The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1922-02-02

Il suppose that's the plan, Cnerry
said lifelessly. "He says he'll want
me to join him about the middle of
August"
"Oh, help" Alix said, disgustedly.
Cherry was silent few minutes,
and Peter smoked with his eyes on the
fire.
'If-"Cherry said presently, "If
get my money I'll have enough 10
live on won't l, Peter?"
you'll have about forty thousand
dO!lars-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
i'm her cheeks, that I'm going 10 tell
Martin ! think we have tried it long
enough"
Peter looked gravely at her, sober
ly nodded, and resumed his study Of
the fire. But Aix spoke in brisk pro-
test.
Tried IT You mean tried mar
rage But one doesn't try marriage !
It's fact. It's like the color Of your
eyes
"Alix," the little sister pleaded eager
ly, you don't know what it is-you
don't know what it is Always meeting
people l don't like; always living in
places 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:
"Tll go this far, Cherry. Lloyd mar
ried you too young"
"Oh, far too young" she agreed
quickly. THE thing II can't think
Of" she said, sis how young l was
only little girl l knew nothing;
l wasn't ready to be anybOdy's wife !"
Something in the poignant sorrow of
her tone went straight to their hearts,
and 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 a
burden to him"
Ills letter doesn't sound as II he
thought of you as burden" Alix 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:
ITS an awfully difficult position for
woman of any pride, dearw
Alix, kneeling to adjust the fire, as
she was constantly tempted to do met
his look and laid soot-streaked hand
on his knee.
"Pete. dearest, of course 1t isl
But" and Alix looked doubtfuIly from
hateful thingw she added, shaking her
head. "It-it never seems to me JUS
tifiable"
"Dlvorce is an institution" Peter
said You may not like IT any more
than you like prisons or Warehouses; !;
it has it's uses"
"People get divorces every day
Cherry added isn't divorce better
than living along in marriage-without
lover"
ooh. lovew Alix said scornfully
Love is just another name for pas
sion and selhshness and laziness, half
the time!
"You can say that, because yours
is one of the happy marriages." Cher
ry said at 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 little CON
| fusion.
81 cant imagine the circumstances
under which I shouldn't love you and
Peterw Alix summarized it, triumph
antly.
"And Martini Peter asked.
"Ah, well; didn't marry Martin ="
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" Alix interrupted herself, in
her bOyish way, "those are terrific
words, you know. And a promise is
a promisel"
"And even for infdelty 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
now -
well, wouldn't that come under
'worser'?" Alix asked.
But, my child" Peter expostulated
kindly. my dear benlghted wife.
there is such thing as soul--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"
81 don't see it :" AK persisted ~
think there's a lot Of nonsense talked
about the fanny oncompreezy-bu II
seems to me that II you have home
and meals and books and friends and
the country to walk I'm, you"
ooh haauanc AIlw. ,,o,, 1o.st