Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-01-03
litter 4
MarriaSe
By cLAUDINE sIssON

Mrs. Clarence Vhay, a bride Of six
weeks, was lazily strolling along the
banks Of the river /just outside the
village Of Ferndale. She had come
down from the old farmhouse on the
hill where the peach and apple and
cherry trees were in blossom, and
where Unc'> ~ and Aunt Mary
had welc Che bridal couple two
q bridal tour of few days and
then Clarence had returned to his
place in the bank Ferndale was
handy to the city, and they were to
pass the summer on the old farm.
'sSusie, remember what Clarence
told you about the boat" cautioned
the aunt as the bride set forth from
the house.
The words started a train of
thought that was both pleasant and
unpleasant. Sitting on the bank Of
the river the young wife gave herself
up to it. She had married Clarence
Vhay for love. Not once during
their two years of courtship had they
quarreled. She could say they hadn't
even differed. He was as kind and
considerate as could be asked for. He
paid homage to a queen. He de-
ferred to her in every way. She
could not mention one short1coming
as she sat there leaning against the
old willow.
And there was the paradox--she
was not satisfied that she couldn't.
She was wishing that she could. She
knew that She had temper. She
was self-willed and obstinate. She
loved argumentvwhen she knew
that she had the best of it. And
Clarence had insisted that she hadn't
a fault-not one. She had said
do this and do that and he had
obeyed. All womankind like courtesy
and gallantry, but few like blind de-
votion. NWhen the news Of the mar
rage came down to the farmhouse
Aunt Mary had said to Uncle Zeb:
"Well, | do hope Susie. has mar
ried the right man. If she has she'll
make a fine woman. He's got to be
man who can boss her. That's
what she and a heap of other brides
media boss. Give 'em their own
way and they'll go through the
world fippety-fop and never
amount to shucks."
And three or four days after the
bridal couple had come down she
had more to say to Uncle Zeb. She
said:
"Pa, I guess susie's got the right
man."
ooh, he loves her, l guess" was
the answer.
"And he'll boss her, too"
"He amt doin' it very much
now"
'sBut you jest wait. He's one of
the quiet kind. He's got to be
aroused before the fur flies. He's
lettin' her lead him around like a
calf now, but the day will come
when he'll break the rope"
"And then what's going to hap
pen?"
"Susie viii either eat humble pie
or run away. It'll be accordin' to
how he does. If he just flares up
she'll run; if he picks her up and
shakes her till her teeth chatter she'll
turn out good wife"
And down by the old willow tree
the bride continued to muse. There
was something lacking in the char
acter Of Clarence. She couldn't Just
name it, but she realized it. She |
went all over the matter, but failed |
to grasp it. She had married as
happily as the average girl, but
but
What was it2 Wasn't she perfect
ly happy? Yes. Moo. Then
her eyes rested on the old skiff tied
to the bank and an inspiration came.
That very morning before leaving
for town Clarence had said:
Darling, your husband wants you
to promise him something. If you
30 down 70 the river today DON I t t1y
% paddle around in the old skif.
You may be carried down stream
and over the dam, and drowned, and
then what would become of me \"