The Washington herald., 1906-12-17

.neighbors that come with it. but you get
the hOuse-or the title
Your logic" declared the bachelor ad-
miringly, is unimpeachable"
Il know IT," rejoined the widow serene /
~, and it's the same with the man or
the woman who marrIes for money. They
always"
Earn it, broke in the bachelor fer
vently
But they do get it," persisted the
widow. And so does the man who mar
ries for a home, or the woman who mar
ries for an income. or just In order TO be
married, or for social position. or for spite.
or for anything real and sOrdid and
tangible lis only the people who marry
for love who get gold bricked. It's the
people who give up single blessedness and
independence and comfort and content
rnent for romance. who discover that they
have paid for something that-that-
doesn't exist! It's the woman who i'm
AGNES that life is going 10 be al poetry
and passion and wakes UP 20 find that II
is mostly prose and potatoes. and the man
who bargains for curls and kisses and
gets curl papers and curtain lectures. it
the young couple who gid the hard facts
Of life with their dreams and illusions.
and wake up to find the gilt all rubbed
of after the honeymoon. who discover
that they have sold their birthrisht for
mess OF cold p0trage-
And that they are both tethered to the
same tree. ike those horses over there,
broke in the bachelor, nodding at the
FESTIVE animals. Just close enough 10 be
in one anothcr's way
And 10 see all Of each others defects,
added the widow.
And 10 kick If they don't Ike it,
agreed the bachelor
And 10 fight over the grazing pateh
and the meals and the children and the
bills and religion and politics and the
evening paper and the morning coffee and
the dressing table and
The past and the future and the fam
fly" finished the bachelor comprehen-
sively.
Yes" sighed the widow. that's what
most people appear to marry for.
But" protested the bachelor. leaning
over and trying to look up under the
widows little riding hat, that's not what
we are marrying for
No" agreed the widow. leaning her
cheek meditatiyely In her hand, I don't
know what we are marrying for at all, do
you?"
Nobody ever does" replied the bache-
lor evasively. until It's ell over"
And then" said the widow. they've
got the gold brick and are beginning TO
| pay the price
ron. well" said the bachelor. they
can do that gradually
That's Just it." cried the widow, leap
| ing down from her perch on the fence and
! beginning to smooth the wrinkles out OF
her skirt. IF we could all pay the price
in LUMP sum or even in few years or
| in the divorce court, like the Countess de
/ Castellane or the Duchess Of MARI
borough, II wouldn't be so bad. But most
Of US pay il on the installment plan, ana
the more worthless the gold brick the
/ heavier we pay and the longer it takes
to pay for It and the bigger the install
ments get. until from little pangs of dis
appointment and jealousy and dissatifac-
/ ton. the daily debt increases TO a terri
Bile crushing burden OF shattered illu-
sions and lost hopes
.sStopl Stopv' cried the bachelor, you're
( rubbing all the gilt of already. I can
see the hard, cold facts underneath and
-"
what do you seer asked the widow,
suddenly turning in her fight toward the
horses.
"The end of our tete-a-tetes.' sighed
/ the bachelor, and Of our good times
/ And of our honeymoon" interpolated
the widow ruefuily.
But" protested the bachelor, coming
I'D beside her and catching her little
| gioyed hand in his. there's the honey
moon itself. You'd forgotten that"
The widow gazed dreamily down at the
| little white church.
That's all most people remember" she
| sighed, without trying TO withdraw her
hands. They are fascinated by the gilt
ter OF the gilt on the brick and they re-
! fuse TO scrape Il off as we have, done and
| find out what's underneath. Why. Just
| think" she added. glancing up at the
| bachelor with apprehension, IF we should
do-what you wish, you'd never have the
pleasure of proposing TO me again"
| And you'd never have the pleasure OF
refusing me-" retorted the bachelor, tri-
umphantly.
I'VE wouldn't have any pleasures at
all" sighed the widow, looking down at
the little white church once more, Just
duties and habits and regular meals and
| friendships intead of hirtations, and pas
times instead OF amusements and"
/ 81 told YOU" said the bachelor, that
we ought to rush into it"
/ Come" cried the widow, grasping the
! pommel of her saddle and holding out her
hand, lets rush"
But" cried the bachelor, as he sprang
| into his saddle and spurred his horse in
pursuit OF her, you are going In the
wrong direction The church is
I'm going home" the widow called
/ back, waving her hand merrily.
II knew" grumbled the bachelor as he
caught up with her, that If we thought
/ tWice-we'd never be married.
The widow held out her hand with a
/ happy little Taught.
Dear old Billy, she said as the bach
elor caught II In his, Just think what
we've escapedI'