The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-03-08


Dora had gone into town. She mac
left the living-r0om untidy, the
kitchen was Uttered with dirty dishes'
and Lawrence had not known any
thing of her intentions until ne came
home from the office and found the
little note on the table, written IN
Dora's scrawling hand.
! Lawrence cut himself some bread
and butter and boiled two eggs, eat
ing off the kitchen table. Dora was
not coming back till the last car ar
rived. He went back into the living
room and sat down by the fire, MS
unread newspaper across his knees.
He had been married year now.
and he was looking back ON that year
with concentrated bitterness, and on
the period of his engagement.
Dora was little, joyous thing, for
ever ready with a laugh, carefree, IT,
responsible. They had taken to each
other from the beginning, and they
had had some lovely times together.
But there had never been anytmng
serious in their companionsilip, ana
when Lawrence asked Dora TO marry
him 1t was still all fun and romance.
They were going to be happy together
In cottage all their lives.
How quickly romance's fairy hgnt
yanishes under the stern searchlight
of matrimonyl
h0A
first. Dora was hopeless as a house
keeper. She was always running into
debt, she always wanted clothes and
couldn't be made to understand that
one had to cut ones cloth according
to ones income.
But worst of all was the impossible
ity of any spiritual coming together.
Dora's mind was as far as possible
from Lawrence's. They never really
shared anything together. They drifted
further and further apart, and when
Dora cried, Lawrence would pet her
and try TO appease her unhappiness.
all with a dull sense of ache at his
own heart.
OF late he had ceased trying, and
Dora cried very much less. 1t could
not go on much longer.
Then there had been Mary Bates.
Lawrence and she had been all but
engaged the year before he met Dora.
Mary Bates was dark, tragic-looking,
well-read, she understood everything.
They had really been soulmates, and
no tortuous or fleeing thought that
passed through the mind of either but
they could analyze and dissect.
How close they had come togetheri
Mary Bates was temperamental. They
had fearful quarrels, and terrible
reconclliations. The girl had shook
him to the very depths of his being.
Only-she had met somebody else.
How he had pleaded with her for
that love she had once given him
How scornful she had beenl How BIT
ter it all vast
That was why Lawrence had taken
to Dora. But now the memories
burning fire.
He must seek her, tell her he loved
her, even though she had married
the man who had come between them.
She was life of his life, soul of mis-
sOul-he would love her to the end of
time
The whining street car stopped out
side the house. With a sigh Lawrence
got up and opened the front door.
Dora came running up the path, car
rying an armful of parcels, half IN
done, disgorging all sorts of things. 1t
was just like Dora.
She ran into his arms. Had such |
a lovely time in town, honey" she
painted. And supper at the Chinese
restaurant. Darling'-she gripped his |
wrlst-"do you really think they put
rats in chop suey?"
"Of course not" answered Law
renee, smiling. How like Dora!
She came into the room. 'You poor
boy, have been bad to leave things |
in such mess for you!" she said.
She fell to tidying up the room, and
stopped. "Oh. what do you
.hink," she exclaimed. "You remember
that old flame of yours, Mary Bates?"
He almost hated Dora at that mo-
nent. Eyes, l remember her. he an.
swered.
well, what do you think? stopped
n at Mrs. Dexter's this afternoon, and
she told me the most dreadful thing.
Mary's left her husband--you know
hey haven't been married much more
han year-and run away with an.
'ther man. A painter, and such a hor.
i'd little man, everybody says. She
vas simply infatuated with him, and
les got wife and three children. And
dary's left her own baby. Isn't it ter
'ible, dear7 l knew that woman was
alse all the way through"
Lawrence sat by the fire while Dora
hustled about the room. 1t was quite
rue. Mary would have treated him In
he same way. And Dora was a loyaI
little person. even If she was ire
and couldn't understand. AND
me could not have everything.
He called Dora to him and sat ber
own on his knee. Dear, I'm going to 1
~ not to be such trouble to YOU.
m 70