The Washington times., 1910-11-13
MANY ENMARRY FORPITY.
IS THE WAY SOME EXPLAIN
Thoughts of Marmony Started During Childhood Grow
DiStaSteful In Later Years, Says
One Benedict

|0THE rear reason that I married "
said the first man. was be-
cause 1 was a coward. I was
afraid OF a girls tears.
This is an ungaHaHt and a caddish
| thing 20 say, but this is a confessional
in which we have all promised 70 tell
the exact truth That's my excuse.
Betty and 1 grew Up in a little town
I together. she was the prettiest sort Of
| a village maiden. with rosy cheeks and
crisp curling brown hair, and a saucv
way Of talking that captured my youth
ful fancy.
I Used to pack her books to and
from school. and spend nay pocket
chanSe on caramcls and chewing gum
/ Tor her. and there grew up a really
slfonB attachment between US that IN
my youthful ignorance, I supposed was
! love
! After I quit school 7 went into the
village bank, and stiH beaued Betty
/ around 70 church and the church sun
pers and parties, but everything was IN
statu quo, so 10 speak. There was no
engagement between US. but I suppose
ooth Of u had a vague idea that we
CHERISHED a deathIess passion for each
other and that some day we would get
| married.
Then came an offer to me Of an as
sistant cashiership in a big bank in the
/ city, and that curiousIy enough. had
I the effect Of p'r--Ipitatlng a crisis in me
4 emotional as well as business life. FOR
II was on the strength Of the sentiment
/ aroused in me at the Thought of leaving
1 nome ID frfe
/ IafflliE that made me make nv fatal
| matrimonial mistake.
Il remember it all as II il had hap
ptneG only yesterday. 7 was ambitious.
ana 1 was elated over the prospect OF
| success that had suddenly opened no
| before me I had that curious thrill.
/ mat sense Of power, that comes 10 a
/ man when he feels In his hand the
1 weapon that he knows he has the skill
! ana strength 10 use, and knows that al
! last ne has really begun 20 fight MS
! battle. and that the victory is sure.
! was glad 10 go. and vet my heart
/ oFefuoWed with tenderness for all that
! was leaving behind My mother and
! father, my sisters and my brothers had
/ never seemed so dear. The old home
/ had never seemed such a nest as IL did
/ when i was leaving u. People whom
I / had laughed at became suddenly in
/ teresting and picturesque. and those
J had loved seemed ineXpressibly near 20
me.
/ In this exalted frame Of mind
Went 10 farewell party that my Old
girl and boy chums gave me Betty
was chere. looking like a peach Ia q
/ pink muslin We danced much together.
and az last we strOiled out into the
moonlight, and with music pulsin- on
! the air and my own blood racing like
! IRE through my veins. I asked her %
i be my wite-U0 wait for me until I
could make my fortune and come back
| for her.
/ 1T was a moment Of emotional in
Esanity, but IN Il ] settled my fate, and
/ / went away, a boy Of tweuty-bouud.
! fettered. with q halter about NV neck.
! "Of course. I didn't realize what had
I done. ] honestly thought myself very
much In love with Betty, and kept her
! photograph on my dressing table, and
wrote her long letters in which j told
/ her how 7 was counting the hDUrs until
I ] could come back 20 her. That was
! for the first few months
1 Then ] began 20 get acquainted IN
| the city. Ny family had good CITY con
InectiOns, and Il was not long before
was being as5ed about. and meeting CITY
girls. beautiful. cultured clever. grc-
cioUs. and older women. women who
/ had touched life at many points. and
who were wise, and tolerant. and broad.
I had not known that there were