The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1941-01-04

3 "Why? Why JeSSica asked her
self. Just another sordid case Of a
married man who had slain his
companion Of sin, probably in a fit
OF Jealousy, then taken coward S
way out, the papers stated.
Jessica flung the crumpled paper
away from her, dropped heavily
upon the divan. Her divan and Halls,
bought with all OF those sacrifices
which make marriage an institution,
She stared into space with dry,
burning eyes, the Hal pictured in
the newspapers was not the Hal
she had known. They did not know
that Hal was an artist. that he
made fetish Of the lovely. hating
anything low and base.
She arose and paced the floo.
restlessiy. What was the answer?
Finally, she crossed the living room,
opened the door to the small room
which had been Halls studio and
saw pictures. hundreds Of them.
studies in oil, innumerable sketches
in pen pencil and charcoal lining
the. walls. An unfinished compost
ton in opaque wash was tackled on
the drawing board. She sat down al
the desk, pulling pile Of papers
and sketchbooks toward her. Some
where in this room she was certain
she would find the answer she
sought.
While searching a part Of her
brain reviewed her life with Harold
trying 10 find some point Al WHICH
she had failed him. She knew she
had worshipped him yet accord
ing to accepted standards they had
little in common. She was nine
years his senior and had none Of
his artistic impulses.
Jessica had worked in a packing
house since she was Is, supporting
her orphaned sister until the lalterS
marriage. She met Harold at the
wedding. His helpless impracucality
had appealed TO her maternal in
stinct. His gay friendship had filled
an emptiness left in her, life by her
young sisters marriage.
Harold had brought into her
mundane existence, a vividness she
had never known, yet in her in
articulate way, had always desired.
Harold had been one Of those Soli-
tary creatures who dwell alone IN
the midst Of multitudes like star
surrounded by myriads Of other
stars, yet a million miles from It's
nearest neighbor.
Jessica had known no greater
happiness than to sit at his side and
hear the slim. brown youth pour
out his soul in describing some
planned picture When his father
died suddenly, she remembered that
she had persuaded him 10 let her
make it possible for him 10 COM
piete the expensive art course he
was taking They had married as
soon as he had secured remuncra-
tive position with large CONNER
cial concern. Had it been gratitude,
she wondered. which had led to
their marriage? She had been
happy, anyway, she argued, during
these three years as man and wife.
She studied the pile before her.
sketch books photographs "a file
OF picture clippings poems. es-
says random thoughts jotied
down through several Then. "a
diary! It was a large book designed
10 cover 10 years, A decade Of Halls
most intimate thoughts. With trem-
bling fingers she opened the book.
a bit awed at what 1t might reveal
She read slowly, measuring each
word He had begun 10 keep this
record when he was 49, two years
before they met. She fingered ten
derly over the two years OF their
courtship. Tears made il difficult
for her 10 read on when she
reached their wedding day. Harold
ldealized marriage.
JUNE %. 1870: The tempo OF the
book changed Under the date in
purple ink which looked gold in the
light Harold had written: Il met
Diane"
Three words. They spoke vol
umes HIS hand must have trembled