Evening star., 1915-06-27

every one as we'll as myself knows. TO he
sure, other men have asked me to marry
them since Tom died, and more than once
| have been inclined to agree, which is
why hesitate until my head sets its seal
of approval upon my heart desire.
To-day he grew impatient. whats
thinking got to do with it," he questioned
rritably. "Eithcr you love me enough to
marry me, or you don't"
"That's just what | can't decide, | re-
torted, ~" whether love YOU enough.
Again he broke out irritably, well
thinking won't help you to decision
Love doesn't think: it feels.
looked him steadily in the eyes. "Un-
til it does both, | answered. "it ought not
to marry. That's the test I've set myself.
Fifteen years ago the first tingle from
Life's battery made me imagine myself in
love. But I've lived and learned since
then. I'll never make that same mistake
again, because
lie cut me short: "You new women!"
1t was somewhat contemptuous excla
nation.
And laughed outright, in spite of the
fact that was keyed tremendously to the
momentous moment "Thcre YOU go," |
Sdlu llSHllN on re just like dll the men.
Every time they disapprove of IA woman
they call her new Don't you know, you
old Adam man, that there is nothing new
under the sun, not even Il Woman' Why,
every one of us is part and parcel Of what
we have always been. The only thing
new about us is that we are daring to air
a few timid little notions we've harbored
since time began. But our hearts are the
same-always will be-" sighed.
"Wcll?" he challenged
"Robert, | want to tell you something"
was playing for time, begging the ulti
mate moment "You make me think Of
little boy who is so eager for an apple
held close to his eye that he lets it shut
out the
Lets saya peach, Robert cut in, with a
sudden bubbling up of humor. "lou may
not think it Of my love, Margaret, but I'd
hate to connect you even in the rcmotest
way with that forbidden fruit"
laughed. The clouds scurried away;
but | finished what | had begun to say.
"A peach, if you lkc-but YOU let it shut
out the horizon. How do you know I'm
the right woman for you, any more than
know you are the right man for me-"
81 know, he answered, and with such
ring of decision that felt an odd sensa-
tion of lukewarmncss.
Yet | wasn't lukeWarm, except in my
attitude. And the next moment he said
suddenly, "Look sharp now, I'm going
to kiss you!' and followed ont the threat.
And still keep considering and con-
sidcring this impulse within me to say yes,
without reaching any decision. Marriage
is natural. 1t is fulliment. Home is the
romance Of desire, the justification Of
being. And rur hcrmorc there is in every
woman Shcart an ethereal human yearning
for a mate that is as far above the cor
porral amatory instinct as heaven is
above earth. Vet allowed Robert to 90
stamping away. angry at my ind"csion,
7 HAVE visitor-I ought to say two
visitors, little Geraldine Jones and her
baby. Gcraldne-Jcrry, as we call her
has left her young husband. With the i'm
pulsiyeness of nineteen She packed up and
came to me, saying naivcly:
"One can't walk into every household
with baby; they're not wanted. But
your his godmothcr and you've no boss:
so guess you've Just got to take us and