The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-06-21

q note from Mary was lying ON the
hail table-a not unusual occurrence.
She had probably gone tn the Garden
club. She was punctilious about let
tiag him know her plans. Ii was the
afternoon OF the children's dancing
class. The house was deserted. Eliot's
spirits rose. lie would actually sit
down in his own sitting room and read
oil thlnk-or do neither. without any
one saying, What have you been do
ing all day, dear" or did you remem-
Der the BUTTER" or "Why must |, fa-
| ther?"
He did IL. He clasped his hands be-
hind his head and looked al the cell
ing. The little country neighborhood
vas silent. Ii was the first moment
of this kind that he had had for
months. lie thoroughly enjoyed ii.
lie began to think about a little
parody he was trying TO write for a
newSpaper-he had been trying to do
il at odd moments--in the train or In
his bath-for several weeks. The oc-
casion that made il appropriate had
long since passed, but he wanted to
finish 1t if he could. Within a few
minutes, however, he heard the voices
of his daughters returning. He wished
the class had lasted a little longer.
Yet he was not an unnatural father
and when they entered the room.
flushed with exercise, elegant In their
sheer white dresses and blue bows, he
felt proud of them and glad to see
them. He loved them even when the
following interchange took place:
"Hullo, father. Do you like my new
shoes? What Is jazz?"
"Weli, Marietta, it's a kind of mu
sic where the beat Is irregular"
why is 1T"
Because people like II that way
the time changes"
what is time, father?"
Remembering Mary's assertion that
he didn't try to answer them, he
paused a moment TO consider, but
Marietta went on: II was called out
in front of the class to make a cOur-
teSs, IutLeI. NHeIeS ulolllci why
did she go away?"
"She hasn't gone away" said Eliot,
disenSaging his mind with difficulty,
from the problem of time.
"She took a bag with her. Why did
she, fathe"?"
well see," said Eliot, thinking TO
himself that she had probably taken
the wash to the laundry, as 1t was
Saturday, and sometimes, If they were
short a sheet and some one coming to
stay He hshed her letter out OF his
pocket. He bad put off reading 1t for
fear II would ask him to do something
that would have interfered with his
| moment of solitude. He opened 1t,
with Marietta sitting on the arm of his
chair, and Doris aged four balancing
| on his crossed feet.
/ Tbs letter said:
Dear Eliot: Something strange has
happened that makes it impossible
that you and | should ever live to-
gether again. | want to be alone for Il
few days and think over how i can ar
range my life. | will come to the of
flee Monday, and talk 1t all over with
you. | am sorry this Is NOra'S sun
day out, but you a probably manage
somehow with the children. They are
So good. Yours,
MARY.
He became aware that Marietta had
beer saying for a long time: what
does mother say, father? What does
mother say. father?
He put the letter back In his pocket.
'Oh, Lothing, DEAR" he answered. "She
had to 60 away for Sunday"
"Why did she?"
There was a question he couldn't
answer. He had no idea-nO explana-
tion-no possible theory occurred to
him. What could have happened? Had
lie done something? Or rather, for
his conscience was absolutely clear,
did she imagine he had done some
thing to hurt her? Had she fallen un.
der the spell Of some sudden omance
-one read of such things happening,
but Nary No. Had she gone mad?
He remembered now that she had
seemed silent at breakfast, but not
portentously silent. He had questioned
the children as to the events of the
day-had any messages come-had
any visitors been there? No, nothing.
Ii was almost incredible that you
should live with a seven years
and be unable to form even a by.
pothesis as to why she had left you.
Not that he admitted she had left him
lit was just some MISUNDERSTANDING.
To his first shock a feeling of anger
succeeded. How could anyone treat
another fellow creature like that-let
} alone a husband. And to leave him In
I suspense for days. And the children
suppose anything happened to the
children?
They came to ask him 20 sit with
them while they had supper and read
aloud. They had asked him this al
most every evening. since they had
been able to speak. and he often re
fused. But this evening he consented.
1t was like a reproof to Mary. He
chose Thuckeray's Rose and the Ring
to read t. them. He hadn't read il
for years. II was a magnificent piece
Of narrative. He read II well, too. AT
that place where the naughty Count
Hogginarme stepped into the arena,
and the lions rushed out saying.
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