Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-27
A TALE OF RED ROSES
SMASHING STORY OF LOVE AND POLITIC
By GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER

Sledge waited a reasonable time for her
to allege Bert's enthusiasm.
"Homo!" he commanded Billy you
see. I'm wise, Miss Molly. That pinhead
couldn't love anybody enough to go the
distance 1 can, I'll murder anybody you
name Want anybody killed."
YOU" she savagely retorted; and then,
to her own surprise, laughed. She had
put her hand on the catch of the door,
but, since he made no attempt to stop
her, she left it there
You don't hate me that much," he
calmly informed her. You like me-"
Again she laughed; this time at his
naivete, You see, it's like this" he ex-
planned. I'm big slob and I'm rough
amt pretty, and I know it; but I can
start something any minute, and when 1
do ! can finish 1t. You don't know it, but
you're strong for that"
With thrill Molly realized that he was
right In this. She did admire force She
ADMIRED Sledge, and, now that she had
time to. think it over, something within
her responded to his direct and simple
method of breaking up her wedding
But love is different" she replied
arguing more to herself than to him
Nix he denied. ITS the strongest
thing there is.
Love cries" Molly mused remember
ing Jessie
1T hurts" he agreed ut used to
sound like q joke to me-till I got 1t.
Molly when 1 think of you could holler
Now l want to break chains with nv
chest / don't dare touch you; it makes
me weak, You don't want to 90 back
and marry Bert, do you?"
HIS voice had in IT a trembling plea,
so un-Sledge-like that she would have
pitied him had she not been so absorbed
IN her startling attitude toward the ques-
tion he had asked her, Nothing seemed
more remote and absurd than that she
should so hack and marry Bert.
No. she bluntly confessed
Sledge opened the front window
Hurry up" he admonished Billy, and
Molly laughed
Somehow she felt a sense of vast relief,
of freedom, OF eXhila:ation in her release
from Bert. 1t would have been wicked
to have entered into a lifelong marriage
with him, and now she seemed always
TO have had an undercurrent of that feel
ing which she had hidden from herself.
A little trace of resentment rose in her
that girls were taught to look so lightly
upon the marriage relation that 1t might
be entered into so thoughtlessly; that
girl might select her life partner because
he was a good dancer.
81 don't mind confesslng that would
In all likelihood have broken the engage
Sledge. deciding suddenly to have 1t all
out. TO be perfectly frank, and for the
first time, to look her own self squarely
in the face. II had realized just at the
last moment" she went on. that Berts
attitude toward our marriage was not
what it should be. That does not neces-
sarily mean, however that 1 am willing
to marry you. That's one thing you can't
make me do Mr.. Sledge." and she looked
him uuiptlV in the
He studied her long time. and felt
foolish.
II guess not" he humbly confessed. "I
thought I could, but 1 got to let you be
the boss"
She could not know how much that
admission hurt him. but she vaguely
guessed at il, and something like pity
stirred within her
I'm that l must be-" she asserted. II
thought we were going to your home"
she added, puzzlng over the out-of-the-
way route.
Nav, yours!"
"NIine?" she returned.
1T was to be-" he corrected. THE
Governors house, / bought it, furniture
and all, I sent Waver to Paris"
YOU'RE a continuous shock" she
laughed you do such big things"
That's nothing" he sheepishly denied.