Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-05-25
KOve'S %@%S
IL Masquerade
1s1<tts1 SIIIsS' EssSs =
Two Lives
By Idah McGlone Gibson

You know how fond am of
people, Jim" CONTINUED Glenden-
ing's story" how fond | am OF my
friends. saw them slowly drop
ping away from me one by one,
and l knew it was for the reason
that she not only disliked them
but that she practically told them
so by her actions.
However, she seemed to love
me devotedly in her selfish way.
Isn't it strange. Jim, that the
people we love the most are US
ually the people with whom we
are the most selfish? We think
we want to make them happy in
the way they would like to be
happy. They must be happy in
our way or not at all.
My nose was kept to the grind
stone. Even then never had
enough money to make both ends
meet.
Gradually we retired from all
society, because, although my wife
received many invitations, l
would not allow her to accept
to her nagging regret-because
we could not return the obliga-
tions.
"Of course, my connection with
the newspaper gave me the en-
tree to the theatre, but with the
exception of. perhaps. once a week
in the playhouse we never went
anywhere or saw anyone in the
evening except each other.
This is great mistake, Jim,
for any married couple. 1t was
especially so for us. Notheing in
this world is so horrible as to shut
up two people who have no tastes
in common, no particular respect
for each other and no hope of any
surecase from each others society i
sometimes wondered if she did
not hate me. At times l suspected
that she did
Il began almost unconsciously
to rearrange my life. During the
day was comparatively happy.
have always found great pleasure
in my work. l still maintained the
ability to make and keep friends |
insisted to Doris that business
kept me away from home at Iun-
cheon time. My days l kept to |
myself. lived my own life, and ! |
realized again that most women's |
lips smiled in return for my smile
"Again l drifted. Again l stop |
ped thinking. Again l just lived |
from day to day. And salved my
you'll admit I'm hon
sst here, Jim-by saying to my
self that when l was with Doris
made her as happy as possible
md that what she did not know
lid not hurt her. That's a regret
able philosophy which too many
nen have-but it was my philos
,phy-at least then.
Il did the things she wanted
o do l visited the places she
wanted to visit. if it were possible
n fact, my life was divided into
wo distinct periods; from 8 o.
lock at night until 9 In the morn
ng. when 1 lived for my wife.
Il was always harrassed by
Iebt. My wife and quarreled in
l never seemed to have
he same point of view that she
lad. My wife never understood
smile, Jim. l mean that
and almost always common
ense and common custom were
upon her side. Every ridi-
ulous and trivial affair only took
n a deeper significance-not ap-
arant to me at the time, but 1t 4,
as become very apparent now
a the fact that l could never
lake my wife understand my at-
Itude or point of view.
she had no sense of humor.
ou know that, Jim, and 1t was a
itaI weakness.
Sometimes l used to awake in
ne night and look over in her face
ling beside me on the other pill
wv. She was utterly calm, utter |
: secure, utterly at peace. and
len an inexpressible tenderness h
ould fill me. and would lie Il
iere, wondering just what our a
YES would be at the end of the
mes to try harder to make a go j
l always resolved at these .
it, but when morning came my 4
,od resolutions would disappear. B
Il wanted children, Jim. I've .
ways wanted children. and yeti Y
hen my wife found that she was l
ling to have baby she almost d
ent insane. Ii
She shut herself up in the house
ID moaned and cried and wonder
why this terrible thing should $
me to her. l tried to make her Il
,da1-Sfand that {t Came 10 al ol