■irsday, Dec. 30, 1926
As long as the race of life has run, woman,
on occasion, has tempted man to his downfall.
This is the story of a wife who induced her
husband to do wrong, but who later— ' ;
Was her atonement sufficient?
I• • •
It is spring again! Spring, the time of promise and
hope. Ifry hurt is not quite so poignant as in this little
Colorado town, jca for lungers,” as it is termed. I gara
on the majesty of the lefty mountains and listen to the tur
bulent stream dashing over bjvi rock in its eternal pil
grimage to the sea.
Ah, fife could have been such a beautiful thing, hoc !
shudder and the muscles of my throat tighten as I think of
the one who died but in this little mountain town, died of a
broken heart, because of a crime my inhumanity and lack
of understanding caused him to commit.
He was innocent, my good, brave husband, the man
wi)ojse heart held only kindness, whose generous spirit could
not wound, and yet he was convicted of stealing, and sent to
prison in; our old North Star state.
■But I’m the guilty one, I, the victim of a long line of
straitlaced, supercilious bigots, who paraded a family tree,
bU)t hid the ugly branches by subterfuge.
t' belonged to- an aristocratic
family Ifjti Ui little Western town.
We Were , JPurl tans, with the regu
lar tradition, Mayflower
aaccetor* end all. There were
landmarks of the blue laws mixed
with,our presumed blue blood.
My father died when I was
quite young, leaving my mother,
two older sisters and myself In
straitened circumstances.
Sometimes, in retrospection. I
feel sorry for my mother, al
though her pride was false, and
we never learned real values, but
were taught to feel that we were
better, than any one In our town,
and always did she keep before us
the fact of the Mayflower ances
tors.
Good matches we must make.
That meant one thing, rich men.
In this my two sisters succeeded.
Mother was very anxious that I
marry. The girls lived In the East;
she was getting old, and I think
she was a little afraid that I might
not meet her expectations.
When I Was 20, Bob Landis, a
young architect from Chicago,
A MINISTER’S DAUGHTER ™IS,
With the impetuosity of youth, she
reached out greedily to catch the flaming
lights. But, alas! they were only burning
;oals that scorched and charred—and turned
to ashes in her hand. A thrilling story of a
girl who sought adventure and found
• * •
I SAW her first in a Pullman chair car. ine porter was
jHacing a foot stool for her feet. Little feet they were
mealed in soft gray slippers; white ankles gleamed through
he dear gray of her chiffon hosiery. I wheeled my chair
ibewt that I might see the complete picture which she made
4ainty little fan. kept in motion by a lazy gloved hand
•lew back wisps of blue-black hair from her forehead and
ijipled up at the throat the soft gray of her blouse.
I sensed it at once. I was not looking at an ordinary
wtnan. She saw me; took me in at a glance, it seemed with
lot very dark eyes. To my companions she paid not the
lightest heed. I felt strangely flattered. She did not speak
o me, but I knew that she was watching me, and try as I
wnild I could not keep my eyes from her face.
X was eighteen, a minister's
aughter. This was to be my first
oason at a lake resort, and 1 woa
mgllng for an adventure. Tbs
toman In gray seemed to promise
me my coveted adventure, and I
did not want to lose it. I called
the attention of my friends to her
and insisted tha f they admire hsr
ilso. They exchanged glances of
tgreement which were meant to be
übtle but which I understood and
njoyed.
When the journey had almost
nded she beckoned to me. I arose
com my seat delighted. Our chap
iron, Mrs. Simmonds, gave me s
* warning glance. I merely smiled
in return. When I reached the
gray woman’s chair fwe referred
to her always as the gray woman)
’he reached for my hand and pat
ed It!
“It e,es time for us to get ac
ualnted,” she said softly. “We
ioth go to Crown Point. Do you
:now you have ze wonderful
•yes?”
I was not the least surprised to
now that she had a French ac
ent, but I could not speak a word.
"I will see you there,” she said,
nd, leaning closer, whispered:—
“I will show you a good timet
ittle Golden Glow.” Then she
mghed a dainty, knowing laugh
smiled, too, and went back to mj
eat
“What did the say, Ruthle?’ -
.Ire. Simmonds whispered.
