Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-10-25

did not seem in any wise upset, nor,
save for that nervous laughter, did
she show her excitement
well, but he's here with you isn't
hep Dwight demanded isn't he
here? Where Is he?"
Must be most to Oregon by this
time" Lulu said.
Oregon !"
you see," said Lulu, ''he had an
| other wife,
why, he had not" exclaimed
Dwight absurdly.
Eyes. He hasn't seen her for fif-
teen years and he thinks she's dead.
But he isn't sure"
Nonsense" said Dwight why,
Of course she's dead IL he thinks So"
II had to be sure" said Lulu.
AT first dumb before this, Ina now
cried out: "Monona Go upstairs to
bed at once"
ITS only quarter to-" said Monona,
with assurance
ado as mamma tells you"
But
"Monona I"
She went, kissing them all good
night and taking her time about It.
Everything was suspended while she
kissed them and departed, walking
slowly backward.
Married. said Mrs. Bett with
tardy apprehension. "Lulie, was your
husband married."
yes" Lulu said. my husband was
married, mother"
Mercy" said Ina. Think of any
thing like that in our family
well, go on-go onl" Dwight cried
"Tell us about it,
Lulu spoke in a monotone, with her
old manner of hesitation:
"We were going to Oregon. First
down to New Orleans and then out
to California and up the coast" On
this she paused and sighed. 'Well,
then at Savannah. Georgia, he said
he thought I better know, first. So
he told me-"
"Yes-well, what did he sayT
Dwight demanded irritably.
"Cora Waters" said Lulu "Cora
Waters. She married him down hc
San Diego, eighteen years ago. She
went to SoutKAmerica with him."
well he never let US know of 1t,
II she did" said Dwight.
"No. She married him just before
he went. Then in South America,
after two years, she ran away again.
That's all he knows"
That's a pretty story" said Dwight
contemptuously.
HE says If she'd been alive, she'd
been after him for divorce. And
she never has been. so he thinks she
must be dead The trouble is" Lulu
said again. "he wasn't sure. And l
had to be sure"
"Well. but mercy" said Ina,
Couldn't he find out now?"
SIT might take a long time" said
Lulu simply. land l didn't want to
stay and not know"
"Well, then, why didn't he say so
hereT' Ina's Indignation mounted
"He would have. But you know
how sudden everything was. He said
he thought about telling us right there
In the restaurant, but Of course that'd
been hard-wouidn't It? And then
he felt so sure she was dead"
"Why did he tell you at all. thenr
demanded Ina, whose processes were
simple.
yes. Welt Why indeed7" Dwight
II ark ~
curious emphasis.
II thought that, just at first" Lulu
said, "but only Just at first. OF course
that wouldn't have been right And
then, you see he gave me ny choice"
"Gave you your caoicer Dwight
echoed.
eyes. About going on and taking
the chances. He gave me my choice
when he told me, there in Savannah.
Georgia"
'What made him conclude, by then,
that you ought to be told?' Dwight
asked.
"Why, he'd got to thinking about
it, she answered.
A silence fell. Lulu sat looking out
toward the street.
'"The olly thing" she said, "as
long as 1t happened. kind of wish he
hadn't told me till we got out to
Oregon"
Lulu !" said Ina. Ina began to
cry. "You poor thingl" she said.
Her tears were signal TO Mrs.
Bett, who had been striving to under
stand all Now she too wept, tossing
up her hands and rocking her body.
Her saucer and spoon clattered on
her knee.
"He felt bad. too" Lulu said.
Her. said Dwight. HE must
have
SITS you" Ina sobbed. tits you.
My sister,
well" said Lulu, but I never
thought of 1t making you both feel
bad, or l wouldn't have come home.
knew" she added. ''it'd make Dwight
feel bad. mean. 1t was his brother"
Thank goodness" Ina broke In,
nobody need know about It."
Lulu regarded her. without change.
"0h, yes" she said In her mono
tone. People VIII have to know"
II do not see the necessity"
Dwight's voice was on edge. Then
too he said do not" always with
Dwight betokening the fnalities.
why, what would they thinkf