The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-06-26
DOLLY HEARS SOME OPINIONS
CONCERNING A SUCCESSFUL
MATRIMONIAL ENGAGEMENT
Girl Who Wants to Write book On the SubjecTook Notes
From One Who Tried It-Got Her Ideas From Stock
Company Doing the Chariot Race In "Ben Hur."
We Are All On the Stage Playing Parts
BY DOLLY DALRYMPLE

POOH" Nancy blew the suggestion
away, you never can tell"
Besides, she is terribly in Love with
her husband, I remarked.
She loves him, you mean, which is far
better than being in love with him" Nan
oy corrected. But he's the fellow that
does the loving. He's absolutely infat-
uated with her."
How'd she do it?'' / inquired.
The easiest thing In the world" Nancy
laughingly answered "Petunia says she
got the idea from seeing a Stock Com
pany do the Chariot Race in Ben Hur.
You know, the race seems to be such a
furious sprint How the horses strain
their necks and try to beat each other
to the finish? II seems terribly real, and
yet the horses never move an inch. 1t is
the clever stage Manager who does the
work and has the mecharism so arranged
that 1t APPEARS to be a great race. Pc
tunia says it's the same way with man
aging husband. She found that the
right kind of stage manager can make
20 people look like a big army; three
horses look like 80; and all of it Is done
by pulling the wires behind the scenes.
Petunia said she got to thinking 1t all
out, and she saw no reason why she
shouldn't get stage effects in real, every
day life. Her audience was her husband.
He was In the box applauding vociferous-
| ly; fascinated, too fascinated and anxious
| to take his eyes off the stage for a mo-
ment to think how 1t was all done. Pc
tuna was the whole show; she was the
racer and she's won her race"
I'VE are all on the STAGE Nancy delib-
Grated. I'VE are all playing part every
day, but what | started out to say was
this: Petunia Angelface applies her ideas
TO her home life in this manner. She has
never let Jack know how really much
she DOES love him. She still keeps him
guessing. She MAKES him think that there
are at least a half dozen mon who are
interested in her. and that she likes them,
and Jack isn't the whole show after all.
Do you understand what I am trying to
tell you? That Petunia loves her hus-
band and given her own choice. she would
have slumped down into good wife and
fine housekeeper, ana not even given a
thought to the rest of humanity-as to
whether her old friends among the men
were married or bachelors, but she knew
Ii wouldn't do"
Its fearful to have TO play a part,
though, in the privavy Of your OWL
home," / suggested. I'VE have to do SO
much of that on the outside"
"of course. 1t is in way" said Man.
cy, "but Petunia really gets lots of ex-
citement and interest out of 1t. You see
Jack is still the devoted lover; he sends
her flowers, and takes her to the theatre
and out to afternoon teas, Just like he
used to before they were married. He is
still her sweetheart, and all because she's
doing the Chariot Race stunt, in Der
| Hur.' -
And that chapter in your book Is illus
T, tratedr' I asked.
''I'll show you,' Nancy SAID, producina
some very clever photographs of Jack and
| Petunia at an afternoon tea party, and
the ball game and various other places OF
amusement.
Rather entertaining and different" ]
acknowledged.
you see. Petunia has made Jack do all
the worrying since they married." said
| Nancy. Hes so afraid of all those men
| she talks about and that they will make
Petunia fall in love with them, that he is
the lover world without end. when II
comes down to brass tacks, all of which
| has resulted in a very happy alliance.
And the rest of your book?" / In
| quired.
Il don't mind telling you of the sue.
cessful methods of some of my friends
as regards the marriage contract" Nancy
said, but I refuse to exhibit the fail
ures-the heart breaks and the misunder-
! standings"