The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-29

THE Court of First Resort.
BY MARTHA McC.-WILLIAMs.


saying stormily: "Oh. Mrs. Dean, L
must speak to somebody. shall
die unless I dol"
whats the fatal something? ?"
Mrs. Dean asked. suppressing an in
clination to laugh. Anne was hardly
past her honeymoon-she had sung
the praises of Peter in every key thru
out a tedious engagement. And all
the first month the praise chorus had
observation-disclosures was wonderful
nobody like him. No other woman
husband. Anne was happier than the
sunshine. She knew now just why she
had been created-to love and cher
ish Peter-but was puzzledNas to how
she had fallen into such amazing and
undeserved felicity.
Continuous harping wears thin the
rarest strain. Mrs. Dean had, IN
truth, grown tired of the paeans. She
was genuinely glad the young folk
were so happy, but wise enough to be
sure the happiness would last longer
if not so furiously advertised. Intui-
tlvely she understood that Anne
an inarticulate effort to charm Pc
ter into forgetting everything but her.
self.
She was rather a piteous figure,
gasping and snubbing. her fine hair
a little unkenpt, her eyes red-rimmed.
Tell me your trouble-provided it is
anything friend may hope to rem
cay
''Petsr has Joined the gun club!'
Anne gasped rather than said. with
out a word to me-said he knew I had
a foolish prejudice against guns and
things, I must get over it because he
loved them-almost next to me. Think
of that! When he knows I have been
brought up to regard killing things
what they call sport-as next to a
crime"
There's no killing at the club. -
Mrs. Dean commented. They shoot
only at clay pigeons for the Joy of
craftsmanship. You ought to be glad
rather than hurt"
"Ol O-oo!" Anne walled. 'You
know they go on camp hunts once or
twice year, stay fortnight and kill,
"H-m-m! think you like the
venison they fetch back" Mrs. Dean
interrupted.
Anne flushed. cit is dead. and not
life," she protested. But that isn't
the real hard part. have to stay at
home. How can Peter think of that
as crazy as he was to be always with
me?"
You thought you knew him up and
down, backward and forward" Mrs.
Dean began to answer.
Anne broke in eagerly: But
didn't. 1 find am married to almost
g. stranger"
wei. you have all your life 60 get
really acquainted with him." Mrs.
Dean said patiently.
/. Anne sprang up angriIy: you
nor-Peter needn't be too sure of
that" she cried. Separations are not
looked at as they were. If I go home
after things blow over shall easily
take my old place"
IF thought you meant what you
thought a lot of you always" Mrs.
Dean said reflectiveIy. You vowed
in sight of God aid man: Until
death us do part If you are think
ing of perjuring yourself simply be-
cause Peter-win not let your person
atty submeIge his-weIl, it may be
lucky-for him.
Anne gasped again, staring hard at
her hostess then covered her face
with her fingers and broke into wild
sobs. Il thought you'd-under-
stand,' she moaned between paroX-
ysms, that you were the best friend
1 had-one could come to for help
in-in-anything."
things" the older woman answered.
In wrong ,ones-no. tell you plain
ly you are risking the happiness of
two lives; it may be many more. NYoa
are like SO many girls-never see the
mans side. Let me tell you, A. mus
band is much like set OF artificial
teeth~no matter how carefully they
ARE made and fitted, 1t takes practice
to make them wear easy. Hearts and
mouths are not SO different as you
might think. I dare say Peter has
found out u lot about you since you
took his name: but, being a man, has
been decent enough to accept the in
evitable disappointment like a good
SPORT
Peter disappointed in me? What
are you saytng?" Anne cried, her eyes
flashing. He worshlps me-f0ves the
ground I walk on; the clothes
And no doubt will love the pies you
make-after you learn how" was in
terjected cruelty. Let me tell you a
seer secret e asked ed, me pT.vateiy-if 1
80 he's tricky-goes talking about
mel" Anne broke out, the eyes flash
ing keen sparks. He ought to be
ashamed ever to look me in the face
again"
"Going to be ashamed to look him
in the face?'' Mrs. Dean questioned.
Anne sobbed again.~'T aIn-so miser-
able; all want is to be loved; every
body ought to love me; it is what I
need
I'VE are all of us the better for
love-" Mrs. Dean returned stout1y.
Real love is-the solvent of trouble.
1t ought to make you glad that Peter
is man enough to want man-play,
man-taIk, man-contacts. rather than
dangling always at your apron
strings. A husband isn't chatte1-
no more is a wife. It's the effort to
make them SO that wrecks SO many
homes. Lots of US talk glibly about
mutual sacrifice-when commonly the
sacrifice is like the jug handle-all on
one side. Wha= would you say IL Peter
raised Cain, about your bridge club,
and the singing society? They take
more time and az much money as the
gun club-and are not SO wholesome
by half"
"I hate catsI III never speak to
you again." Ann@ ali but shouted.
"Oh. 1 think you will Mrs. Dean
retorted evenly. You are not a bad
child really-not half SO bad as you'd
like to think yourself right now"
Anne tried to dart thru the door-it