Arkansas State press., 1942-05-29

had.
She turned over in her mind her
past views on marriage. There
had been time in her life when
she had considered it sacred in
stltutlon. Her experience tonight
had taught her differently, 1t had
made her realize that there is no
such thing as a women being
safe from another man simply be-
cause she was married. She be-
came aware Of the fact that the
only reason she had not been I'M
faithful to her husband before
was n cause she had not been suf-
tlelently attracted by another man.
Even IN the face of the present
circumstances she still considered
the moral standard the most i'm
poftant factor in her marriage.
She had known through the
Years that her love for Bob had
never changed. Yet she had tiled
to stabilize her emotional being
with a cold philosophy of resign
ment. In his presence at the
party, however, she had realized
tlat he had never once been out Of
Ter heart.
The problem of her husband mad
now become her greatest concern.
She did not want to hurt him but
she was only conscious Of the fact
that he stood between her and the
man she loved. She had refused
to let him share her room that
night even though he had pleaded
With her to let him do so. She
knew chat he had noticed the SER
lousness Of her refusal
There had been many times
when her husband had physically
tried to convince her that a wo-
mans place in human society is
tkat OF a wife and mother. She
had refused to bear him child
IN spite of it and had submitted
to him only because she felt it her
duty. Early in their marriage
he had told her that Bob Whitley
was sleeping between them. She
had denied his acquisition at the
time, but deep down in her heart
she knew he was right. Her cold
ness toward her husband had new
er created in his mind the image
Of imperfection in their relation
ship, however, but had kept alive
in him the primitive instinct of
the hunter.
For awhile a great fear of the
future came into her heart, She
knew that she would have to fight
every inch Of the way for her hap
piness. Whatever she did must
be final There would be no turn
ing back, no qualms of conscience.
1t mus be a clean break in spite
of everything.
As for Bob, she was determined
to throw aside her cloak of shame
and pride so as to stand before
him a naked humble woman. She
would make it clear to him that
she could no longer go through the
pretense of being married. What
ever the outcome of her confess
sion would then rest entirely up
on his shoulders.
"
Bob Whitley awoke with a feel |
ing Of impending doom. The throb
bing Of his cad reminded him that
he had drunk too much at the party
last night. He Immediately thought
Of Ann and the circumstances of
their meeting again. TIE thoughts
seem to crowd out every other fac
tor regarding his future plans.
He knew that he still loved
Ann. There had been and there
never would be anyone else for him
He felt that in going to Europe he
had lost her completely, The news
of her marriage had been more
than an emotional shock. 1t had
shaken the very foundation of his
existence. At first he had been
bitter toward John Manning for
having married her. He had felt
that as an old classmate and
friend, John should have consider
cd the marriage a violation of
their friendship. Then as the
months went ty he realized that
he had no right to censor or pass
judgment on either Johns or
AIMS actions,
In college Bob had been CLASH
cal and Cosmopolitan with the
moral a.titude Of French hache-
Tor, seeking his pleasures where
Nature called MIN and feeling no
obligation to any woman who con-
tribu,ed to his entertainment,
There was on1 girl, however, whom
he hal really thought a great deal
Of. She had worn his fraternity
J pin for two years even though
they were not engaged. Then he
. had met Ann at the Junior Prom.