Imperial Valley press., 1911-12-01
Middle Aged
:: :: Courtship
By ALEXANDER D. CHASE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

baroness. Il woman OF thirty-six a
young man of twenty and Il girl of
nineteen made up the group.
Now. 60" said the marquis to the
/ two younger ones. You. my dear
nephew. have received my consent,
and you. Cecile. have obtained the
same from your aunt. | will take
/ care of you. and the baroness will
probably not be lacking in gifts
II certainly will do my part" said
the baroness.
"Uncle" said the young man JOY
ously. "you are one Of natures as we'll
as one of the nations noblemen."
"Aunty." said the girl. Il shall en-
deavor to be worthy Of your kind
| ness"
! The young couple strolled of into
! another of the suit Of rooms, leaving
the older ones together
Mature as well as history said the
marquis. repeats itself. Do you re-
member the day we received your ia
/ ther's biessing?"
Perfectly. and how joyous I was.
/ Then when the trouble between us
! came was in despair. did not know
/ it was blessing in disguise.
How do you know it was a bless
ing?"
From friends who have married
and been miserable. | can count them
on my fingers. There's Elise putting
the forefinger Of her left hand on the
little finger of her right. "and Annette.
and Fanchette"-
"Yes, and among my friends l can
count as many who are supremely
happy"
The romance. fades
But it gives place TO an enduring
affection"
These young people who have just
left US will keep up a pretense OF de
ferring to each other till the day after
they return from their wedding tour;
then they will begin to quarrel
But they will gradually grow near
er and dearer to each other. They Will
wrangle. but that is because each
knows the other will endure such
wranglings from a mate"
But there are those whose Quarre!s
grow more and more violent
'.They are but small proportion of
the whole"
"Ah. marquis. you have been con-
verted too late. You are not old. bat
too old to feel love based on cOmpan-
ionship."
| 1ril
Unfortunately fate did not permit in
/ my case the succeeding state. | have
| been, as 1t were, in u condition of sus.
pense."
She cast her eyes to the floor.
Whose fault was it," she asked.
"Fate's.. said fate prevented. did l
not? Nothing but fate can come be-
tween a boy and girl who love. was
Young. and | did not understand you.
Lovers need to be tied together to pre-
vent their flying apart Marriag
+ does that Once married, they have TO
learn to bear with each other. sud
when the child comes there is another
reason why they must not fly apart.
Married and with a child disunion is
frightful They will endure real
wrongs rather tuan that
And think OF the absurdity that
caused us 10 fly apart
Il have forgotten what it was,'
1--WE were playing tennis"
4sremember.'
"k ball l sent you you claimed TO be
foul"
Now | reco!lect"
81 accused you Of purposely seeing
wrong"
$50 you did"
"And you told me you were not in
the habit of being accused of cheat
ing"
That's right Go on"
81 threw down my racket and. with
my nose in the air, marched off the
court" "''.
'Ah yes. l have it now. and I saic
to myself, Il don't want wife who
acts like that"
"And from then till now not word
of love has passed between u.s."
How stupid!'
1--WE should have been whipped and
ordered to make up like children"
There was a short silence between
them. broken by the marquis.
Something of more substance thar
romantic love drives me to marriage
Youth having passed. I need compan
ionship. Had | companion l coult
bear a great deal from her."
"And children"
For their sake I would bear any
thing" H.
IF you. a man, would bear anything
for the dear little ones. how would Il
be with the woman who is much near
er to them than the manY -
ut is not too late"
Yes: it Is too late"
mo Shai! we risk it?"
She 3.niiAd