The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-07
A Marital
Preparation
By SADIE OLCOT

Harry" said Bess. "Tve been think.
ing what an awful thing it Is for a girl
to trust her whole future to a man,
not knowing whether he's going to
make good husband or horrid one.
I've good mind to break our engage
| ment."
Strange, isn't It? l was thinking
the same thing about a mans tying
himself up for life to a woman. My
uncle says 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 very clear idea
of mems faults"
$50 has my Uncle Jim of wOmen's
shortcomings. But. as l said mo-
ment ago, I've been thinking myself
that it's like taking cold plunge to
be married. If you think you don't
care to risk 1t 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 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 i'll 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 1t or not"
THAT'S good idea. When shall we
begin-now?"
mo; the next time we meet"
He didn't care to begin now, because
1t was only II o'clock at night and he
was quite sure he would wish to spoon
till l. So they sat locked in each 9TH
er's 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 3. They were to begin
their humdrum matrimonial treatment
at their next meeting, and in order to
be we'll 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 Il 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 n scornful glance, made no reply
and, taking seat In another part of
the room, took up a book she had been
reading.
He yawncd and, taking cigarette
from box, lit it, leaned back and
smoked. There was long silence. 1t
was only few minutes, but 1t seemed
long,"
Been to your aunt's today" he
asked.
mo. Is your uncle wellr"
"Very."
Another silence, during which he
took up magazine from a 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 2"
"Oh, | see n picture Of a capsized
ship In the book you're reading"
This called her attention to the in
verted 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
yawn:
II 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 |
quarter to 0. !. Il think III go now,"