The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-28
DOMESTIC HELPS AND |
 AIDS TO HOUSEWIVES

1udC lS tue Irutu. TOT QuuC0 U iOug, long time it has been understood that I was to marry MT. Wickersham. I have always admired him-found him above petty things; but, MT. O'Adara, have always been sure for just as long a time that the ability to care for any one the-the way think you believed last night might care for you was left out of me. And so it wasn't you who awoke my contempt, even though did turn 1t against you. It was , myself. It was and not you who was not good enough for even if am body very much, except perhaps her self, should at least play fair. Int- isn't that soT' N
 Minute after minute passed, wbile she sat plating the cloth tight stretch cd over one knee. Lips softly a-quver, she waited, earnest, eager that he un-, derstand from her explanation that which she did not yet understand at all herself. Again she wished that he see whatever there might be behind his heavy silence.
 ~Tsn't it?" she faltsred timidiy.
 And yet when his head did coma around she found she couldn't face him.
 ''Is 1t my turn now?" he asked
 Her answer was barely audible.
 Tiff you have to-have it. But I've told you how useless it is."
 "Would you mind looking at me just a minuteT said Steve.
 The brown head dropped even lower over the restless fingers. It shook ever So faintly. Nf
 "Td rather not. I'm listening"
 His laugh tilted recklessiy in sheSr joy at her refusal
 Then, I'll have to tell you," he stat cd, ''that I'm smiling in spite of the hopelessness. I'm smiling even though my throat is aching and my lips pretty dry.
 You've just finished trying to argue my mans case from your woman's point of view. one of the hardest, least satisfactory things that could be at- tempted, no doubt And if it were pos ] sible know I'd be loving you right now even more than did before just because you've been so entirely un- successful at 1t, Maybe could straight on out point or two that must have been not quite clear to you; maybe, but don't want to argue back at you now. rl
 : You say my telling you all must tell you can't help my case a little bit. All right; we'll let it stand like that for the moment. And you say you are going to marry MT. Wickersham. All right again, but better prophets than either of us have made mistakes be- fore now! If he hadn't forced on me one condition which would have liked to be different I'd rather have had to mention no other man at all. This isn't the way I'd have chosen to tell you how much care. I'd rather have told you a little at . time, but there isn't time for that now. So maybe it'll sound crude to you. I've not re- hearsed it with any other woman, you see. And if it does sound that way it won't help me much, either, will it? But you're going to believe what say! x "You started back a dozen years or 50 in order to make your explanation clear. I'm starting there myself so I'll be sure you understand. You've been grieving because you hurt me hurt me twice. Will you stop now if tell you that wouldn't exchange those two-shall we call them wounds flor all the kindnesses of all the other women in the wor]d? I did believe that you didn't think me good enough that first time. That was why was cut deeper than you'll ever know, be- cause 1 knew it was only the truth. admitted it-remember? I admitted it when said I was coming back. Well, I'm back now, and I'm still not good enough, and not because I haven't tried to be, either. I'm just not ad- hitting any man alive could be that. But I'm telling you. too, in the same breath that the man who takes you will have to prove he's Q whole lot better before stand asidew
 For the first time since he had begun the girl moved Her head leaped back She half lifted one hand in protest, but the very gladness in his face si- fenced her.
 "My turn," he reminded her quis- ideally. You've just finished a rather involved bit of reasoning concerning the way other women love, a lot of which I'll have to confess didn't at tend as closely as should have. Per haps that's because no mans method of caring has ever interested me a great deal, except my own
 "'I loved you when you were a little bit of Q girl-because I loved youI And I love you that way now. Your face was the first woman face ever looked on and-really-saw. And since that first morning it's been with me- been with me lot of times when didn't have anything else to look up to. I've been less hungry for thought of you, less thirsty when the road got pretty long at times. IT worshiped you. Do you hear? Why, I've prayed to you, dumbly, wordlessly, out of black bitterness, when it seemed that any other divinity must be too busy to give any heed toto the ragged little tad was. Now, do you think haven't known what it was long before this to go on when there wasn't any hope3' He waited. Her breath came in long and quivering gasp. TT don't think that want to-listen any more," she