which was furnished by the relatives of the woman with whom he was living, to pay his wife $6.00 a week.  No probation was thought necessary and the case was closed, both the court and the charity organization society crediting themselves with a case successfully handled and terminated.

About a year later Mrs. Williams again applied, stating that her husband’s bond had lapsed, his payment had ceased, and that she had no knowledge of his whereabouts.  Although her home and children were still immaculate she failed to satisfy the social worker who this time visited her home with the plausible story which she had told before.  The children’s health was not good and they seemed unnaturally repressed and unhappy.  Ugly reports that Mrs. Williams drank came to the society.  The school teacher deplored the effect which the morbid nature of Mrs. Williams was having on her youngest child—­a daughter just entering adolescence.  The son, a boy a little older, was listless and unsatisfactory at his work, and defiant and secretive toward any attempt to get to know him better.  He spent many nights away from home and was evidently not on good terms with his mother.  As soon as Mrs. Williams saw that real information was desired she began indulging in fits of rage in which she displayed such an exaggerated ego as to cause some doubts as to her mentality.  Baffled at every turn the case worker decided to interview the man, if possible, to see if through him any clue to the situation might be gained.  The first step was to gain the confidence of a former fellow-workman and friend of his who now maintained his own small shop.  This was done after several visits, the deserting husband consenting to an evening meeting in his friend’s shop.

A most illuminating interview followed.  Mr. Williams was found to be an intelligent though melancholy and self-centered man.  The couple had married somewhat late in life, it being Mrs. Williams’ second marriage.  She had been strongly influenced by her mother to marry him and had never had any real affection for him.  It became very evident from his story that the strongly developed egotism of both the husband and wife had made a real marriage impossible between them, and the visitor became convinced of the genuineness of Mr. Williams’ protestations that he endured the constant abuse and ill-treatment of his wife as long as it had been possible to do so.  As her drinking habits took more hold upon her and he had realized that the break was coming he had endeavored to place the children in homes, and had once had his wife taken into court.  There her plausible story and good appearance resulted in the case being dismissed with a reprimand to the husband.  He then left home, but continued to send her money at intervals, although as he got older he was able to earn less at his trade.  Socialism was his religion, and it was his preaching of this doctrine in season and out to his fellow