The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-01-24
Confessions ofaM1fe

have been sure 10 say had she
been hurt while dancing with any
other man
Malcolm looked at me- with a
smile. which the old man did not
catch. for be vas off on another
tack. Queer. these ideas Of love
and marriage that get planted in
the brains OF mon and women.
aren't they You SEQ. as children.
we are taught that romantic love
and the holy state OF matrimony
mean the same thing. It's one OF
the beautiful fairy tales our par,
cnts tell Us and then let us learn
the terrible truth badly from some
one else
Yes. Interrupted Malcolm.
love Ia a creation OF the great god
OF nature. and marriage is a crea.
ton OF society
Pretty hard TO make God and
society coalesce." was the quick
response OF the old man.
Sir. ! am afraid YOU are a sad
pessimist. said
Not bit OF II. young lady. i've
lived. I've loved. I've hated I've
seen many enthusiasms flower.
I've watched my ambitions die and
the most awful travail OF the soul
Is when IL wakes 70 the act OF con.
verting illusion into reality"
Then You think love 10 an H.
fusion and marriage 4 reality >"
questioned Malcolm.
No. I'd hardly say that he an.
swered. IT Is only that we insist
upon treating love as immortal.
even when we graft Il on that
purely mortal state OF marriage.
Great Scott. old man. where did
you learn all thlsf" asked Malcolm
The tired old eyes were almost
closed as a aulExicai smile deepen.
cd on his face Young man" ha
said seriously. Il once was young
and have loved. Now | am old.
and ] have been married four
times
Come on. Margie. this Is no
place for you laughed Malcolm In
mock fear that ! would be swept
into the apparently empty mstri-
monial net
But after We had left tho old
man. he said musinEly. Perhaps
the old man was right
But. Malcolm" demonstrated.
you must remember your mairi.
monial experience was pretty dis.
astrous. You must not Judge the
entire institution by II.
Yes. perhaps you are right. he
answered. II wish could blot q
from my memory. wonder II you
ever read that old Ellzabethan
play. in which these words occur:
Oh. God; oh. Cod that Il
were possible
To undo things done: to call
back yesterday
That time could turn up his
swift sandy glass.
To untell the days. and to re-
deem tho hours"
The quotation set my brain 20.
ing in a different direction.
80 those Elizabethans had the
same longings. the same hopes and
the same feelings OF the futility OF
IL all that we have7" asked
isn't Il strange that We think In
our egotism that no one In all the
world has had quite the same ex-
periences as we. and then PUNK,
we find the other fellow has had
them all.
I'D hate to think. Margie. that
you have had any soul Ills. you
have had to suffer so physically.
Well" | answered rather flip.
PANTY. II suspect I've got soul.
for ! have twlnge now and then
In the region OF my heart that
probably would not be diagnosed
as angina pectoris
Don't" said Malcolm Il don't
like you when you are f1ippant."
Good heavens. Malcolm ! can't
always be soaring" ! said rather
petulantly
Yes. You can n you Just let
your wings unfold. Msrgie. You
are an angel"
NO. ! am not. ! am very hu-
man woman. who has forgotten her |
friend while holding talkfest /
with you. must run to Mollie"
ITO be continued)