Twenty tales by twenty women: From real life in ChicagoAnonymous
General
Twenty tales by twenty women: From real life in Chicago
Anonymous
Chicago (Ill.) -- Moral conditions; Prostitution -- Illinois -- Chicago
“My husband had not entered into business of any kind, he having plenty
of money, and as he said, cared to do nothing but love his ‘little girl.’
Happy? I was as happy as an angel and sometimes think that the memory
of those days keeps me alive now; again, the thought almost crushes me.
I shall never forget the first cloud that hovered over my sunlit career
of wifehood and motherhood. It was in the evening of one of the days of
the great race meet. I was waiting for my husband to come home, sitting
in the window as was my custom. It was after nightfall, but many of the
pleasure seekers of the day had extended the revelry into twilight sport.
Handsome equipages, loaded with gaily dressed women and well groomed men,
rolled by one after another. Some were singing, while some more fortunate
carried buglers and other musicians. I had not attended the races, on
account of not wishing to leave the baby, but Harry, my husband, had
gone. We had been invited by our old friend and while Harry gently
protested that he would not go a step without me, he finally consented
after considerable persuasion on my part. At nine o’clock in the evening
my weary vigil was rewarded. A four-in-hand drawing a handsome tally-ho
drew rein in front of our home. I could not see any of the faces and the
first intimation I had of Harry’s being in the crowd was a remark some
one addressed to him, saying, ‘It’s all dark, Hal, old man, nobody at
home, don’t get out.’
“Then I heard him say, ‘Oh yes, I know she is here waiting for me, and I
must leave you.’
“Then a jangle of maudlin voices, one saying one thing and one another,
but among the many things that were said were, ‘Goodnight, sweetheart,’
and ‘Here, kiss me once more before you leave.’ ‘Be sure and come up
tomorrow.’
“I could stand no more; I moved from my position to a point where I could
touch the button which turned on the electric lights, then I heard this:
“‘Hist, sh—be still,’ and then in the brave and manly tones, I heard him
thank his host. The host asked to be remembered to me, and to assure
me that he was sorry I could not be with them, etc.,—then respectable,
cheery good nights, were the parting salutes.
“Harry came into the house and as was his custom, took me in his arms. I
discovered that he had been drinking, but uttered no word of reproach,
neither did he offer to explain. Next day after he had gone down town,
I sent a note to our old friend which he answered in person. I begged
him not to take Harry on any more escapades. He laughingly answered that
a man must see a little of the world; I did not like his manner, and
frankly asked him to tell me all about the affair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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