The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-31

ward the future, complete In itself,
perfect-was a failure.
1t was not until pretty ruefully,
they acknowledged this, tore up their
artificial resolution not to look at the
future. and deliberately set themselves
to the contemplation Of life that
would have to take into account com
/ pick and battling considerations, that
their honeymoon became a success.
II was well along In their month that
this happened.
Rose had spent a maddening sort Of
day, day that had been all edges,
trying not to let herself feel hurt over
fantastic secondary meanings which 1t
was possible to attach to some of the
| things Rodney had said, trying to be
cheerful and sensible, and to ignore
the patent fact that his cheerfulness
was as forced and unnatural thing
as hers. The children--as a rule the
best-behayed little things In the world
had been refractory. So, after their
supper, when they'd finally gone off to
sleep. and Rose had rejoined Rodney
| in the sitting room. she was in state
where it did not take much to set her
off.
1t was not much that did; nothing
more, indeed, than the fact that she
found her husband brooding in front
of the fire, and that the smile with
! which he greeted her was little too
quick and bright and mechanical and
that 1t soon faded out. The Rodney
Of her memories had never done things
like that. II you found him sitting in
a chair. you found him reading book.
When he was thinking something out
he tramped back and forth, twisted his
face up, made gestures. That habit
| couldn't have changed 1t was just
that he didn't care to be natural
with her! Couldn't feel at home with
her! Before she knew 1t, she was cry
| ing.
He asked, In CONSERVATION, what
the matter was.
Nothing" she said. absolutely
nothing. Really"
"Then It's just-that you're not hap
by, with me, like this" He brought
that out gravely, word at a time,
as though they hurt.
Are you happy, with me-like
this?" she countered.
1t was question he could not an
swer categorically, and she did not
give him time for anything else.
whats the matter with us, Roddy?"
she demanded. eve ought to be hap
py. We meant to be-" Her voice broke
in sob over that. "And here we are
like thisp"
ut hasn't all been like this" he
said. "There have been hours, day
or two, that I'd go through the whole
thing for, again, If necessary"
She nodded assent to that. "But the
rest of the timer she cried. "Why
can't we Uncomfortable together
Why Roddy, why can't you b,
natural with me? Like your old self
Why don't you roar at me, any more
And swear when you run into things
I've never seen you formal before
. not with anybody. Not even witt
strangers. And now you're forma
q with me-"
The rueful grin with which he &C
knowledged the truth of this indict
ment was more like him, and it cheere
her immensely. She answered 1t wit
!, one of her own, dried her eyes, an
asked again, more collectedly:
= swell, can you tell me why?"
! ''Why, it seemed to me-" he said
that 1t was you who We're different
And you have changed, of course
7 down inside, more than have. You'v
] been through things in the last yea
: and half, found out things that
! know nothing about, except as l hay
! :. read about them in books. So, when
: remember how things used to be be
: tween us, how used to be the one VIII
: knew things. and how I preached an
spouted, / get to feeling that the ma
: you remember must look to you nov
: like-well, like schoolboy shown
y off,"
She stared at him incredulousl,
: "But that's downright morbid" sh
Y said. TITS horrible that should max
= you feel like that" she concluded.
at isn't you," he told her. ut
: just the situation. / can't help feelin
: that I'm taken on approval. oh, it
!, got to be like that! There are thing
I, that with all the forgiveness in IL
= world, you can't forget. And unit
: you have seen that am different TIL,
have made myself different.
= She gave shaky laugh. son a
: provalw Her eyes filed again. "Ro
:, dy, you can't mean that" She can
~ over and sat down in his lap, and sl
;. her arm around his neck. 'eThis
- where Wen beglnw she said. "Th'
= I'll never-whatever happens-wa
out on you again. Whether thin!
go well or badly with us, Wen work
y out. somehow. together"
!, 1t was not until she heard the Ion
:. shuddering sigh he drew at that, ar
= felt him go limp under her, that 81
realized how genuine his fear hi
been--the perfectly preposterous fe'
that IL their new experiment didr