Show fl K Husband Husban audI and I IBy By Jane Kelps I i CHAPTER 97 9 A Reason for Unhappiness Tort Tom was remaining out more and more often sometimes until very late He usually told me wh where re he had that been is unless I greeted him so coldly that he angry lIe He always urged me to go to bed when he was out but I seldom did so I Iwas was too nervous to sleep and was constantly jumping up to look out the window to see ee it If he were riot not corning corn com Ing Really neally I was less tired when I remained up reading Then one night when I had gone to bed and an almost unheard of thing for me fallen asleep I was wakened by the door slamming Is that you Tom I called called and and a voice I knew to be his yet which sounded strangely answered I lay perfectly quiet until he came Into the room I always left a low I 1 light m in the living room which shone I Into our bedroom sufficiently to see Objects Indistinctly Suddenly Tom lurched over a chair and only saved I himself from falling fa headlong by clutching the bed I jumped up quickly quick quick- ly and switched on the light Tom was attempting to raise himself but each time he slipped back I took hold of him and as I assisted him to rise I I realized the cause of his ness Iris III breath was heavy with li- li quor My Tom was intoxicated intoxicated- drunk I had never seen Tom drink anything anything any any- thing but a glass of light wIne or beer and to say that I was shocked disgusted dis- dis gusted and frightened only half expresses ex- ex presses my condition Even now I cannot write or talk of the maudlin remarks he made as I helped him to undress then left him and went into the spare room to sleep rather to toss and tumble until dawn planning what I should do now that I knew Tom drank UNQUALIFIED CONDEMNATION As I have said before I never had seen a drunken man who pretended to belong to decent society The village loafers out home and an occasional red faced coarse looking man in NewYork New York had been the extent of my familiarity familiarity fa- fa with Intoxication O Of course I knew many New York men and women drank a great deal but never supposed they took more than they could carry without showing it It I I made up my mind Id I'd tell Tom what I thought or of him In the mornIng morning morn morn- Ing That I should threaten to tape little Tom home to mother so as to remove him from his fathers father's influence ence that I should wrIte to Mother Iother Randall and ask If lie he my Tom had InherIted the habIt and a thousand other foolish things which had I been older or wiser would never have entered entered en- en my mind Alone in the quiet of the night I pondered aimlessly The incident had been a terrIble shock to had me-had stirred me to the depths I 1 think had any man of our acquaintance done the thing I could perhaps have found same excuses for him b but t that Tom the theone the theone one man in all the world whom I loved should be guilty of animalism animalism ani- ani was unpardonable What did dida a dreary drean future hold out for me If Tom a drunkard were C leat eat waves of self pity rolled over me me- meI I never thought of pityIng Tom I shuddered at what he had the done cheapness of it I wished that morning mornIng morn morn- Ing would never come when already It was there I rose languidly when little Tom demanded my presence bathed and dressed Then compressIng compress compress- Ing my lips and steeling my heart I went In to call Tom rom TOM IS REPENTANT lIe He was lying as I had left him still I sleeping heavilY although It was long I past his usual time to rise I called t but he made no answer I 1 went over ovel overto to the bed and shook shoo him lightly buthis but buthis I his breath stale nth the fumes of I the night before made me draw away I But he must be b wakened so once more mor r I shook him him this time eliciting I I ILet a response Let me alone cant can't you rou I No I 1 cant can't Wake Vake Tom Randall Ran Ran- Ran Ran-I dall The idea of coming home drunk I should think you would be ashamed I Breakfast is all of yourself ready I 1 went O on l as he rubbed his eyes and sat at up blinking at the bright sunlight sunlight sun sun- I light streaming into the room Go and nd eat it Ill I'll be out In a few J 1 minutes he mumbled as he put one one foot then the other gingerly on the floor loor Ill take my bath better bathe Inside as wen well wenas as out I snapped as he disappeared Into the bathroom I sat down to the breakfast table and gave little Tom his porridge I poured myself a cup of coffee but did not attempt to eat In answer to Norah's Norah's No- No rah's Inquiries I said that I would wait for Mr Randall The baby had finished his breakfast and was playing on the floor when I finally Tom came to the table One look at his pale face and some of my hardness melted Give me some coffee Sue And for heavens heaven's sake salte dont don't talk to me Theres There's nothing you ou can say that I haven't said sald to myself and my head Is