Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-31

more for practical education. sewing,
cooking and domestic arts L went in
for in high sch u. L could earn my
living as a cook, but never as a
teacheri
Mother had been watching PhiPs
courtship. She saw my indifference.
T 4n, one day she called me to her
room. She made things quite plain,
in fact. She harped upon Nenneth's
college expenses. She pointed out
the cost of my own living expenses.
She said the money would all he
gone, and she'd land in the poor
house
I'd never thought much about mon
ey before. Ia always had enough
and never worried about where it
came from nor where it went, nor If
the supply would ever be exhausted.
Mother did
She said I'd never have another
such opportunity because men never
seemed to notice me particularly
To never cared for balls, and tea
parties like most girls my age
Society stifled me. l preferred out
door sports.
Phil loved out doors. The boule-
wards and open country driveways
he loved, because he could speed
like the wind in new, shiny auto
mobiles.
We had that much in common. We
both loved to ride and drive new
cars. There was endless fascina-
ton for me-in knowing / could mas
ter great, high-poWered cars bend
ing their course to my Will.
studied the mechanism of each new
car as many study a book. Wher
a breakdown occurred on the road
some place Phil would be for send
ing back to town for assistance
because he'd never applied him
self seriously with the inside work
ings. While he'd be telephoning ir
for mechanic, I'd be SEARCHING
for the cause of the trouble. And
watch eagerly while the mechanic
gave it the once-over, but Phil
| merely smoked and waited in i'm
| patient indifference.
"Why worry to learn things like
| that?" he'd scott 81 prefer to hire
such jobs done. That's what those
men are paid to do. It's not my
| job"
Once I ventured, Phil, Just what
is your job?"
He looked at me quickly, flushed,
| then smiled impudently, in that
way he had, Loving you," he de-
| clared.
L explained to him that I did
not love him in the way I sup
| posed one should love a man one
| married. That the great kind OF
| love I'd read about in novels I'd
never known. That the love L had
| for Kenneth was the biggest thing
| Nf
| He seemed content to know I'd
| never loved any man outside the
family, saying there was really
nothing enduring to this mushy
sentiment noveIists raved over.
| That he never took time to read
| such stuff anyway, and that if /
| cared enough for him to marry him,
| he was satisfied.
His mother was willing simply
| because Phil wanted me. Like the
moon, that time, I was new, and
though she couldn't get it for
him, she treated me always so
| pleasantly and I could see she
favored the match. She favored any
| thing that Philip wanted.
My mother was quite happy when
I told her, and our mutual mothers
| put their heads together to plan
for a real wedding. But Phil and
[ had other plans, for we both
disliked show and glitter and fuss.
! Therefore we ran away, or rode
| away, one day, and a small town
| parson performed our ceremony
| quite solemnly, while we sat side
by side in Philips newest automo-
bile. 1 remember the day-and the
quiet shade of the village street.
There were trees about US, their
| leafy branches swaying protecting
ly above US, while the breeze fan
red the branches, causing the sun
shine and shadow to play, alter
nately across the face of the par
son as he spoke in subdued tones
and pronounced US one. Later, we
| faced about, leaving the parson
| staring after us. open mouthed be-
cause Philip dropped gold coin in
| his hand, and he evidently didn I
| 10 will