The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-06-29
A Marital
Preparation
By SADIE OLCOTT

Strange, ISL lJg was thinking
the same thing about a mans tying
himself up for life to a woman. My
uncle says a man runs an awful risk
when he marries."
How should he know? He's never
been married"
I've no doubt that your aunt, who
is an elderly maiden. put all this dis
trust into your head. I've often heard
her say she wouldn't marry the best
man in the world"
Aunt Martha has a very clear idea
Of mems faults"
so has my Uncle Jim of women's
shortcomings. But, as | said mo-
ment ago, I've been thinking myself
that it's like taking a cold plunge to
be married. If you think you don't
care to risk it perhaps we'd better
break it off,
She pouted at this and bent her eyes
down on locket she was toying with
Uncle Jim says" he continued
that marriage is all very well so long
as the spooning lasts, but just as soon
as a couple come down to the real
thing the girl discovers that she hasn't
got exactly what she wanted, or the
fellow finds he's made a bull, or both
do, and the fracas begins. Now, sup
pose we stop spooning and treat each
other in that friendly way married
people do. We'd find out the cause of
future dissatisfaction and could make
up our minds with deliberation wheth-
er we'd better risk it or not"
That's a good idea When shall we
begin-now?"
mo; the next time we meet"
He didn't care to begin now, because
it was only II o'clock at night and he
was quite sure he would wish to spoon
till /. So they sat locked in each 9TH
ers arms till 2, when they made prep
arations for parting, which required
half an hour more, and finally succeed
ed In dragging themselves away from
each other at 8. They were to begin
their humdrum matrimonial treatment
at their next meeting, and in order to
be well prepared he was not to call
again for three days. When the time
was up he had nerved himself to act
like a man who had been married ten
years. He gave her perfunctory kiss
and, throwing himself into an easy
chair, asked if anything new had turn
ed up since he saw her last. She gave
him a scornful glance, made no reply
and, taking a seat in another part of
the room. took up book she had been
reading.
He yawned and. taking a cigarette
from a box, lit it, leaned back and
smoked There was long silence. 1t
was only few minutes, but it seemed
long"
Been to your aunt's today?" he
asked.
mo. Is your uncle well?"
very"
Another silence, during which he
took up a magazine from table, turn
ed over the leaves and threw it down
Then he glanced in her direction and
saw that the book she was reading, or,
rather, pretending to read, was upside
down, pictures and all
Been a big storm lately?"
"Not that | know of. Why do you
ask"
"Oh, | see a picture Of a capsized
ship in the book you're reading
This called her attention to the In
verified position of the volume, and she
reversed it There was no sound ex-
cept the turning of its leaves, which
occurred so rapidly that she must have
been capable of reading a page every
ten seconds. Finally he said, with a
yawn:
81 shall have to go to bed early to-
night. I've been up till late for several
nights"
"I'm sorry you must go early"
He took out his watch. 1t was a
quarter TO o. 81 think I'll go now"
he said. IN drop into the club for a
few minutes before / go to my room"
Good night"
Since he had not risen this was some
what unexpected. He arose with a
scowl on his brow and, without say
ing a word Of adieu, strobe to the clos
ct In the hall and was hunting for his
hat and cane when he heard sob di-
rectly behind him. She was there
holding her handkerchief to her eyes.
He clasped her in his arms, and her
head fell on his shoulder. There was
an impressive silence for some mo-
ments, which he broke.
81 don't believe this test plan is at
all necessary"
1-don't-think So"
I'm sure there are no disagreeable
features about you that would cause
me to wish myself unmarried"
"You won't treat me badly, viii you,
Harry, dearP
mo"
The promise was sealed with kiss.
Must you so so early?"
"By no means. Now that we have
proved that we love each other there's
no possibility of our being dissatisfied
with each other after marriage"
He was not so sleepy as he had sup
posed. At any rate. it was half past 8
in the morning when he took his de
parture.
He has now been married ten years
and he wonders what they said to each
other between p. m. and 8 a. IN. dur
ing their sittings when they were en-