The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-12
A Marital
PREPARATION
By SADIE OLCOT1

" tIuSl HST WuoIc Autuic W u man.
not knowing whether he's going to
make a good husband or a hOrrid one.
I've a good mind to break our engage
ment"
Strange, isn't it? l was thinking
the same thing about mans tying
himself up for life to 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 very clear idea
| of mems faults"
$50 has my Uncle Jim of women's
| shortcomings. But, as | 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 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 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 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 1t or not"
That's Il good idea. When shall we
begin-now?".
| mo; the next time we meet"
He didn't care to begin now, because
it was only IL 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 well prepared he was not to call
again for three days. When the time
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
I the room, took up book she had been
reading.
He yawned and, taking a cigarette
from box, lit it, leaned back and
smoked. There was a long silence. 1t
was only a few minutes, but it seemed
long"
Been to your aunt's today3" he
asked
mo. Is your uncle well?"
Every"
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 big storm lately2'
mot that l know of. Why do you
ask?"
"Oh, l see 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 a
yawn:
Il 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. ~ think Ill go now
he said "Ill drop into the club for a
few minutes before 60 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, strode to the clos.
ct in the hall and was hunting for his
hat and cane when he heard a 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
I. AN impressive silence for some mo.
ments, which he broke.
Il don't believe this test plan is at
all necessary"
.I-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, will you
Harry, DEAR"
NO"
The promise was sealed with Hiss