“Nothing at all," I answered
rylng to be calm.
When ve alighted at the big,
roaring station, I watched the gra)
lady laughing In the arms of a big
man. Intuitive!) I kne' that he
wasn't her husband. When I
passed she called to me:—
“I will not forget, cherle!”
For the rest of that day and the
whole of the next I watched for
her. My friends laughed at me,
and Mrs Simmonds once scolded
me severely, but X was only inter
THE GUILTY ONE
came to our town. Straight ar,d
lithe was Bob, with a gaze that
met one frankly, with a chin that
showed strength—he seemed to
awaken something In me that had
never responded before.
Always had the town boys shown
me deference. Boh met me on a
footing of equality. When I
talked Os Boston, my wealthy sis
ters, the family tree, and all the
pet subjects that mother bad
coached me in, Bob threw back his
head and laughed, "It never makes
any difference to me whether an
cestors came first passage or steer
age, If they aro square, that’s all!”
Instead of being angry, I felt a
new sense of regard for this broad
shouldered man.
He enjoyed telling my mother
that his father was a blacksmith,
and, while it worried my mother, I
was astonished to find that I cared
not at all.
He jpened an office In our
town, which was fast growing Into
a little city and how he worked!
He had neither wealth nor pres
tige, but I loved him, and I can
remember it all now—a soft, sw°et
April night, a moon, new arid very
ested in the gray woman and the
promised good time. I felt that,
through her, I was to see the ques
tionable (that Is what my father
called it) side of life.
The next night In the ballroom I
•aw her. Her dress was black and
beautifully cut. Her face was
rather pale, I thought, but her Ups
were red and her blue-black hair
more glorious than I bad dreamed
Four men were talking to her.
On# of them was the big man
whom I had seen at the station.
He was beaming down on her with
more pride than I had ever seen a
husband show for his wife. When
•he saw me she sent the big man
lor me. Ha smiled benevolently as
be gave me her message, but I
didn't like the way he looked me
•ver trovs. «rry head to my feet.
When we b*d reached , her group
pus her arm about me. “This
ees ze little friend i told you of."
•he explained. “I have promised
lo show her ze good time. Will
rou help me?” All four men
bowed deeply and agreed. The
tallest, an olive-skinned young
man, whom they called Larry,
murmured softly: “Wee wee, Ma
lame,” and then a little louder:
You know me, my dear.”
I was tingling with excitement,
and only hope was that they
would not grow tired of mo and
force me to miss my adventure. I
need not have-worrie over that,
for they eeemed to adopt mo then
Md there. I danced with Larry.
The rest smiled and watched us.
He was a wonderful dancer, and
almost before I knew what was
Peking place, the other couples on
the floer had Hopped, and were
admiringly aad epanly staring at
•a a ttay compartment the party
nr dared drinks. The Mg man am
the waiter a knowing ,ook, and,
Jtanlng broadly, the waiter aerffM
THE CONCORD £>aFLY TRIBUNE
lovely, Bob’s voice husky with
emotion as he drew me to him In
the old arbor and said:—
;’Nancy, I love you. lam poor,
but I have prospects and I hope
some time to give you everything
your beauty and grace deserve. 1
want darling, but you must
HI ; SW
“Nancy, I lotc you!” lie whispered
understand—do you love me enough
to be patient through theso years
of building—you must be my wife?
If not—”
He, didn’t finish—my arms were
around his neck—my lips found
his —it was the supreme moment—
I knew he was the man I loved.
"Nothing matters. Boh. entiling
but you. I wil! help you—we'll
build together—l wij! he content.”
My mother was displeased when
I (old her 1 was to he married, j
had anticipated that.
Wo were married and rented a
house, and I was happy—but there
wine In f*ct. 1 newer remem
bered even having seen It, and so
when the ollveJalvinnsd Larry drew
me down on his ltnae and h-ld the
shining glass to my lips I felt di
vinely wicked. When I confessed
that 1 hud nevet tasted it. they
made merry over my Initiation Fi
nally I knew that I was. drunK I
knew also that the other- were
drunk, too—all except the »r*y
woman.
