The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1923-10-12

This one happens to be clever artist.
Alonzo employs her as q decorator. I
even know her name. She's Flora
Balzanni. You know Balzanni, the
opera singeri She's his divorced wife,
and is quite promiscuous. Alonzo has
been-well, attentive to her for more
than q year. OF course, he has no
idea I know anything about Il, and I
wouldn't have him suspect I've learned
he wouldn't want to hurt me, and he
would think that II knew, would be
offended. But have no more feeling
of jealousy for this passing fancy OF
his than would have for good cigar
he enjoys after dinner. Oh, I
know my views are anything but con.
ventional. I am shocking you; Alice
interrupted herself. smiling a rather
hard, cold little smile. II would
shock most women. But believe al
together too much emphasis Is placed
upon fidelity in marriage. As long as
my husband in no way ieopardizes my
rights as his lawful wife. why should
I concern myself with what he does
outside his homer Frankly, I would
rather have him unfsithful to me In
an occasional way, as he Is than have
him drink himself into besottedness,
as many man does, and bring home
TO me throbbIng head, a nasty tenn.
per, and a rancid breath. AlonKo sat
isfies me; he more than adequately full.
fills his part Of life's companion with
me. I am thoroughly content; what
else mattersT'
Her own apartment smelled close to
Lucy, when. later the same day, she
closed the door behind her 1t seemed
cheerless, empty. desolate. The mood
with which Alice Gray had infected
her all day. dropped from her Ike .
cloak suddenly falling to the floor.
She put away her things and set
about getting dinner, washing the
dishes, whipping the unmsde beds to-
gether. setting the table. After all,
her husband was probably no worse
him a pan Of hot biscuits, Of which she
knew he was particularly fond.
At six o'clock, she heard him come
In. She heard his creaking steps to
the closet where he always hung his
hat and coat: she heard him creak his
way back 10 the front room where she
knew he had thrown himself down on
the sofa, and was reading the evening
paper with feet cooked over one hard.
upholstered arm. He had no word OF
greeting for her he would have none !;
u dark and sullen silence would enwrap
him for days to come.
She put the food on the table at the
half-hour, and called him TO dinner.
He did not stop TO wash his face or
hands or comb his hair; he came just
as he was. sullenly, silently, and
hunched his chair up to his place.
Suddenly something snapped In her.
She screamed; she screamed piercing
ly; one wild, sharp shrek. She hurled
her face in her hands. forcing the
fingers deep into her eyeballs. Then
she began to sob. brokenly, passionate
ly, all the grief pent up In her burst.
ing out In an agony of weeping
In 13 years, Tom Valentine had
never seen his wife cry. He was
startled now-alarmed and shocked,
He watched her In panied uneasiness
for some minutes. cropping about in his
mind for some way to check the flood
Of sobbing that beat upon his ears.
II had been long, long time since he
had laid hand upon her In affection,
yet now he was moved by the violence
of her grief. and the unfamiliar I'M
pulse came TO him. He laid down his
knife and fork and stared at her stol-
idly. frownIng deeply. He thought of
getting up and patting her shoulder
he tried to think of something 10 say,
and in his perplexity began to talk a:
random. He did not know how to be
gentle; he had forgotten how TO be
tender The iron bonds of habit were
too well forged about him. He had al
ways treated his wife with contumely,
and now when he strove TO reach her
troubled spirit with gentle words, he
found himself only mounting justifi-
cation of his actions that morning.
Lucy could not suspect that behind the
harsh voice. and slow, clumsy words.
there stirred within him the FIRST con
Germ for her he had known In years.
Only the logged reiteratlon of the
facts about the cream reached her
consciousness Her sobbing fell silent,
but she stlll pressed her palms to her
cheeks, her fingers 70 her eyes. Pres
emily she was aware he had forsaken
the topic of the cream now II was of
his virtues he dscoursed.
. | let YOU live your own life
you go and come rs you please; You
have your own friends. never ask
YOU how or why you spend the money
every month, and ! never let the first
go by without depositing your check
In the bank never question what
you do with yourself all day: all I asl
of You is to run the house and keep
things nice. don't see how
you've got much fault to find with me.
7 don't drink or gamble or smoke:
don't go out nights, and I've never
life Now, some men
Lucy listened until she could stand
no more. With wet tears staining her
cheeks. her face convulsed, she sud
denly Strengthened herself and faced
him, her lip trembling. her hands half
outstretched TO him across the table.
"Oh, Tom, Tom" she cried, Il don't
care how moral YOU are. I don't care
anything about other women. | don't
care whether you go after them or not.
Seek them. kiss them have them-do
anything you Ike. Gamble, smoke
and drink Deny yourself nothing on
my account. ! don't care how wicked
you are. All want YOU TO do is to be
kind TO me. Tom--be kind, be kind !!
Don't be 50 ugly and mean to me.
And sometimes-just now and then
try tn love me y little!"