Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-12
Is Not Life We Loue, but Lioing 1t Is Not
THE WOMAN THOU GAVEST ME
The Greatest Story of the Tquenteh Century

! ing his silver-haired terrier on his
! lap, he said
| "Of course, you know what the
! business is which the gentlemen are
| discussing i'm the library
! As we'll az ! could for the nervous
ness that was sitting me. ! an
sWered that knew
He stroked the dog with one hand
| prodded his stick into the gravel with
the other, and said
We'll don't know what your
views about marriage are. Mine, /
may say. are liberal
listened without attempting to
reply
u think nine-tenths OF the trouble
that attends marriage life-the break
downs and what uot-come Of an ir-
rational effort to tighten the mar
riagc knot"
Sun / said nothing.
To imagine that two Independent
human beings can be tied together
like y couple OF Siamese twins. nei-
ther 10 move without the other. living
precisely the same life year in. year
out why, It's silly, positively
silly"
In my ignorance | could find moth
ing TO say. and after another moment
my intended husband swished the
Ioosened gravel with mis- stick and
said.
II believe in married people leaving
each other free--eaCh going his and
her own way-what do you Think
| must have stammered some kind
Of answer don't know what-for !
remember that he said next:
quite so, that's my view of matri-
m clio 10,
TO share It, Tell the truth, |
was afraid YOU wouldn't" he added.
with something more about the nuns
and the convent
/ wanted to say that I didn't. but
my nervousness was increasing every
moment and before ! could find words
in which TO protest he was speaking
to me again.
our friends in the library seem to
think that you and ! could get along
together and I'm disposed to think
they re right-aren't your
In my ignorance and helplessness.
and with the consciousness of what /
was expected to do. ! merely looked
al him without speaking.
Then he fixed his monocle afresh,
and looking back at me in a curious
way he said
Il don't think should bore you, my
dear. in fact, should be rather
proud OF having a good looking wom-
an for my wife. and | fancy | could
give you a good time. In any case
this with n certain condescension--
my name might be of some use to
you"
A sort of shame was creeping over
me. The dog was yawning in my
face. My intended husband threw il
off his knee
shall we consider II a settled
thing, then" he asked. and when in
my confusion | still made no reply
(having nothing which I felt myself
entitled to say. he said something
about Aunt Bridget and what she had
told him at luncheon about my silence
and shyness, and then rising to his
feet he put my arm through his own,
and turned our faces toward home.
That was all. AS | am a truthful
woman, that was everything. Not a
word from me, no, not half word
merely a passive act of silent aCqui-
essence, and in my youthful and al
most criminal innocence | was com
mitted to the most momentous Incl
dent of my life.
But II there was no love making, no
fondling no kissing, no courtship of
any kind. and none OF the deiirious
rapture which used to be described in
Almas novels, I was really grateful
to find that and immensely relieved
to find that matters could be COM
pleted without them
What we reached the house. the bell
was ringing for tea, and my father
was coming out of the library, fol-
lowed by the lawyers
so that's all right, gentlemen" he
was saying
Yes that's all right sir" they were
answering; and then, seeing us as we
entered. my father said to Lord Raa
And what about you two?"
We're all right also" said his lord
ship in his drawing voice