South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-27
THE PROBLEM JIM PRESENTED
To MADGE

Mrs Graham. may I speak 20
you a minute?"
jim. framed in the door leading
from the farm kitchen 70 the din
ingroom. was a pathetis figure. His
beard was OF two or three days
growth. something unusual with
jim. and his usually rudy cheeks
showed an unhelthy pallor. He was
many pounds thinner than when I
left the farm. and his eyes appeared
70 have retreated into his head.
"Of course. jim" rose from the
table where I had been sitting wait
ing for the minutes to pass until the
time agreed upon by Lillian and me
for our excursion with Katie.
Dicky and his sister. Mrs. Har-
r.son. had long since departed for
the shopping trip TO Southampton
and the visit 10 the Bridgehampton
Beach in order 10 hee the ocean by
moonlight Mrs TIGER, after helping
Katie with the supper dishes, had
gone home, and Lillian and I. after
seeing Marion and Junior settled
for the night. had prepared for the
excursion Mother Graham, having
awed her daughters tempestuous
brood into submission and conse-
quent sleep, was positively beaming
at fer chance to be a god of the
machine
Before I followed Jim from the
room I looked at Lillian. who. I
knew. had talked with him since
supper. and had wrung from him
the consent to Katie's going which
we needed. She formed the one
word Careful silently and I
braced myself for something mus
ual In the interview before me.
you're Not Going Away"
Katie was nowhere to be seen
when I entered the kitchen, and as
Jim placed a chair for me with
awkward but genuine courtesy. I
realized that he wished 10 talk
with me alone. and had purposely
banished Katie. I realized some
thing else. also that the man was
on the verge Of a breakdown. His
hands We're trembling. his breath
was quick and uneven. and his US
ually strong. stolid face was seam
ed and broken with anguish.
Mrs Graham" he began falter-
ingly
Mrs. Graham" He came 10 a full
stop. and began twisting his cap
round and round in his shaking
fingers I guessed that he clung
70 the CAP purposely that he might
have some plausible occupation for
those twisting hands.
Yes. Jim" I said encouraCing,y.
then as ne did not speak 7 leaned
forward and looked AZ him steadily.
Don't hesitate TO tell me your
trouble Jim, and Z am sure can
make you see that Il isn't half as
bad as you think"
He looked at me wildly
1T couldn't be any worse. Mrs.
Graham" he said. with quiet de-
spairing dignity II have seen my
wife steal out night after night,
when she thought I didn't know L.
and once when I followed her 7
saw her talking 10 a man. He took
20 his heels when I came UP. so 7
Didn't see what he looked ike but
Il after I leave he isn't good 20
Katie. I'll come back and kill him %
What do you mean2" I gasped.
You're not going away?"
''She Likes Him Best"
There's nothing else for me 70
do" he said. with mulish obstinacy
that I knew IL was useless 70 COM
bat for the present. al least Il
always made up my mind that when
I found my wife liked somebody
better than she did me. I'd clear
out. I'll own that I didn't do right
when 7 first found this thing out
I'm only man, and was crazy
mad handled her pretty rough.
Mrs. Graham. and once. slapped
/ her"
he was evidently determined "a
reveal the very worst OF himself 70