splitting lIe He drank the coffee cortee but c eat nothing I was ashamed of him he was ashamed of himself Yet at his evident remorse and sorrow for what he had done his pleading for forgiveness forgive forgive- ness my anger disappeared and I found myself In his arms crying bitterly bitterly bit bit- terly while he promised never to do doIt doit It again I had felt that never again could I 1 care for him yet here we were in a passIonate embrace CHAPTER 98 The Aftermath That day Tom came home very early shamefacedly admitting that he was too ill to work lie He- certainly looked so He was very pale for him with dark circles around his eyes which were sunken I never did what I did last night but once before he said and that was while I was In college I should think once would have been enough without trying It again I 1 replied still sUIl smarting at the memory of the night before I had forgiven him but it would be a long time before before be- be fore I would be able to forget I dont don't want any dinner Im I'm goIng to bed was his only reply Daddie play horse wi me lIttle Tom coaxed It was so unusual for Tam to get home before the boy was In bed that he seemed to think It was to for l' l his special benefit he had come Im I'm sIck Tom I ant bant play horse his father told hIm holding his head Daddys going to bed The fellows tellow's lip trembled and Tom seeing It got up from the couch upon which he had thrown himself and attempted to get down on all fours and plaY horse Now ip git-ip horsle horsie Tom Jr cried as he climbed astraddle his fathers father's back Go fast I I watched them for a moment then Interfered Toni Tom grew so white I II thought he was going to faint I AROUSED SYMPATHIES Come Tom dear I 1 said to the baby daddie has a headache You and mamma will get a cloth and tie It up I wants to play horsle horsie wi daddie the boy InsIsted Some other day come now and I lifted hIm up In my arms and carried I him screaming out of the room When I I returned Tom was once more I stretched on time the couch his eyes I closed d. Thank you YOI Sue he saId faintly The little rascal almost killed me I and he held his head I had brought ice water and towels and now I sat beside the couch and wrung them out and kept them on his head until he said he felt better and would go to bed I helped him and when ho he was all tucked in a cold compress on his head and the room darkened he drew rew my face down and kissed me tenderly Ill never risk your om love by doing this again Sue lie he said You have been a prick I I didn't Intend to I replied hal half smiling as I remembered my thoughts of the previous night But you have hae been he repeated and then I left lert him I have somewhere read that in actual great sinning there Is a grandeur grandeur gran- gran deur but that In erring against good taste tast there is an aftermath of poignant disgust we cannot escape I 1 believe it is true I never forgot the horrIble of II Toms Tom's breath that night he came home Intoxicated I The next three months went went- hy by slowly laz lazily In some respects un- un J comfortably I 1 was continually wor- wor I reed ried about my money matters matteIs everlastingly eVer eVer- lastingly fretting about my bills Tom worked hard and gave gae me all but what he needed for tor hIs personal expenses expenses ex- ex which I 1 now realize were very small for a man in his position But I had been obliged to have hae extra help food was high and In spite of all I could du o I was still hea heavily vily in debt heavily for us Tom lm had paid Madame ladame 50 for the therose therose rose dress and Vivian Morton had bought a few more things so making me commissions But I had ordered a a. maternity dress and a coat which more than ato them up and had been unable to pa pay anything on the old account Mother l was coming to mo me and that me Norah watched for her nearly as eagerly Tom Jr was becoming becoming be- be coming almost more than she could manage and she new mother would relieve her i I was not very well and Tom was kind and indulgent Our friends also were very thoughtful and gave me many little pleasures I could not oth I have enjoyed Everett Crandell Cran- Cran dell was able to ride a short distance I In his limousine and often tool took Tom I Jr and me with him Helen Thurston came n nearly arly ever every day to sit with me and whenever I had any shopping to todo todo do went with me Vivian Morton and Mrs hs Henderson called frequently bringing me flowers or something to tempt my appetitE But I missed Carol Blacklock He 11 had gone to Europe and was not expected expected ex- ex back for some time I occasionally occa- occa rec received a card from him but butI I that was all Mother came to me the last of April and on the seventh of 01 May m little Vera Yera was born Toms Tom's delight In his baby girl was only equaled by little Toms Tom's pleasure In his new sister And T-I T was happily happily content Mother Tom and all my friends made much of me Tomorrow Carol Return i |