Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-17
MY MARRIED LIFE
BY ADELE GARRISON
"nON'T ever ask me to ride in the sub
~ way again II is the most uncomfort

words at me. II one can Use such word in
connection with the stately dignity OF my
mother-in-law. as we climbed the stairs
| from the South Ferry station to the street
Her usual dignity appeared to be a trihe
| ruffied at the edges anyway, noted smil-
| ing inwardly, albeit with much mental
| trepidation I knew the real reason for her
| displeasure. II was not the discomfort or
having to stand in the subway car which
| had upset her, but the ridiculous mistake
| Of my old acquaintance, Mr. Lawrence.
| whom we had met unexpectedly.
He had not know that had married.
| and when told him he had promptly con-
| graduated me upon being Mrs. Beckett
| And Dickys mother had heard him
knew she was too proud to make any
| reference whatever to the incident. But
| also knew that she would nevertheless
| could Her complaint OF the subway was
l. the first shot 1 felt that I had reason to
dread the day.
why. we are not at the harbor at all ~
| This was the next remark as we reached
| the entrance to the kiosk and faced the
| ferry buildings which separated us from
| the water of the harbor.
You cannot see the water for these
buildings" / explained patiently. You
Will get wonderful view Of 1t from the
Aquarium the old Castle Garden"
"Oh, yes, Castle Garden. remember
| that very we'll" she said with more ami
nation, and then querulously. but do not
4 see it.
"It is right over there" said indcat-
ing 1t by pointing, something detest doing.
| But I felt breathless anxiety to smooth
down my mother-ln-law's ruffled feathers
In any way possible. She turned her eyes
to the squat old building. which has seen
so many vicisstudes. and which has helped
so much In the making of the city's history.
| "a he
claimed. Was there no nearer way of
| getting to it"
The Bowling Green station is nearer,
| certainly" I said coldly. But you said
first and then walk up. You will get a
wonderful view by walking along the sea
wall"
| II do not remember making such a re-
| mark she said stubbornly. but 1t does
not matter, let us hurry along. / am freez-
| ing here"
l looked at her in astonishment 1t was
| my first lesson in the futility of ever con-
tradicting my mother-in-law. or recalling to
| her memory anything she had said and
| which she did not wish to remember. 1
| mentally jotted down the fact for future
| guidance. and walked by her side. accom-
| modating my steps to her slower ones
E. But as the full view of the harbor burst
| upon our eyes, even Mrs. Graham's ill-na-
| ture had to vanish.
| A WONDERFUL VIEW
1T is wonderful. Wonderful !" she said
| Wait moment. / want to fill my soul
| with it.
! felt my heart warm toward her.
| have always loved the harbor. Many treas
| ured hours have I spent watching it from
the sea wall or from the deck of one Of
the Staten Island ferries. To me 1t is like
| loved friend. I enjoy hearing its praises
! shrink from hearing it criticized Mrs.
| Grahams hearty admiration made me feel
| more kindly toward her than had vet done
Neither of us spoke again for several
! minutes. My gaze followed my mother i'm
| laws as she turned from one marvel of the
view to another.
Five miles away. yet looking much nearer,
| were the hills and slopes of Staten Island.
! The New Jersey shore stretched away on
| the right across the North River. Cover
! nor's Island. with its quaint old fort. Castle
| Williams on the point. was on our left,
| and beyond it, across the East River, we
! saw Brooklyns warehouses; with an oc-
| casional church steeple rising to prove the
| boSbugh's right to it's old name, City of
| Churches"
| The Statue of Liberty was almost d-
! rectly in front of us, and near 1t the austere
| immigration buildings on Ellis Island were
| softened by the rays of the winter sun.
! never see the juxtaposition of Liberty s
Statue and the Ellis Island building without
! a little thrill of patriotic Joy at my heart
| that the millions of eager, seeking spirits
| which come to US from age-worn Europe
| have this wonderful symbol of liberty as
| their first experiences of their new home.
My mother-in-law turned to me at last,
her face softened. Il am ready to 60 on
| now" she said. II have always loved the
| remembrance of this harbor since l first
saw it years ago."
We walked slowly on toward the Aqua
| rum. both Of us watching the ships as they
came into the bay from the North River.
The fussy, sp,utterng little tugs, the heavily
| laden ferries, the lazy fishing boats, the
dredges and scows-even the least of them
was made beautiful by its setting of clear
winter sun and sparkling water
How few large ocean steamships there
| seem to be-" commented my mother-n-
! law as a large ocean-gong vessel cast off
its tug and glided past us on its way out
| to sea. II suppose 1t is on account of the
war" she continued indifferenty.
| At this moment l heard a comment from
a passing man that brought back to me the
misery Of the day before.
II guess that's the Saturn" he said to
his companion as they walked near us. "She
was due to sail this morning Got lot
of French reservists on board. Poor devils
Anybody getting into that hell over there
has about one chance in a million to get
| out again"
Forgetful of my mother in-law's pres
ence. indeed. of everything else in the world
turned and gazed at the steamer making
it's way out to sea. / knew that somewhere
on its decks stood Jack. my brother cousin
the best friend my mother and i had ever
known. When he had come back from a
years absence to ask me to be his wife he
had found that had married Dicky. Then
he had announced his intention of joining
the French engineering corps.
What had that man said just now? Not
one chance in a million! felt as IL 1t were
my hand that was pushing him across the
ocean to almost certain death.
(Copyright)