Some one sale something sbeut
marriage. 1 agreed to perform a
mock marriage between the big
man and the gray woman. We
stood them up. and, mimicking my
father, I recited the ceremony,
which I knew from memory. I
seemed possessed of a devil. They
roared with laughter. Then v;e had
a funeral. It was during this that
a • knock sounded on the door.
Without waiting for admittance,
Mrs. Simmonds walked in. She
shook me and grasped me
about the waist.
“Ruth!” she said sternly, “come
on with me at once,”
I drew back. The big man stag
gered close to her with his fists
clenched.
“You let her alone!” he bel
lowed. “She’s funny; she Is."
Larry caught me roughly in h!a
P ~..
- Splf
—■. - -
When she saw me she sent the big man for me
arms and shook kts fist at Mrs.
Simmonds.
“Sure, she’s m? girl,” he said.
“J trained her, and she’s mine.
But she sere to drunk.”
Mm Mamondi said nothing, but
ntanlr eke tried to pull me from
Uto The big man jerked me
laaw Md pave bar a shoe* wMofc
has always been a serpent In Eden..
Lydia, my older Bister, came'
home the year we were married,
and her clothes and bearing fcAt
radinted opulence. Her accent we*
decidedly Back Bay.
She had never met Bob, and
when she came over to our Uttle
home to dinner, and Bob came In
with his wholesome welcome, it
was plain to me that hers was
purely patronage.
If Bob. noticed this he never
mentioned it, but It piqued me.
Lydia stayed all summer and l
grew more unhappy every day she
v.’.'.s home. I kept my feelings to
myself,’ or thought I did. but Bob
knew. There was an intangible
barrier rising between us, and wt>
both felt It.
One night Bob wont hack to the
otfice after business hours to draw
some blue prints for a new court
sent her nearly flying through the
partly opened door.
“You go ’long” he yelled.
"We’rt. busy v "
Then ha slammed the floor, bat
we hoard l;cr -cream: —
“I'll call the police!”
The gray woman tool: charge of
the situation immediately. Sho
hums!, us nil up to her apartment
in the hotel Then she lacked the
door, and the h"ar!ty float Inn el.
From some place earne a slass de
canter, sparkling •vl’h r. rub- col
ored liquid, p.nd a tiny Chinese
plate on'which, lay a nro-vr.'-h
yellow substance I did i.of know
that the first ws- laudanum and
the latter raw opium. L«rrv
clapped his hands a.nd danced
about the room with drunken de
light at the night of the drugs.
Breaking off a piece of the opium,
he held it to my lips.
“Take it, my beauty,” he Raid.
Like a wildcat the gray woman
sprang at him.
“Fool! It will kill her,” she
criod. "It wouldn’t hurt you, hut
it will 1:111 her!" Larry seemed
quite taken back. He sank Into a
chair and mopped his forehead
with the back of hi 3 hand. The
gray woman’s word was law.
The big man poured oat a gen-
erous portion of the ruby colored
liquid into a glass and handed It
to the gray woman. She seemed to
take It In one swallow. The men
watched her with boundless admir
ation. Another glass was poured,
an# she swallowed it the same as
the fleet. The Men looked ok this
Uto vttk —reheaslea Ike
. bouse to the nest town. He bad
never left me In the evening be
fore—l expressed surprise—he
fcna«cred teetily. TH have to do
something to Increase my income
If you Intend to keep up with your
sister."
Then we had our first quarrel,
and I said unkind things to the
man,l had promised to be patient
with:
There to no use giving every
thing in chronological order—Bob
knew l was dissatisfied—and the
next summer rr.y ether tiisc jme
home — more resplendent than
Lydia.
I wanted Bob to buy a new
house, just built in an_ exclusive
part of town, before she came, and
let me hire a maid
He bought the house— I
had a maid, new clothes. I er>',4r
tained, did all the things that I
thought meant happiness—empty
forms, bubbles—while the man 1
married carried a burden on his
heart.
My sister hack to Boston,
trunks, mpid, false standards and
all—and I, with my hig house,
came down to earth. I had tri
umphed. or thought 1 had.
Then the blow fell! Out of a sky
of sapphire blue Boh was arrested
for misappropriating funds. He
was Western representative for
some Eastern firm, and he had
used five thousand dollar.- of its
money.
