Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-25
A WOMAN OBSESSED
CHAPTER LXXV
BY CAROLYN BEECHER

"a KURIEL was making herself i'll by con-
M slant worrying, refusing to eat when
Bruce was away, and remaining up
until she heard him come in, no matter how
late She wrote notes to him telling of her
love, wrote with terrible eagerness, then tore
them up instead of leaving them In them
she begged for his love, his pity. Could it
be he no longer loved her? Her mind
seemed incapable of grasping such idea.
But if he no longer cared-what could
she do? How could she live?
The self-pity and hsr hyserical out bursts
weakened her. Monstrous plans fitted
through her mind. If she was dead--if they
both died together-nothing then could sep
arate them. Her love welled up in her heart
like wells of fire. 1t filled her whole being.
She was divided into two halves, one longing
for his embraces, his kisses, the other for
peace-with him-forever. All the energy
of life seemed dead within her. She had
only strength to reiterate her love
Bruce saw her physical weakness and was
more gently pitful He urged her to see a
doctor but she refused and she would not
allow him to send for her mother.
81 want no one-but you" was her reply.
She compelled herself to rise and break
fast with him. But after he had gone she
would creep back to her room and all day
long lie on her bed, crying out to him to
take back his cruel words, to love her as she
loved him.
She had seemed better morning, and
that night he did not come home to dinner.
He telephoned, however, something he had
of late often omitted She refused any dim
rer, but about o'clock craved cold drink
Thinking Martha he'd probably gone to BED,
she crept down to the kitchen in her slip
pered feet.
She halted at the slightly open door She
had heard her name. Martha had company.
Before she could ask for the drink, Martha
said:
cts her fault if he does go out with an
other woman and serves her rigth Mr.. Con
way is fine man. Any other man would
have left her long ago"
"Wel, he's sure paying attention to that
Miss Hammond, all right. Workin' right in
the same house l sees things They used to
go out together sly-like, but now they're as
bold as can be. And you should Just hear
them laugh and joke together. He's gay
one, that's sure
Murel crouched nearer the door She
must hear.
"1ts me am glad he can laugh" Martha
returned. He don't do any laughing in this
house He used OF come in whistling when
first came, but now he Stops when he gifts en-
the steps. Never makes a sound in the
house I've got eyes and ears, | have, and
I don't blame him for anythin he does. She's
a little selfish FOOL All she thinks of is
herself, telin' him how she loves him until
[ git sick TO my stomach hearin of it, No
wonder her stays out! A saint couldn't live
with her snivelin and badgerin him all the
time. I used to hear him beg her to go out
or have folks here, but do you think she
ever done anything to please him? Not her!
And when her little sister here she made
her go home. She was jealous because he
laughed and talked with her, and no more
harm in the child than in rabbit She was
cold and real uppsh with his old father,
ho T 10
give me ten dollars when he went away. and
when he died she never went to the funeral
nor nothn' and told poor MIR. Conway, what
grieved somethin dreadful, that now he
would have to give her all his love; she was
glad the old man died She'll git punished
some day for her actions. l hope | live to
see it,
''She amt a bad woman to work for, or
you wouldn't have stayed, Martha" tAe 9TH
er woman said.
''She lets me alone, all right. And it's
few people want an old pOck-marked thing
like me around. But it's awful the way she
treats him and In glad he's got woman "
LAS | was tellin you. he comes after Miss
Hammond in that little car and they goes
off laughin and takin'. | heard the folks
in the boardin house talkin'. They said he
must have give her the money TO go in bust
nessi, for she was poor as Jobs turkey when
she first come there. Had bit of room
that didn't cost hardly anythin' and now
she has two rooms on the second floor. She
has real takn' ways and she sure is a treat
for sore eyes to look at. | seen your missiS
once and she's poor meachin lOOkin thing
OF her. Men will be men, and if
their wives don't know enough to be likin
the things they do and forgettin themselves
they finds some one what will That's been
what | says always
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