The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-03

The bridegroom said Kitty as we emerged from the church after the Hartiey-van Riper wedding, looked like a lamb being led to slaughter"
 He did look rather sheepish," I agreed. sympathetically, recalling the picture of poor, pale Van Riper in his stiff new coat and choking collar.
 And white about the gills and weak in the knees" added Kitty. And they say" she went on, gathering a bunch of silk and velvet skirts In one hsnd and. trying to hold three-foot nun. a gilt chateiaine and a bouquet of violets in the other. that they found him at the last moment out in the stables in state of mental aber- ration bordering oh paresls."
 Tt was the panic!" I declared dra- matically.
 ''The-whatr
 The feeling you always have" ex- plained, before doing anything rash. r,ka niungina in the surf. or looping .na loon. or proposing. or getting mar ried or signing contract. or telling a lie. or doing something you know you've got to do and ought to do and want to do, but--but- Haven't you ever had il. Kitty?' finished desper- ately. ..e
 Kitty shook her head doubtfuily and led the way into the avenue through the stream of afternoon premenaders.
 Haven't you ever,s persisted. stood half an hour on the beach. shiv- aring in your bathing suit, and envying the people out in the breakers. and half wishing 8 big wave would come along and drag you inf We'll, that's the way a man feels when he's on the brink of matrimony."
 And a gi has got to come along, like q wave. and--and drag him in." exclaimed Kitty, disgustedly, "or he'd knI ha r1t Nf alli"
 Why! How did you know thatT" I asked In astonishment. Kitty's chatelaine dropped with Q iinglink crash to the pavement.
 oh" she said. nonchaiantly when had restored the bauble, "you--you see 1t everywhere. Ask any married wo- man you meet and, if she is honest, she will acknowledge that some time dur 1 ing her courtship her husband had the love panic. It may have been when he .rst saw her and realized that she was going to be dangerous to his peace or mind and his bachelorhood, or 1t may have been just as he had reached the verge of a proposal; or 1t may have been at the very altar, when his lips went dry and his teeth chattered and he couldn't get the words out loud enough for the minister to hear. But usually" went on Kitty, its In the early stages of love--
 "When he suddenly discovers that he is saying things that he shouldn't and doing things that are foolish?' suggested.
 And loses his appetite and catches himself neglecting his business she added.
 And reading the Rubaiyat' and huv- ing fancy neckties," I sighed ret'ini$- gently.
 And wakes up" finished KmtH with q start of horror to discover that some girl is beginning to mean moro to- him than mere pastime."
 "I know,' I broke in quickly. I've had it."
 = "Had-what7' Kitty nearly dropped her muff and her violets in her aston ishment.
 "The waklng-up feeling" explain cd. "It's like suddenly finding your self walking along the edge of pre- cIpice or the crater of volcano, with an insane desire to jump over 1t. You feel chilly all over, and hot and cold and happy and miserable and scared and"
 And then you shut your eyes and run" said Kitty. snapping her lips to- gether in a tight line.
 Kitty" l said responsibility, when you talk like that your dimple doesn't show at all"
 Kitty tossed her head defantly.
 'If a man only knew" she remarked coldly. what the panic habit does for him"
 "Does 1t do for him?" I asked anx- iously.
 "Jts as disastrous" said Kitty. igno- ring my hippancy. as getting fright ened when you are half way across the street and running back to the curb again. You're sure to get crushed un- der the wheels of the very thing you are avoiding, and to end siMash-up or the gutter. And, even :; yol' .:Hn't, you know perfectly wei! 'ha; r"u nave got to turn around again aTt cross that street"
 Not always" I protested cheerfully. You might go round the corner
 "To another crosslng--and another girl" said Kitty scornfully. But nine times out of ten you don't"