Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-05-06

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me to JON him about the middle Of
August"
"Oh, help!" Alix said, disgustedly.
Cherry was silent a few minutes,
and Peter smoked with his eyes on the
6re.
"If-"Cherry said presently. IF
l get my money I'll have enough to
live on, won't l, PeterY
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 l want you to know" Cherry
went on quietly, with sudden scarlet
in her cheeks, that Tn going to tell
Martin think We have tried it long
enough !"
Peter looked gravely at her, sober
~ nodded, and resumed his study of
the fire. But Alix spoke in brisk pro-
test.
Tried It! You mean tried mar
riage! But one doesn't try marriage!
Il, a fact. It's like the color of your
eyes"
"AliX," the little sister pleaded eager
ly, you don't know what ii is-yOu
don't know what it is Always meeting
people l don't like; always living in
places l hate; always feeling that my
own self is being smothered and lost
and shrunk; always listening to Mart
complaining and criticizing people"
Peter interrupted seriously:
IN 90 this far, Cherry. Lloyd mar
ried you too young"
ooh, far too youngr she agreed
quickly. The thing II can't think
Of" she said, as how young l was
only little girl. knew nothing;
wasn't ready to he anybodys wifew
Something in the poignant sorrow Of
her tone went straight to their hearts,
ana for the first time Peter had an
idea Of the real suffering she had
borne.
IF had a child, even, or If Martin
needed me-" Cherry said. then it
might be different! But I'm only
burden to him"
His letter doesn't sound as If he
thought Of You as a burden" ak sug-
gested mildly.
"Ah, well, the minute l leave him
he has a different tone" Cherry ex-
planned, and Peter said, with a glance
almost of surprise at his wife:
IT'S an awfully difficult position for
a woman Of sany pride. dear"
Alix, kneeIng 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 It is!
But" and Alix looked doubtfully from
one to the other but divorce is a
hateful thing!" she added, shaking her
head. "It-it never seems TO me JUS
tifiablew
divorce is an institution" Peter
said you may not like it any more
than you like prisons or madhouses;
it has its uses"
People get divorces every dayw
Cherry added isn't divorce better
than living along in neutrality-suspicious.
lover"
"Oh, lover Alix said scornfully.
Love IS just another name for pas
sion and selfshness and 1aziness, half
the time!"
"You can say that, because yours
is one Of the happy marriages." Cher
~ said. ut might be very different
If 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 a little con-
fusion.
81 can't imagine the circumstances
under which l shouldn't love you and
Peter" Allx summarized II, triumph
antly.
"And MARTINI" Peter asked.
"Ah, well. I didn't marry Martin p
his wife reminded him quickly. 81
didn't promise to love and honor Mar
tin in sickness and health; for richer,
for poorer; for better. for worse--by
George" Allx interrupted herself. in
her boyish way. "those~are terrific
words, you know And a promise IS
a promise"
"And even for infdelity you don't
believe people ought to separator
Cherry asked.
Nonsense" Peter said.
"But you said--that Martin never"
"No, I'm not speaking OF Martin
row. Z"
well, wouldn't that come under
'worser'T7 Alix asked.
But, my child Peter expostulated
kindly. MY dear benighted wife
there is such Ching as suul--a mind
"a personality! To he tied to a.
well, to a coarsening influence day after
day Is living death 1t is worse than
any bodily discomfort"
II don't see it," Alix persisted, II
think there's. a lot Of nonsense talked
about the fanny oncompreezy-but II
seems to me that If you have a home
and meals and books and friends and
the country to walk in, you"
"Oh, heavens. AliI; you don't know