Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-10-15

draw you and the woman together
Married you cannot fly apart. You are
bound by matrimony."
Edith" l exclaimed, what a head
you have on your shouldersl You
should have been scientist"
II am giving you nothing but com
mon sense, nothing but what has been
practced I'm all parts OF the world from
time immemorial."
"Do you mean to tell mo that you
have succeeded in inducing woman
to consent to your planP
"She would consent to no other
There must DO a plunge, then time "a
recover from its effects"
l snt thinking over this remarkable
proposition for some time without
speaking.
Edith | said at last, this Is Ger.
tamly desperate remedy you pro
pose, but 1t Is us desperate for the wu-
man you have In mind as for me. You
would not, | know, concoct such O
scheme for mo with any one except O
lady and one In whom you repose great
confidence | only question whether
In recommending me to her you arr
not influenced to wrong her on account
OF your friendship for me. The lady
has doubtless had time to think the
matter over. Give me tho same. Wher
have decided l will advise you"
went to my room and did the hard.
est Job Of thinking l have ever done
I'm my life. l had already come "a
hate the loneliness OF my abode, and
my picture as white headed old man
came up before me-tottering out alone
to dinner and lettering back TO get rid
of tho hours remaining before bed
time. These and other pictures of the
future | called up, contrasting them
with the sweets OF. homo. wife, chill
dren. On the other hand, I thought
OF being tied up with woman who
might turn out to DO virago l ro-
membered that my friend, Edith AL
lison, had said that tho loneliness Of
old age Is certainty, matrimonial un.
happiness a chance As for waiting
for love affair, had been doing that
for twenty years, and there was less
hope now than ever True, under the
influence Of sudden passion had
wished to marry one of several differ
ent women Mt different times. Tortu-
nately they had all refused me. Later
found that my judgment of them
had been execrnble. In Mrs. Allison's
Judgment had every conadence-that
Is, her judgment of women.
One morning was driven to tho
house Of the ilanceo l had never seen
and who had never seen me, 10 be mar
ried, arriving at few minutes before
noon. wns prepared stoically TO
meet either n beauty or Gorgon. At
u o'clock the bridal party entered the
room where | waited. My wife to be
was not beautiful, but | saw charac-
ter In her face. | was relieved.
Her mother led tho way and, advanc-
ing to me, grasped my hand, pressed
It warmly and showed also warm
sympathy In her faee. The bride,
whose color seemed to have deserted
her, did not raise her eyes TO look at
me. From thinking OF the frightful
plunge | was taking-so | considered
it, was turned to sympathy for her.
We stood together before tho Clergy
man while members of the brides
family gathered on the sides. | made
were barely audible.
When we had been pronounced man
and wife my wife turned and for the
first time fixed her eyes on my face.
This first look ut her husband was
met by a sympathetic, assuring smile
from me. At the same time took her
hand and pressed 1t. Then turned to
carry out the terms OF this singular
plan by leaving the house.
My wife did not relInqulsh my hand.
Her mother, who was watching us,
asked me 10 step into another room,
where breakfast had been prepared.
1t occurred 10 me'that II my bride had
been disappointed In me would have
been permitted TO depart Doubtless
the mother saw In her daughter what
decided her to detain me.
We passed into a breakfast room ana
seated ourselves about a round table.
There was a stiffness among us for
time, but presently we wero chatting
as II we had known one another for
years. All talked except the bride,
who sat with her eyes fixed on her
plate. But roses had come into her
cheeks. and there was always on her
lips that which resemblcd an incipient
smile.
When we had refreshed ourselves wo
all rose from the table, and the men,
bers Of the family vanished In differ
ent directions. leaving mo and my wife
alone In tho hall. with my hand on
the knob Of the front door.
have narrated this important cpl
sode In my llfo 80 far as intend to
narrato II here That part OF the plan
which relnted TO n post-nuptial court
ship do not intend 10 touch upon, OK
cept TO say TINT our courtsbID began
when my wifo FIRST looked up at mo
after the ceremony, and, though am
now an old man, II II still In progress.
Children havo blessed our union, and
our family circle IL what family circles
should be. 80 I consider II about all
that makes lifo worth living
I was induced recently 10 dine ut q
club one evening with a friend. An
old bachelor whom I knew cnme in,
took seat alone nt neighboring Ia
BILE and desolntcly fed himself What
he did when his dinner was ended