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like to drive a little more。 They were jerked about in the
cab for another hour through the deserted Park。 Miss
Beers； having removed her hat； reclined upon Fred's
shoulder。
The next morning they left Jersey City by the latest fast
train out。 They had some misadventures； crossed several
States before they found a justice obliging enough to marry
two persons whose names automatically instigated inquiry。
The bride's family were rather pleased with her originality；
besides； any one of the Ottenburg boys was clearly a better
match than young Brisbane。 With Otto Ottenburg； how…
ever； the affair went down hard； and to his wife； the once
proud Katarina Furst； such a disappointment was almost
unbearable。 Her sons had always been clay in her hands；
and now the GELIEBTER SOHN had escaped her。
Beers； the packer； gave his daughter a house in St。 Louis；
and Fred went into his father's business。 At the end of a
year； he was mutely appealing to his mother for sympathy。
At the end of two； he was drinking and in open rebellion。
He had learned to detest his wife。 Her wastefulness and
cruelty revolted him。 The ignorance and the fatuous con…
ceit which lay behind her grimacing mask of slang and
ridicule humiliated him so deeply that he became absolutely
reckless。 Her grace was only an uneasy wriggle； her auda…
city was the result of insolence and envy； and her wit was
restless spite。 As her personal mannerisms grew more and
more odious to him； he began to dull his perceptions with
champagne。 He had it for tea； he drank it with dinner； and
during the evening he took enough to insure that he would
be well insulated when he got home。 This behavior spread
alarm among his friends。 It was scandalous； and it did not
occur among brewers。 He was violating the NOBLESSE OBLIGE
of his guild。 His father and his father's partners looked
alarmed。
When Fred's mother went to him and with clasped hands
entreated an explanation； he told her that the only trouble
was that he couldn't hold enough wine to make life endur…
able； so he was going to get out from under and enlist in
the navy。 He didn't want anything but the shirt on his
back and clean salt air。 His mother could look out； he was
going to make a scandal。
Mrs。 Otto Ottenburg went to Kansas City to see Mr。
Beers； and had the satisfaction of telling him that he had
brought up his daughter like a savage； EINE UNGEBILDETE。 All
the Ottenburgs and all the Beers； and many of their friends；
were drawn into the quarrel。 It was to public opinion； how…
ever and not to his mother's activities； that Fred owed his
partial escape from bondage。 The cosmopolitan brewing
world of St。 Louis had conservative standards。 The Otten…
burgs' friends were not predisposed in favor of the plunging
Kansas City set； and they disliked young Fred's wife from
the day that she was brought among them。 They found her
ignorant and ill…bred and insufferably impertinent。 When
they became aware of how matters were going between her
and Fred； they omitted no opportunity to snub her。 Young
Fred had always been popular； and St。 Louis people took
up his cause with warmth。 Even the younger men； among
whom Mrs。 Fred tried to draft a following； at first avoided
and then ignored her。 Her defeat was so conspicuous； her
life became such a desert； that she at last consented to
accept the house in Santa Barbara which Mrs。 Otto Otten…
burg had long owned and cherished。 This villa； with its
luxuriant gardens； was the price of Fred's furlough。 His
mother was only too glad to offer it in his behalf。 As soon
as his wife was established in California； Fred was trans…
ferred from St。 Louis to Chicago。
A divorce was the one thing Edith would never； never；
give him。 She told him so； and she told his family so； and
her father stood behind her。 She would enter into no
arrangement that might eventually lead to divorce。 She
had insulted her husband before guests and servants； had
scratched his face； thrown hand…mirrors and hairbrushes
and nail…scissors at him often enough； but she knew that
Fred was hardly the fellow who would go into court and
offer that sort of evidence。 In her behavior with other men
she was discreet。
After Fred went to Chicago； his mother visited him often；
and dropped a word to her old friends there； who were
already kindly disposed toward the young man。 They
gossiped as little as was compatible with the interest they
felt； undertook to make life agreeable for Fred； and told his
story only where they felt it would do good： to girls who
seemed to find the young brewer attractive。 So far； he had
behaved well； and had kept out of entanglements。
Since he was transferred to Chicago； Fred had been
abroad several times； and had fallen more and more into
the way of going about among young artists；people with
whom personal relations were incidental。 With women； and
even girls； who had careers to follow； a young man might
have pleasant friendships without being regarded as a pro…
spective suitor or lover。 Among artists his position was not
irregular； because with them his marriageableness was not
an issue。 His tastes； his enthusiasm； and his agreeable
personality made him welcome。
With Thea Kronborg he had allowed himself more lib…
erty than he usually did in his friendships or gallantries
with young artists； because she seemed to him distinctly
not the marrying kind。 She impressed him as equipped to
be an artist； and to be nothing else； already directed； con…
centrated； formed as to mental habit。 He was generous
and sympathetic； and she was lonely and needed friendship；
needed cheerfulness。 She had not much power of reaching
out toward useful people or useful experiences； did not see
opportunities。 She had no tact about going after good
positions or enlisting the interest of influential persons。
She antagonized people rather than conciliated them。 He
discovered at once that she had a merry side； a robust
humor that was deep and hearty； like her laugh； but it
slept most of the time under her own doubts and the dull…
ness of her life。 She had not what is called a 〃sense of
humor。〃 That is； she had no intellectual humor； no power
to enjoy the absurdities of people； no relish of their preten…
tiousness and inconsistencieswhich only depressed her。
B