Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-02
Ae Mental Hazard BY Clarence Burlington nelar
ledger
One of the Series Eueng Public Ledger Original Short Storie

and. consequently, after all these years,
Jane and Mcdonald had time to think
about themselves.
Jane was not the sort of person to
think and analyze, but she felt. Her
emotions were headstrong and she was
undiplomatically frank In describing
them. She knew that some essential
element had gone out Of their mar
riage. some element she craved. With
something of fear she realized that
she did not love Mcdonald. The urge
which had swept her into marriage
with him. and made their first years
together very sweet and wonderful, had
vanished. This discovery was followed
by period OF active revolt. She
worked herself into a state Of mind in
which she believed her husband had
become actually repulsive to her. and,
in her headstrong way, she told him
in a storm of tears.
Mcdonald stood aghast. That such
thing could have happened to him
was unbelievable. 1t was incredible
until he sorted over his own feelings
toward his wife and found that he
had reached n state Of indifference to.
ward her. The glow was gone for
ever.
They had reached a point which
every married couple must reach--the
moment of readjustment when they
must rebuild upon a new foundation
or see their structure SWEPT away by
the rising storm. They seemed unable
to locate a stable foundation upon
which to lay new cornerstone.
Mcdonald considered the practical
side of the question. The thing, be
told himself. was a fact. Apparently
1t could not be mended, so there was
nothing TO do but try to make the
best of 1t. The children made any
other course impossible, and finances
made this course necessary. 1t was
all he could do to support one estab-
lishment in comfort: therefore, even
had he been willing to do SO. he could
not have allowed Jane to leave him
as she seemed to wish to do. He had
not the money to allow her to live
separately in Independent dependence.
James reactions, however, were purely
emotional. She no longer loved Nc
Donald, and to love seemed to her the
one essential to life-to love and TO
be loved. She awoke bitterly TO the
realization that the love which she
loved had not been present in their
home for years. She craved the uplift
OF love, remembering how she had been
borne along blindly upon warm rush.
Ing, wave of love during the first years
or her married life. She wanted that
again. wanted 1t to continue. The idea
or the commonplace was abhorrent to
her; the thought Of continuing to live
with Mcdonald as his wife was re-
puisive. She was young. vivid, loveler
even than she had been ten years ago
| and she felt somehow that her love.
iness and her life were going to waste ::
that she was being cruelty. bitterly
| cheated.
Which, If you stop to think of II.
is dangerously fertile state of mind.
THE first sharpness Of realization be.
came somewhat dulled. Life con.
tinued. The household remained in
La.t; ou. always IL perched upon the
Drink OF disaster. Everything was
commonplace habit, humdrum. It was
maddening, wearing. constant source
OF irritation. Chickering's were inevi.
Mcdonald settled down grimly to the
task of holding his family together. of
holding his wife. He was essentially
fair minded. He perceived, regretted.
and tried to make the best of it-but it
was not easy. A certain testiness of
disposition added to the difficulties. As
for Jane, she went along thinking Of
herself. holding herself more or less
IN suspense, craving, always craving for
the return OF that which had vanished
forever.
Jane had always done much as she
! pleased, and Mcdonald had interfered