Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-06-23
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IL Masquerade
By Idah McGlone Gibson
A woman's Forgiveness

I
After Clavering left the hospi-
tai he first made the arrangements
for the burial of DR.. Millions wife.
When he reached the undertaking
establishment he learned that no.
thing had been done as yet about
disposing of the body of Mrs. Ad-
ans.
''We can't locate any relatives
of the family" explained news
paper man. "Her husband, over In
the jail is absolutely out OF his
mind at present and win talk to
no one. He has as yet refused to
see lawyer. The coroner Just tel
ephoned to his firm and expects
that they will arrange matters. At
least they will prevent her being
buried at the expense of the city.
Poor, broken, faded American
Beauty Rose" thought Clavering
as he stopped for moment be-
side the slab on which she was
layed. And to himself he added:
"You are not like your faded name
now that you are crushed and
gone. And there is no one of all
the crowd that would have gladly
slipped your fragrance and admir- |
ed your color when you were |
alive, that will give you more than |
perhaps plying thought. Yours |
was a curious world-a hard |
world"
Clavering determined to take up |
on himself the finding of rest
ing place for Mrs. Adams, and af-
ter the arrangements for the fun
eral OF Mrs. Milton, and satisfying
the curiosity of the reporters as
to the condition of DR., Milton, he
left to join Glendening.
During all this time Davis. too.
had been trying to unite some of
the knots in the tangled skein
Of life of the Glendenings and
their friends. He, of course, had
gone directly to the Glendening
apartment to see Doris.
II was shocked of her appear
ance," he told Clavering when
they met at late dinner that night
at the club. "She had not even
taken the trouble to put up her
hair which was in two braids
1own her back. And she was still
atttred in a velvet kimona over
Ter nightdress Her bare feet
tuck into little bedroom mules
when 1 was admitted to her pres ,
'nce.
you know, Jim, how CAREFUL :
he has always been of her ap- :
'earance? Well it seemed to me :,
or the first time since 1 have :
,nown her, she had completely for :
.otten herself.
ut added to her beauty, how :
yer, fmmeasurably and although :
he was pale and drawn and some
that disheveled, her absolute un- :,
of self made her Il
lore attractive than I had ever
cen her.
'Her first words shocked me. s
8 l entered the room she said ii
bruptly: ii
DO you know that I have IL
ther murdered Harry or caused fe
i'm to become a murderer =
You must not say that!' l sooth =
l. Surely you know that you :
ad nothing to do with the act of
lat madman.'
Yes, l will say it, she said
idly, for 1t is true-it is true!
failed Harry! I failed him and
rely you know him well enough
} realize that II l had not fail
him this never would have hap :.
ened.
" You do not know how sweet
AIRY has always been to me. Hon
'tly, 1 have always come first
ith him. l knew that other wo-
en- were crazy about him-why
couldn't they be?-I have never
lown a man who made such an
lconscious appeal to all women
my husband.
In my egotism and conceit /
'ver stopped to think that love
uld not be bought; that It must
rendered and those who wish
be loved must pay day after
y with selfishness and little at
ntions and kindness.
Harry loved me in that far
time when we were first mar
ID and never stopped to ask my
Il whether he loved me-even
len 1 treated him as something
be taken for granted-until 1
ind out about his affair with
e American Beauty.
s. And then-oh then, just
nted to make him suffer.
:" 1t was my pride that was
rt-not my love.
God forgive me-I was so
nd, so blindl
1 never stopped to ask my
whether Harry's love had out
ed all my selfishness and sub
le insistence on having my own
y. Whenever l saw another wo-
n smiling at Harry called her
oil" and said to myself: Does
tpt know that he is mine 4
ne-and no one can take him
m me?"
You can imagine. Mr.. Davis,
'I'IIE'I---.z-R
n ~ .,