Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-06-22
When he came home that afternoon.

sue hsu pfohably gone 10 the Gprue
| club. She was punctilious about lie
ting him know Aer plans II was tn
afternoon Of the children's dancin
class. The house was deserted. Eliot
spirits rose. He would actually 81
down In his own sitting room and rea,
| -or think--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 |, fn-
| therf"
He did II. He cIasped his hands be-
hind his head and looked at the cell
Ing. The little country neighborhood
was silent II was the first moment
OF this kind that he had had for
months. He thoroughly enjoyed 1t.
He began TO think about a little
parody he was trying TO write for a
newspaper-he had been trying TO do
II nj odd moments-in the train or In
his bath-for several weeks The oc-
casicn that made 1t appropriate had
long since passed, bur he wanted TO
finish 1t II 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
shoesY What is jazz"
well. Marietta, it's a kind OF mu-
sic where the beat is irregular"
why Is lit"
Because people like It 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- c
tesy. father. Where's mother2 Why S
did she go away?" Q
"She hasn't gone away" said Eliot. q
disengaging his mind with difficulty,
|
"She took a bag with her. Why did t
She father?"
Wen see" said Eliot, thinking to
himself that she had probably taken r
he wash to the laundry, as 1t was S
saturday, and sometimes, II they were e
short a sheet and some one coming = S,
stay He fished her letter out of his d
rocket. He had put off reading 1t for
ear 1t would ask him to do something W
hat would have lnterfered with his 10
moment OF solitude. He opened 1t,
With Marietta sitting on the arm of his al
hair, and Doris aged four balancing h,
n his crossed feet. s,
The letter said: "
Dear Eliot: Something strange has III
that makes it impossible be
hat you and l should ever live to- bt
ether again. | want to be alone for a
ew days and think over how can ar 81
ange my life. | Will come to the Of
ce Monday, and talk 1t all over with NJ
on. | ain sorry this Is Noras Sun W,
ay out. but you can probably manage WI
)mehow with the children. They are m,
. good. Yours, IT.,
MARY. do
lie became aware that Marietta had SCI
zen saying for long time: what bo
'es mother say, father? What does yo
other say, father?" no
He put the letter back In his pocket.
Oh, nothing. dear" he answered. "She XII
ID to go away for Sunday" thf
why did she?"
There was question he couldn't the
swer. He had no Idea-no explana- car
'n-no possible theory occurred to int
m. What could have happened? Had Yol
done something? Or rather, for ant
conscience was absolutely clear, eve
she Imagine he had done some sib
ng to hurt her? Had she fallen I'M doe
r the spell Of some sudden romance YOU
one read OF such things happening, E
Mary No. Had she gone mad? fus,
remembered now that she had Z"
med silent at breakfast, but not into
'tentously silent. He had questioned e.
children as to the events OF the into
had any messages come-had like
visitors been there? No, nothing. arm
was almost Incredible that you INNS
uld live with woman seven years w
be unable to form even a hy- ..1
hesis as to why she had left you. hear
that he admitted she had left him .I
was Just some misunderstanding are
o his first shock feeling of anger too
ceeded. How could anyone treat an
Their fellow creature like that-let their
lie husband. And to leave him in "v
'ense for days. And the children a cri
pose anything happened to the 81.
iren7 ,an
iey cpihe TO ask him to sit with ing v
D while they had supper and read stole
d. They had asked him this al unde
every evening. since they had a ma
able 10 speak. and he often re Good
But this evening he consented. III
hs IKE reproof 10 Mary. He ing7'
3 ihackeray's Rose and the Ring With
FAD 70 them. He hadn't read il bur