San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-17
The Making Of
a Husband
Ann Lisle's N e ~
Phase of Jim and
AnNe's Marital
Adventure
BY ANN Isle
Chapter 40.
BY ANN-LISLE

barrier of newspaper in the living
room, felt as if my heart were freez-
ing. Life had seemed to be starting
over anew when Jim and / came ID
Ihe Birches. We felt as If We were
leaving the old existence with lis dis
, appointments and triumphs and efforts
and failures behind US. And our days
IN a new world, where we have been
either boycotted or ignored, have been
Deautlful-not lonely.
Now the stream of life is sweep
ing US on again. Jim has returned
10 the world of work. He has q fine
contract with BARLEY TOmpkins and
his associates. A mans normal inter
ests are claiming finland the ser
pent has entered Paradise.
Things started to go wrong with
jim and me the minute other folks
began 10 intrude into our sylvan re-
treat. 1t looks as if Jim and / are
able to adjust ourselves to each other
but not to each other and the
world.
This is horrible sort of quar-
rel" protested, crying out against
Inc utility Of it all in the loneliness
OF my own room.
i wouldn't have confessed it to nv
self for worlds, but | was hoping thar
Jim might hear me through the open
door and come TO seize me in his
arms and laugh away the black clouds
OF misunderstanding that had been
conjured up.
I'm not condoning Nays pilfer-
lng-and maybe she isn't the one who
took my kerchief and ribbon and Jim's
box of toilet things" / muttered.. "Jim
needn't get on his high horse about
feminine ethics. / guess they're as
good as masculine ethics any day,,
As | spoke, | found myself getting
angry-righteously indignant. If
seemed nothing short of an Outrage
\ mat Jim had been so high and mighty
intent.
VI suppose it would have been wise
TO tell him about Mays peculiarities.
j acknowledged to myself with n grc1t
feeling of generosity in so doing. "But
j don Z see why man should be both.
cred with every little thing that goes
on IN the house during the day."
/ found myself becoming fairly GER
tain that if / had bothered" jim
with such details he would have told
~ HDN " bVAN nm WIN SO muCn
small-talk.
Suddenly the feeling Of misery
had brought into the room with me
changed TO a sense of resentment. /
began TO feel badly-treated.
Jim can just wait until I sneak
to him again." l told myself vindict-
lively, as / went over and shut the
dor with a defiant bang.
flnu.V, hnfnra
Bile and began to take down nv hair-
thing | seldom do until have re-
moved my dress. As my hair freed
itself from the last restraining hair
pin and cascaded down over my shout !
ders, l got up with a feeling of i'm !
potent rage.
I'm not upset at ALL" / protested |
as II to still an accusing voice. "Why |
should | be? I'm just tired. That's |
how ] come to be letting down my hair |
before ] take my dress off"
got up, however, removed the |
grey .crepe-de-chine dress / had been
wearing and looked at it with dis
taste.
It's an old thing-ugly and unbc- |
coming" | told myself with a half |
veiied assurance that if / had looked |
a bit more charming, Jim might have |
been slower to judge me.
The absurdity Of this came TO me |
in a moment, but not until / had |
determined to give the dress to May |
and tell her she could dye it right in |
my kitchen if she would like gayer
color.
was thinking pretty well Of my
self-my judgment-my fairness-my
wisdom in dealing with human nature
by this time. And Jim began to seem
like a person who is tyrannical. and /
inclined to sulk il be can't have his
own way.
In this self-righteous mood. fin
ished undressing, washed and got into
bed. But the moment / relaxed. the
seriousness Of what had happened be,
tween jim and me came to haunt me
anew.
I'VE can't drift apart like this
n little at a time-a drop now and
then that may accumulate into a Bit
ter draught" / protested.
/ got mp, slipped my feet into some
gay brOcadcd mules Jim had brought
me a week or so before gathered my
quilted lavender silk robe about me,
and, flinging open the door. ] rushed
into the living room. ] was so filled
with love, remorsc, longing to lay the
ghost that had arisen between uns
that / did not realize how still and
unrespOnsive Jim's pose was until !
was standing next to him with my
hand on his
Jim blinked, stared at me and then
said coldly:
Cant you let n fellow slccp?"
Its time to go to bed. not to sit
out here in the cold living room,
i said.
what you doing out here? I
thought you'd gone to bed ages ago
"I-was thirsty" | managed.
But j felt further away from Jim
than ever. He did not even remember
that we had parted in wrath. lie
was tired. Nothing else mattcrcd.
Men are selfish" | thought bit
terly. Jim is the most selfish Of
ALL
] stumbled back 10 my room.
81 don't care what happens.
won't make another effort at recon.
] told myself as | crcpt
into bed. Then I added aloud aud
plaintively: But suppose Jim
docsn't?'
And thus Surprising" ! fell into
troubled sleep, from which | awokc
with a vast dstaste for facing the
day. Shyly ] opened the liying-room
door at last and went out to break
fast. NV heart was pounding in my
throat. How would Jim greet me?
L.