It Is all a nightmare—his arrest,
the trial; and there in the court
room my clean, hig-hearted hoy
was questioned like a criminal and
given a prison sentence.
At first I couldn't grasp it—my
mind didn’t seem to register—lt
couldn't be true; —but when’ I went
to see him!
“Yes. Nancy. I did It,” he mur
mured sadly. “But I didn't mean
to steal. You wanted tjid house—
I was getting a loan from a friend
In Chicago, but It didn’t come
through—l couldn’t put It back
I’m sorry for you—*"
Sorry for the! I was the crim
inal. I will never forget tlx* haunt
ed look In his eyes as I left him.
I became 111, terribly 111. Bor
months they feared for my m'nd—
and during that time I lost mv
little hab.v.t born prematurely.
"A blessing,” my mother said,
“with'lts father; In jail— ”
Then it seempd as though some
thing within mo .snapped—l p<vj»ei
out my wrath as blue vitriol and
the woman before ne wilted.
"I am the criminal —your daugh-
laughed at them sardonically, and
the big then poured another glass.
Then her eye* began to close very
ciovriy. fihe pu’ out per hai..t* as
it to ward of: somethirg, and
seemed to; lose •conschtusr.efl* slow
ly end brlutlfnlly The big tnaa
carried some cushions to a veiv-t
davenport r.'.-.i l.ftefl hi'r gently
upon It
! shall never forget her u'.csrth*
ly beauty ts 1 p’jc ’ay the.-’v. l’ais
and still ts m.-aud- s.’.e was. Th*
black, V-llftgy i.uDatancfl ct her
drees cturs* i- hor ”!:« th.) drapery
or. r.r. vxqutsUe ttatuo Life
seemed to be gone from her and 1
beginning tv fcv a little fright
ened.
The men were new taking th ?
seme “quar. and. Larry again tried
lo give me a swallow cf the liquid,
but I w-e. rhnioughly alarm*! Ho
leered at me and coaxed me ihe
name time. The other men iooke.t
on and laughed »<upid>y. I r»r. to
the door, but it »:»« lock*4 Re
fore I could turn the key I arry
had caught me. He held m* hands
and attempted to pout the liquid
(Jftmngcj Q Jhari Cjidion
1 Am a Better Man Because of Mu Dog
I or.ce had a Blend, a sir! 1
loved. a home, amt a dog. 1
bad a good buair.es*. and life
held all the premises which
make It worth living.
Then esme a chance te double
my money, “a sure thing.’' X
took the chance end lost.
Crashed, 1 want to my friend
u< k* took my hand end tokd
me to fight it oat, let he would
stand by me.
Wonderful f-ellngl A friend
to love ole, te understand!
But my home must go, and
my business, of course, and then
I found myself In a sresll cheer
less room, with one weak light
and a beflragg'ed curtain al the
on# bleak window. My dog wae
with me, and h« shivered, for U
was cold. Hut hts eyes always
followed me with silent worship
and l could hear the thump of
hie tall In ecstatic greeting
I returned.
Wonderful feeling, a dog to
love me, to understand!
I went to the girl I loved, and
told her all. She placed a ten
der hand in mine and told me
to try again; she would stand
by m-:
Wonderful feeling; a girl to
love me, to understand.
1 went Away, humble In my
gratitude. My friend and the
girl I loved, we three should
meet soon.
ter of race and trs 4 lt ion, of bigotry
and false pride. I’m a rhr.m. e
husk, a coword. 1 married, koo*
Ing fus* what Bob could give me
an! my sisters, with tat old Shy
locks. came and tempted me and
I fell, like the mt ftft tfcv. t sm.
“Bob Landis ts too good for say
Bradford who ever lived—and he Is
disgraced because he married a
weakling instead of a thorough
bred. “ White and trembling. I
sank Into a chair, and she left,
knowing I told the truth.
A year later I went before the
pardon board, and on my knee* 1
told them my stbry. “Put me In
his place If you will—l deserve It—
hut let him go. His health 1?
go'r.g. (»;•» h*.9rt !■» >aklr>;—”
. fell at tbe fe<t if »n ‘Vd rrlr
ister who fas or the vof/d. He
picked me Lrtderly.
