East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-01-17
BY MRS. MeCUNE.

VNAALA hnh lhst SOAAo AioH lC WNH
ding of a pair of people who had
been engaged to marry for nearly
forty years. The Predpitate Girl gave
vent to long suppressed mirth. "Did you
ever sec a more absurd s~pectaclel" she
demanded. THAT tout old bachelor and
that wrinklcd old maid Coming down
the aisle they looked as though they
were headed straight for Paradisei'
They arc headed for Paradise" as
serted the Abiding Character sobery.
Their way Of gazing at each other con
firms my opinion that a girl can very
well afford to wait indefinitely for the
man She has PROMISED to m%Arry--if she
continues TO love him"
You mean to say that had ! promised
to marry one of the high school boys
who graduated in our class that !
should continue to wait ten years or
more for him to make enough of al
income to support me?"
-Yes-if you continued to love him
rs much as you did when you agreed to
marry him at some future time"
And abandon all prospects Of having
some better chances to marUi" ex-
claimed the Preoipitatn One.
The Abiding Character smiled. as
though she were governed by some
secret tender thought you would not
consider that any other possible chances
to marry could be better than the one
which you had promised to take-if YOU
were convinced that the FIRST man was
the right one for you, no matter how
he might impress any other person"
How could ! know II he were Mr.,
RishtP" Doubt clearly expressed itself
in the tone Of the Prscipita,s Ono.
You would know" said the Abiding
Character, with conviction. ~ girl of
average intelligence and a heart of
the right sort always knows when she
really loves a man-even though she
may not decide to marry that man.
Possibly, she may never get the chance
to wed him. But she Knows how she
feels toward him. However, were not
discussing the girl who permits the
worm of coneealment to prey upon her
cheek, but the one who believes that
the man whom she loves loves her be-
cause he has told her 50. After . few
years of being engaged 10 him she
would know whether or not he we're
worthy of her, no matter what any one
else might say of him"
"Only a thoroughly selfish man would
permit q girl to wait indefinitely for
him. Today's bridegroom knew that
he couldn't afford to marry while his
invalid mother lived. Had | been in
his hancee's place, I'd have quickly
sent him on his wayl" exclaimed the
Precipitatc One.
mot under similar conditions" de
MED the Abiding Character. She did
the ono thing that she could do-simply
waited"
DO you honestly believe that 'the
waiting-meanwhile clerking in a coun-
try storc-made her happy" demanded
the other.
Happiness is such a relative eondi-
ton" replied the Abiding Character.
"Our friend was ever looking forward,
with anticipation. Nevkr looking be
hind with regret
"Nonsenser' calculated the Preeipi-
tate One. "Shc must have regretted
the smooth checks that had wrinkled,
the bright eyes that had faded the
brown locks that had turned TO grsyl
Her wasted youth The children that
will never be born to hcrl All sacrificed
TO a man who nut his mother before
the woman he professed to love most IN
the world. Mothers arc so utterly self
ish - she concluded angrily.
The Abiding Character laughed soft
w THAT is an unwise as well az an
unjust statement, because some day you
may be the dependent invalid mother OF
A dutifnl son. Moreover, prolonged en-
arc not uniformly caused by
mothers. Frequently the engaged man .
has trials known only to his iianccc. He
may have an afflicted sister or brother
to support, orphan nieecs and ncphcws