The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-12-20
IS NO MARRIAGE HAPPY9


book, and there is some sort of
an estrangement between them.
Alice has the same look OF
psin In her eyes that she had
when she first came to nurse ME,
and Pat seems to be miles away
from old fun-loving Pat that /
have admired and respected ever
since / knew him.
OF course, some of the worry Is
occasioned by the tragedy that
has come to his foster brother,
Chad.
have never seen such devo-
ton in all my life az Pat gives to
Chad. believe IL tomorrow he
could make Mollie's baby see by
giving up his own life he would
do It in an instant and with "the
smile that has not been on his
lips" Alice said, 'since Chad's
baby was born"
saw him Just a moment be-
fore lunch on election day. OF
course. he was very busy. but he
found time to talk to me a little
about Chad.
Have you seen Mollie and
Chad?" he asked as soon as he
had shaken my hand.
IL have seen Mollie. but not
Chad" l answered.
Pat shook his head despair
ingly.
HE won't even see me-" he
informed me. II am afraid he
will lose his mind. You see,
Margie, he had counted SO much
on this baby. He intended to
make up to that child all the
childhood he had lost.
II don't thinAany mother ever
wove as many fancies into dreams
as Chad did when he knew that
baby was coming.
you know, he is a very queer
chap, MarYie; his unloved child
hood. his neglected youth, and his
tragic first marriage has made
him feel that he was singled out
"a man of sorrows. I think that
The only bright spots In his life
before he met Mollie were made
for him by my dear mother"
And yourself, PATTI" I inter-
rupted.
"Oh, l was only a little Irish
lad who some way felt that the
poor little rich boy was lonely. He
is one of the best men on earth,
and all that / am l owe to him.
ut was little could do for
Chad, Margie. and look what he
has done for me. Why, IL 1t had
not been for that game Of shiny
l would probably be laying bricks
today"
80 you, too. are a fatalist.
PATTI" l said.
well, wouldn't you be?" he
explained in defense, "if your ex-
perience had been as Chad's and
mine?
There were thousands of lit
tie red-headed ragged boys in the
city, but I was the one who for
some reason walked up to the
lonely looking kid in front Of the
fence where he were playing and
asked him to come on in. The
other little devils said:
"'Oh, Patsy, what do you want
to get that rich kid in here ferf
He'll muss his clothes and dirty
his hands, and his father'll prob
ably get us pinehed.' But, some
way, I Just had to do It, Margie,
and-well, really believe I
think more of him than anyone
else in all the world, except
Alice"
Don't except me, Pat" said
Alice, 81 won't be at all jealous.
don't for a moment think that
can take Chad's place in your
heart and I would not love you II
l thought you would throw him
down for me-"
81 know it, Alice" said Pat,
"but It seemed to me that there
was very little enthusiasm In his
assertion. looked over to Alice
and found her eyes suffesed with
tears.
Great heavens!" I thought,
"can no marriage in all the world
be happy? Must always somo-
thing come between?"' 4
Alice seemed So much in love
with Pat, and Pat with her, that
l thought this would be a most
successful married life; and here.
scarcely ten months after the
wedding day. and something has
gone wrong.
was glad when Pat had to
hurry away to HIS office.
Ito Be Continued.)