The Washington times., 1914-07-13

ding is what reconciled mother. think
And it's such fun to plan big we'd
ding, with bridesmaids and luncheons
and all that! Oh, Peter. I'm just wild
about itp
bridesmaids and luncheons" I burst
| forth aghast. Why. Mary, sweetheart,
| was thinking OF a quiet little home
| wedding. and soon, with just mother
, and dad and your people"
Mary frowned.
Don't be silly, Peterr' she said.
why. + shouldn't feel married at all
| IL | didn't walk up the church aisle on
dac's arm, everybody looking. and the
girls with stunning trains and flowers
and things. lt-it-wouldn't sem decent
or legal"
well" said / bluntly, at doesn',
| seem overdecent to me to parade the
most sacred function OF our lives before
host of staring, curious eyes, with
glaring lights and flowers. looked
away. for somehow Mary seemed a lot
more interested in the folly of a fash
ionable wedding than she was In me.
But / turned again to Mary and kissed
her and straightway banished the first
faint warning sign of our courtship.
Peter. dear" said Mary. don't. be a
goosei We simply must be married in
church. Isn't your father the leading
doctor in town and mine the leading
lawyer? Why, people would talk ter
ribly! Please. Peter, don't be goosei"
/ kissed Mary again and laughed.
Like all men, / was a fool when a
pretty woman pleaded. And. after ali,
I'd read that girls were wild about
weddings. save In an isolated instance
or SO. like mother and dad. So my
Mary was but natural ! put away my
me on my twenty-flrst birthday. and
looked at Mary.
And here" said I, smiling. ''is
what?"
Mary squealed as drew a package
"Oh, Peter. you deari It's the ring!"
1T is" said /, thrilling at her pretty
JOY. And with involuntary reverence 1
drew forth the ring which was to be
the visible token Of Mary's love for me
See" said /, Its a ruby, Mary, and
the ring is the one dad gave to mother
years ago. And grandfather gave It to
grandmother before that. See how
quaint and old the setting Is. There's
something sacred about 1t, isn't there?"
Mary did not answer. She was staring
queerly at the ring and her lips were
quivering.
OH she choked. "oh-I-Peter, I
thought it was a solitaire-a diamond
solitaire"
A soIitaire?''
Mary burst into tears.
why. she sobbed. In great disap-
pointment. every girl has a solitaire
When sneS engaged, II she never mas
another diamond all her life. Why, the
girls would talk and make fun Of me-"
I pocketed mothers ring, flushing. and
for the l.fe of me / could not help re-
calling the bright tears in mothers eyes
when she gave 1t to me, as mad been the
custom In our family. Somehow moth
ers tears were different from Mary's-
they never got beyond her eyes.
A solitairei" said / again. well.
Mary. since You feel that way about II.
you shall have one, dear. Indeed. you
shall. After all. we can only be engaged
once. You see. l thought maybe you'd
like this ring of mothers because-be-
cause -" | floundered, flushed again,
and fell silent 1t was not so easy to
explain without casting a certain re-
fiection upon Mary.
It's a queer old thing, Peter" said
Mary.' smiling. ''and times change"
And | wondered IL in the changing
time had brought to women no respect
for the finer subtleties of life; IL glitter
and frivolity were always more to them
than the quieter things. But l looked
at the moon and Mary and banished the
thought as mean and unworthy. So
fools glide on to destruction. though the
voices by the wayside warn.
CONTINUED Tomorrow.)