“I am glad you are repentant.
Many crimes -ve committed for
selfish women. I will see vhat 1
can do."
1 went to the governor—l told
him my story—put all the blame
on myself, where It belonged, : then
I waited.
At New Year’s, Bob’s rer.ter.ee
was commuted. His health was
bad—the doctors said he had tuber
vulmilau the- he came home.
I had sold the house, the miser
able price of my happiness, and
the doctors said we must go West—
It was Hob’s only chance. So it
was that my husband came home,
with the stigma of the prison ns
well as its pallor on him. disgraced.
For no one knew the real truth
but my mother, the hoard, and the
governor. No, I was not brave
enough nor firm enough to pro
claim It from the house tops. "Poor
Mrs. Landis! Isn’t It too bad?—
such ; disgrace—” Those were the
remarks passed.
Then the little Colorado town,
set In the bowel of the mountains,
canvas tents, houses with three
sides, men with death jusl s little
ahead, women with tragedy Ih
thblr eyes—but the mellow sun
shine couldn't cure the man 1
loved. Ills wound was deeper,
more Insistent, than thnt of the
lungs—his hear; was broken. The
disgrace of the prison sentence, his
disappointment !r. jfr.e. had been
*o-i much. Nothing mattered now i
: We walked, slowly and wtalflly.
’he paths edged with coluknblni
uid anemones. The mountain
p’.v.es with ihelr fresh, tangy odor,
th-- rh hts of starlit glory, meant
little to him and less to me.
down my threat, but I held n v lips
shut desperately. He called the
US man lo come and prop my
mouth open. When the big man
r.amo I realized that 1 could no
longer help myself. I was in a
panic.
Thera was suddenly a thunder
ing nois’e outride. Larry dropped
h!s Rla.es, end lot go his hold upon
me. vome one was breaking Ir. the
doom The. big man picked up the
gray woman se if she were .a doll
and 'looked wildly about for a
•dean? o! *»rnp'- Bn? h? war too
Slav:, The door fell la with a rrae'i.
T<> mv ho-ror 1 found myself hand
culled. A deter:!re was talking 5c
,a gruff voice
“Where 'la Marie Karlin!'"'
I knew thst he. meant the grey
voice n. although 1 ha! : ».«v.v
'heard her neve l pels’ed to the
davenport. The b*.g 00*0 In a piti
ful effort :o ss.re her. had thrown
t. cover over the sle-p’ng torn.
The !el»ct!*e crossed :h« room and
jerked the core? swsy. There war
silence tv her. sho was discovered
1 gsep::’.. Jftr faco wo* no lor.jcr
Th.j time came, and my heart
sang with Joy as I saw before
m* my friend and th# girl 1
loved.
Then on# day my friend met
me and hts glance was cold and
he loft m* hastily. Bewildered
I mad* my : way to th# glrk
DM gently bad* me good-by;
•be c«red ko longer Bbe was
te marry my Mend— and that
was all!
Blindly I stumbled to my
small cold room. Then I heard
a thump of tull and the soft
head of my dog rested on my
clinched hand, and worshiping
eyes gazed at me.
I remembei little of the
nV-hts and days that followed.
What I had saved l gave to
rrucure poisonous drinks, 1
'arched back one night, with
lust a few drops of “drunken
forgetfulness” left. X was
worthless, an utter failure; 1
would leap from th* bleak win
dow, down on to th* etonee far
below. My hand reached out
for the bottle. Something lloked
my hand, my dog, half-starved
and stiff with cold, crept toward
me.
I cursed, striking him. He
fell back against the table. Too
late 1 saw the precious bottle
fall to th* floor. The Uqeor
seeped away through the rot
ten woodwork, great gaping
Ther* earn* the Mo.» when 1
kn.w our a-parat><.a tms aot far
away—nod x mu«t eat Sat utk A<
without forglenem.
I can see him j*. sitting td\
low camp chair, his eyw oo tltfl
motmtatna, ktz hand* hanging by
hia aid*. I waa pr.-pr.iing « broth
for hi* falling appetite whet aotne
th1 '!* cam* over aaa.
