Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-20
xLyII


Dear Kate:
feel so kind of shamed, kind Of choked
up and happy, that it is awful hard for me
to put down on paper just what l am
feeling l don't know what you will say
about it, Kate, and know that you will
nearly drop dead when you read this, but
l am going to get married and-wait
minute--I am going to marry cop! Can
you beat that? Me, Nancy Lane who has
been brought up since kid to feel that
cops is her natural enemy and to hate
uniform as the devil hates holy water. But
some way l never think of Tom as being
a policeman, he is So kind and good and big
hearted, always doing something nice for
people, and he is so nice at home, Just like
a great big boy. He loves his little mother
and jollies her and laughs at her, he is
just like a good pal to both her and Jack,
and they simply worship the ground he
walks on and / don't blame them, Kate.
because-put your head down close-dear,
do too.
1t is the first time dared say It out
loud even to myself. ! didn't know what
was the matter with me, I used to be 80
anxious to get up in the morning to see
him at the breakfast table, and / liked to
pour his coffee and fasten his stick in his
belt and go to the gate with him. 1t seemed
like the day would never go by until he
got back. Sometimes he would call me up
on the telephone Why, Kate, l couldn't
hardly talk to him, and he would notice 1t
and his voice would get worried and he
would ask me II / was sick. When he
would come home at night We would all
have supper and set around and josh and
laugh and talk him and Jack half quar-
In, n
vegetables, or we would dance or just set
out on the front porch with some of the
neighbors who'd come in. l didn't know
was loving him cause wanted to be close
to him. but when he was setting by me
I didn't want TO talk or nothing, l was
happy just being near him. One night
everybody went in and left us on the porch
together. He was quiet for a long while.
then he moved over closer to me and put
his arm around me and he said soft and
quiet-like, Man, are you happy here with
us?" And / said, why, l amt never been
SO happy In my life," and he said, do you
think you could stand 1t to stay always"
and / kinda edged away from him and
said, II can't stay always; / must go to
work next week." and hs said, mo, you
amt going to work no more, Nan, except
for Tom Cassidy. You have got lifelong
lob teaching him to tango" laughed kinda
nervous-like, THAT amt no lie. 1t would
take more than one life to teach you to
tango" Tom took hold of my face and
leaned my head back and said, Mamie,
little girl, I just want you. Won't you
marry me?" "Oh, Tom" ! said, and
couldn't say no more. and he said, IT don't
know how to make love much, but I do
love you, Nan From the first mint laid
eyes on you wanted to take you up in my
big arms and take care of you, you seemed
so little and alone-and you crept right
inside Of my uniform and stuck around my
heart till there amt room for nothing else,
"why everything heard says your name.
and your face goes dancing before me as
I walk up and down my beat, and when
I looked UP sudden the other day at the
captain, hanged II for mint he didn't
have red, curly hair. Say you will marry
me. Nancy, and we will be the happiest
bunch In the Bronx" When he had been
talking to me It seemed was just choked
up two ways. one with happiness and the
other with misery. I said to him. "Oh.
Tom, I couldn't marry YOU" He said. why
not, don't you love me?" 1T amt that,
Tom" said, but my family is all crooks.
You couldn't marry me-" He said, well,
what has that go to do with II? don't
see how they can stop me marrying you.
Most cf them Is In jail, anyway" couldn't
help but laugh. as he was 80 earnest about
II, but I said, why Tom, II they knowed
down At Central Once that you had married
me theY might break you All the bulls
10y <11t.r An )9eo $eD ~ ~