The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-01-10

everything In velvet shadow. Then
the two get married and beglh W
live together in the cold, gray Gay
light of realism, with undlghlheu
necessities and narrowing situations
at every step, and disillusion begins
its deadly work.
This young couple was undergoing
all the inconvenience and temper-eA-
posures of marriage without l's
blessed compensations. They prom
ised to be we'll acquainted before they
were wed. If they still wanted each
other after this ordeal. they were pref
ty we'll assured that their marriage
would not be failure.
Mallory rejoiced to see that the
hurricane of Marjorie's jealousy nao
only whipped up the surface OF her
soul. The great depths were stlli
calm and unmoved, and her love tor
him was in and of the depths.
Soon after leaving Ogden, the tram
entered upon the great bridge across
the Great Salt Lake. The other pas
sengers were staring at the enormous
engineering masterpiece and the COLI
ductor was pointing out that, IN or
der to save forty miles and the cross
ing Of two mountain chains, the rail-
road had devoted four years OF labor
and millions Of dollars to stretching a
thirty-mile bridge across this inland
ocean.
But Marjorie and Mallory never no
ticed 1t. They were absorbed IN ex
ploring each others souls, and they
had safely bridged the Great Salt
Lake which the first big bitter 1eai
ousy spreads across every matrimo
NAL route.
They were undisturbed in their voy
age, for all the other passengers haC
theiI noses fattened against the win
dow panes of the other cars--all ex
cept one couple, gazing each at eact
through time-wrinkled eyelids touched
with the magic of tardy honeymoon
For all that Anne and Ira knew
the Great Salt Lake was a moon
swept lagoon, and the arid mountains
of Nevada which the train went seal
ing, were the very hillsides OF Al
ctGia.
But the other passengers soon cam
trooping back into the observation
room. Ira had told them nothing o
Mallory's confession. In the frs
place, he was a man who had learne
to keep a secret, and in the secon
place, he had forgotten that such pei
sons as Mallory or his Marjorie exist
ed. All the world was summed up i
the fearsomely happy little spinste
who had moved up into his section
the section which had begun its CT
leer draped In satin ribbons unwi
tingly prophetic.
The communion OF Mallory an
! Marjorie under the benson Of recol
ciliation was invaded by the jokes
the other passengers, unconscious
ironic.
DR.. Temple chaffed them amiably
You two will have to take bac
seat now. We've got a new brtd'
couple to amuse us" -.
And Mrs. Temple welcomed the
with: You're only old married folk
like u.s."
. The Mallorys were used to the mi
understanding. But the misplace
!. witticisms gave them reassurant
that their secret was safe yet lit
8 while. At their dinner-tabIe, howeve
and in the long evening that followt
= they were haunted by the fact tn
this was their last night on the trai
d and no minister to be expected.
t And now once more the Mallor.
regained the star roles in the estee
1, of the audience, for once more tn
quarreled at good-night-kissing tim
l. Once more they required two sc
tons, while Anne Gattle's berth W
not even made up. 1t remained emp'
like a deserted nest. for its occupa
n had flown south