I looked—lt aeetaed 1 could aee
Gob. big. ' brant, and lappy as
the night he askgd me to be hi*
Wife. It was ac real I dropped the
diafi and ran t» http—abVttng. i
knelt beside hie ehal. —he stroked
mv hair—
-nor.’t r-y, little girl —if* going
to bo nil right—"
I -A.lght him tr. me, "Oil. Bob.
f'irgi-re me! I spoiled your life
yon were ac good, *o el**o, eo
trilling. / nm ashamed, sorry, but
It i” too late."
"Ves. for me. dear, hut life tmay
roi l something for you yet—"
"Never." I cried. "You are lUe
to me— when you go there is only
remorse, but Whittier has said.
•IMe is ever Lord of death, and lore
can never Jose its own.’ I won't
lose you-—Bob, will you be waiting
for me?”
"Tes." he answered quietly, so
quietly that my heart almost
stopped.
“Forgive me—tel! mo. Bob—" j
was shaken with sobs.
"Thero is nothing to forgive,"
those wet* his ’ast words. He just
fell asleep, in hia young mat-hood
while I In agony of spirit fought
once again to keep my sanity.
Me Is buried just at the foot of
the path we walked so often. 1 in the
intl~ cemetery that holds so many
whose hearts were broken—and 1
wait: - >,
■V ive.s—•! am talking to you—you
who still havo a chance of happi
ness never tamper with it. It is
priceless—nothing takes th* j,i ftce
cf a home where love, sympathy
and understanding ar.; allowed to
work their miracles—and once lost
cun r.ever be replaced.
I have lost e.:l that— caused tl<*
death of (ho one I loved most on
er.rlh. With nothing but waiting
I frai;e on the, steadfast firmament!
the friendly pines, and listen to
the mountain stream on its eternal
pilgrimage to the sea—-while the
mills of God grjnd slowly! but
justly, the grist that Is meant for
me. t. . ' ' ; ;
A UhAMtJC F*atu*a.
pale, but a dead blue-gray color.
•‘Too late,” said tbe officer.
“You won’t take her alive."
Because at Mrs. Pimmonds’s testi
mony, I was released. I told th«
detectives all I knew of the gray
woman.
"But who was she?" I Insisted.
"Matie Bartini,” he answered.
"The daughter of a Hindu, partly
French, and ngleadcr cf the mott
efficient gang of dope dealers in
America," he explained Impres
sive!”, “Y r.’jr chaperon. Mrs. 81m
momlM. in in tor a large reward tor
their capture."' He looked St me
In rather a condescending way.
"Ar.d you. I suppose, have, had
ehcngfi experience to last a while."
I said nothing. I was too horri
fied and too relieved to speak. 1
could think of nothing but the
gray woman and my narrow escape
from her deadly clutches. I' have
thought of her a great deal since
that adventure some years ago. It
certainly taught me a lesson. That
is why I have written this story,
A QHAFHIC raator*.
crack* sucking It up. The devil
awaked in me. I caught the
chair and hurled it at my dog.
He howled as (t struck him. I
saw him,fall beneath the broken
wood; then I ran blindly for the
window. Here was my trium
phant end. Aa I ran to the
window, determined to crash
through tba glass, th* cursed
4og dragged himself before me
and. sprawling full length over
him. my maddened brain pound
ing, my hands clenching the
window alii, slowly I slid away
Into darkness
Hours later dr.wn was creep
ing through the gray window, 1
moved stiffly. Silence. Sud
denly something moved beside
me. A whimpering dog. blood
matted hair, shivering body, but
eyes clear, limpid, great hollow
pools—of what? I bent forward,
steadying i-ty gase. then knowl
edge came to me. Tbe dog had
“faith” in me!
I have a home again, n small
oozy place with a garden. 1
work hard and my hours are
long, but I have time to think.
Life has been cruel to me, but 1
have learned much. 1 will still
keep faith alive In my aouL Be
fore me lies my dog He does
not hide the worship In his gase.
Wonderful feeling I T» be la usd
by A dot. and understand. I
am a better man bananas of my
dog.
PAGE THREE
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