?
YES"
"They NAV be GOOD and worthy folk
of whom he would have no reason to
be ashamed. But isn't it just as likely
that they are people of quite another
kidney? Sisters and brothers and
cousins to the tenth degree? Some vul-
gar and rapacious old father. perhaps,
who hasn't taken too much trouble to
keep the girl out Of temptation while
she has been at home, but freezes on
to her fast enough after she has made
good marriage. Possible, isn't it?'
'Quite possible, SIR
"Well, what are your mans own
friends going to do ith him with a
menagerie like that at his heels! No,
he has fettered himself for life to failure
as we'll as misery, and while his wife Is
railing at him about the other woman
he is reproaching her with standing in
his light. So the end of his noble en-
deavor is that he has set up little
private hell for. himself in the house he
calls his home"
Stowell was wincing at every word,
but all the same he knew that his eyes
were shining. The Governor looked
sharply up at him for moment, lit his
pipe afresh and said:
'"Then there's the other woman.
suppose her case is worthy Of some con-
sideration?"
IF she cares for the man ."
II can't say that. sir
well, If she does, she. too. will
suffer, will she not? And what has
she done to deserve suffering? Nothing
Mt all! She's the innocent scapegoat,
isn't she?'
That's true"
Fine woman, I suppose?"
SIR"
''Just so! But your man would
doom her to renunciation-.a solitary
life Of sorrow and regret. And so the
only result of his praiseworthy princi-
pies. his sense Of duty, as you say, and
all the rest Of it, is that he will have
ruined three lives--the life Of the woman
he marries and does not love, the life
Of the woman he loves and does not
marry. and his own life also
'"Then you think, sir you think
he should stop even yet?'
Even at the church door, at the
altar steps-if there's no harm done.
and he is sure she Is the wrong
woman
Stowell felt as II the vapors which
has clOudcd his brain so long had been
swept away as by mountain breeze,
but he thought it necessary to keep up
tho disguise.
II feel'you must be right, SIR" rising
to go. "At all events ! cannot argue
against you. But l think you'h agree
that that II my man can wipe out
this bad passage in his life without
] think you will agree that his
loves hrHs ""!s -" 70 tel '"' "0N'a" he
l., "Eh? What the deuce - Good
But surely he couldn't ask a pure.
"To take the other woman's leavings?
Certainly he couldn't II she knew any
thing about 1t. But why should she?
Why should n pure minded girl, as you
say. be told about something that hap
pcncd before she came onto the scene?"
Stowcl's scruples were overcome. He
had argued against himself, but he
knew well that he had wished to be
beaten. He was going off when the
Governor, following him to the door,
laid II hand on his shoulder and said:
"When a man has done wrong the
thing he has got to do next is to say |
nothing about II. That's what your |
man has to do now. It's the woman's |
secret, isn't 1t? Very well. he must |
never reveal it to anybody-never, un.
der any circumstances--never In this
word -
Next day, at Ballamoar. after many
fruitlcss efforts to begin. StOwell was |
writing to Bessie Collistcr.
Dear Bessie--l am sorry to send |
you this letter and 1t is very painful for
me to write 1t. But ] cannot allow you
to look forward any longer to something
which can never happen.
The truth tS---l must tell yOu the 1
truth, Reasle you wentsto DERBY
Haven have found that ! ~ not love I
you - ! cusht, = beccms xous Aus. \