Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-05-24
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IL Masquerade
The Disillusioned
By Idah McGlone Gibson

Dave" said Clavering address.
ing his friend, You'll admit that
Glendening has been pretty de
cent about his wOoing and marri-
age won't your"
''Jim. the devil can make out a
good case for himself. Don't make
an issue OF that till tell Doris
story. That's time enough. Let's
hear the rest of his story" DR..
Milton nodded and Clayering CON
tinued reading his clients story:
For a few months, Eros, the
little Jealous god OF love was en-
throned and Doris and were very
very happy.
We are living wholly in the
present. l did not dare look one
day into the future. And SO l
resolutely shut my eyes on what
might come.
Long summer days we spent to-
gether upon the river, returning
in the short twilight to enjoy the
balmy evening air on the CALLER
les OF the hotel where the moon
light seemed to give my wife's
beauty an ethereal radiance which
was almost uncanny.
And then, as Is inevitable, we
began to get acquainted with each
other and found that those traits
which we had fondIy idealized be
fore marriage had either vanished
or had never been. AS the poets
say: Twas ever thus
do not remember just when
lwoke to the fact that my wife
was intensely selfish-that she
wanted even my every thought
or herself.
This | could not give her, for
always there" has been within ms
something that l like to feel Is my
Tery own. l sometimes think that
my friyolities have been sweeter
because only l have known OF
Them. l never have been the kim
If man who likes to tell of what
ne calls his conquests.
The women who have interested
ne have all been, with two excep-
lions, more interesting when Il
thought of them than when l was
With them.
In spite of her protestations OF
love for me; in spite of her pro-
,estations OF her contempt for
money, l found that my wife cared
much more for herself than any
thing else in the world and that
she wanted money more than she
wanted any other thing.
When the first flush of love
was growing grey she began to
tell me that she was sure L wa
now well enough to return to the
lorth.
She would say: "One of the rea-
sons, Harry, that you are not get
ing well faster. is because you
naye nothing to take up youl
hought."
Il have you, dearest" 1 would
Invariably reply.
that's not enough for man |
He needs an absorbing business,
'he would counter.
I've never been absorbed in |
business in my life, honey" was
ny set answer.
But you Will be now" she
Urged, and so the trouble began
brewing and Eros left us.
quickly learned she wanted all |
of me and every penny 1 could
earn. beg, borrow or steal. for her
self.
| thought because she had been
earning her own living before
married her. that she would know
1T least the rudiments of economy
she would know how hard it is
70 earn money-but she seemed
1nly to have learned how easy it
was to spend it. l found out that
she was simply tired of looking
1ut for herself and that she ex-
oected-when she married-thatl
he entire job OF earning our NV
ng would be turned oyer to me.
She did not like Housekeeping.
She did not know how to sew. She
.hrew up her hands in horror at
he thought of having children.
She had a great idea of the privi-
eges of a wife but no conception
" the duties.
As you know, Jim, she dances :
BEAUTIFULLY. plays excellent bridge, |
lresses in splendid taste, on little
II much, and spends all my money
most profitably-on herself.
I've always loved peace before
nything else. and l dids and still
o my best to keep peace with her.
THFY All DE.