Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-03
A WOMAN OBSESSED
BY CAROLYN BEECHER

cause of his elopement with Muriel Dan
gerfeld before finishing college. The
young couple set up housekeeping in
Westfeld. Muriel not only is poor
housewife, but is intensely jealous and
unsympathetic with the light-hearted ma
ture of her husband. She opens letter
to Bruce, which is from his fathers old
husekeeper, urging him to visit his
father who is i'll. Muriel destroys it.
She becomes moody and insulting to her
husbands friends. Her mother comes in
answer to Bruce's telegram and warns
Murel that she is about to destroy her
husbands love. Their child is born, but
dies. Bruce's excellent work wins pro-
motion at the offce.-Now go on with
the story.
CHAPTER XIII
THOUGH Bruces father had forgiven
II him he never mentioned money to
- him, never spoke as if he had changed
his mind in the slightest about financial help.
And Bruce never thought of.it. He was busy
and happy in his work. Had Muriel been diff
ferent he might have cared more about
money. But she was satisfied, never com
planned of going without things, never wished
she had luXuries they could not afford and it
helped his sense of independence. 1t pre-
vented longing for money for her sake.
MurieI knew his father and Bruce were
friends again, but she never had shown the
slightest pleasure that this was so. If he
mentioned his fathers name she never re-
sponded. Bruce thought it was because she
resented his fathers objection to his mar
riage. He had explained it was his d1sap-
pointment because his son had not completed
his college education and that his marrying
her had nothing to do with it.
"Of course she don't quite believe dad
wasn't sore because married. Perhaps most
people would think the same" AS usual he
tried to excuse her. Then came day when
his father wrote:
"The next time you come bring your wife
and come SOON
This letter he showed to Muriel.
"I don't care to co.
But why not, Muriel? He will love you
just as he does me, and the poor old beggar
is lonely. can't go just now, but in another
week I can get off a couple of days..
She made no reply. He WINGED, but thought
that when the time came she would go, so
said no more. After he left she muttered:
"Why should go? He gives that old man
the love that belongs to me. L won't go ana
pretend I think it is right. I won't CO." Her
lips drew into thin line spelling much of her
beauty, which, young as she was, had begun
to wane because of her tears and her worry
because of her fear Of-not really losing
Bruce, she had not gone as far as that-but
dividing his love with any human being eff
my baby had only lived she said. Yet often
"a suspicion came to her that Bruce had not
grieved and once when she had said that per-
haps they would have another he had an
SWered coldly:.
Muriel. If we don't have them We'll never
miss them
"But 1 SHALL Then: "You would have
been contented to stay with me if baby had
lived"
"I'm with you all I can be as it is and keep
in touch with things, have any friends and
succeed in my business.
So their conversation on the subject always
ended. And invariably Bruce was annoyed,
Muriel in tears.
Ann and Tom Mason had been more than
kind in their efforts to win Muriels friend
ship. But she maintained her cold, indiffer-
ent, almost insulting attitude toward them.
Ann, never dreaming of MuriePs insane Jeal-
ousy had called after Bruces advancement
and had praised him unstintedly, declaring
he was so clever, so attractive that ne was
bound to make great success. She said:
"You know, Tom is in the real estate end
of the business too, and an attractive per-
sonality goes a long way in sub-letting and
selling as well as renting houses. They OFTEN
have to deal with women, and we are all In
fuenced by man like your husband, one
who knows how to handle us-vain, silly
creatures that we are. tell Tom [ believe
he makes love to half the. women he does
business with"
cit is degrading admission" Muriel an
swered, coldly, making the gay Ann look per-
picked. When she repeated the conversation
to her husband, Ann said:
''That Mrs. Conway has about as much
sense of humor as stick. If you weren't SO
fond of Bruce I'd never go near her again.
don't think she likes me, either" Ell
cts just her shy way, [ guess, he an
swered with the usual manlike dismissal of
woman's vagaries Bruce feels anxious that
she should make friends. He said as much
to me the other day.
$50 am to be martyr on the altar OF
his hopes All right! My shoulders are
broad. I'll do my best. Suppose we give q
little party and invite them?"
go ahead. Ask all the young people you
know. Have buffet supper. Then 1t won't
break me-"
MurieI received their invitation after Bruce
had gone to the office. She immediately de-
stroyed it. She would say nothing OF 1t TO
him. To herself she said:
Crying to inveigle him to her parties SO
she can make him fall in love with her He
thinks her pretty and attractive. wont
have him where she is" She Immediately
sent regrets
But her strategy did not succeed That
night when Bruce came home to dinner he
said:
"Were invited to party at the Mason's
Friday night If you need anything to wear
get it. guess we can afford it now"
I'm not going, have sent regrets
WHAT"
.'The invitation came this morning. I an
swered at once that we would be unable to
accept"
Continued Thursday. Renew your
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When a certain reporter is in hurry he
doesn't waste words by saying "It rained.
He simply writes: "After many days of arid
desiccation, the vapory captains marshalled
their laundering hosts and poured out upon
scorching humanity and the thoroughly in
cinerated vegetation few inches of aqua