Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-21
LAwRENCE's DILEMMA

SLAAA1 I'm -
The autumn had come and gone
meanwhile. and early winter had set
In. The life at the little house on
Dexter street went on In the same
m-onotonously quiet way-a routine.
however. which eemed 10 be leading
to some definite end.
As the work on the gardens in the
settlement had been finished. Alice
decided to resign, for the winter at
least.
1T will give me more time to
study, and a little time to rest. and
time to play with Bcrenice." she told
her mother. And That little lady
agreed. as she always did.
So the routine was varied n trifle.
Alice arose about eight, which was
late for that neighborhood. gave the
baby It's morning bottle. and went
down to breakfast. Mrs. Fairbanks
had been gaining steadily and now
did all but the heaviest work.
Then there was the ceremony of
the baby's bath, which was Alice's
greatest delight. n the daily spec
ulation as to whether Berenice had
grown any more mature. the lisping
of new little sounds-she must be 4
yea old by this time, they decided
the joy in watching her creep and
her attempts. carefully guarded, 10
stand UP and walk by holding TO n
chair.
shes entirely too bright" Alice
would say with a pride that was
curiously motherly. "She mustn't
walk too soon. or her little legs won't
grow straight"
Then Alice. curled up on the couch
under the window, would study for a
couple of hours. and after the mid
day dinner put the baby in her coach
another gift-and wheel her out
for her airing. often she mapped
morning and afternoon outdoors in
her coach. we'll wrapped up.
And she's gaining weight so fast,
and growing so pretty" Alice en-
Unused to Lawrence II afternoon
when he drove up in his car.
Yes, / can see hat. However,
she doesn't look a bit like you"
Lawrence aid laughing. 1t was his
usual joke; he said 1t every time he
called.
What are you going to have her
call your" he asked after a moment.
shes trying to say Alice already.
/ can't have her call me mother
though I'd like to-" Alice blushed a
little and went on. Its almost a
sacred name. isn't it-'mother?' /
feel / haven't any right to II. so II
let her call me Alice when she's old
enough to pronounce 1t. II calls
my mother grandma or tries to, but
that name Is different"
Yes, / know what you mean.
Mother is sacred, Grandma mere
ly comfortable and domestic" Law
renee answered.
That's 1t. You always take my
thought and put it clearly for me,
bless YOU" Alice answered. II wish
/ could express my ideas as well as
you can"
Lawrence went away from that
interview in a more detected frame
of mind than usual. Lawrence knew
he was in love, he had known it for
some months now. He was In love
with Alice. Love is a simple mat
ter, marriage is not. Alice belonged
to a poor family, and her mother
was dependent on her. Lawrence
belonged to a rich family and was
entirely free of responsibility. But
in spite of that, there We're certain
things expected OF him, and he knew
1t.
Social lines are apt to be drawn
more tightly in the small than in the
large community. Lawrence knew
he was expected to choose a wife
from among the set" into when,
with much pain and after many re
bluffs, his mother had broken. The
Marlowe's social position was secure.
hut IL he married any one Of half a
dozen girls his mother had In mind,
II would adyance him-and his fam
ily-socially.
But Lawrence had enough com
mon sense to throw aside any ques-
ton of the social" value OF a mar
rage. He did. however. talk 1t over
with his mother several times, and
ont of the conversations he came
away with one clear impression.