Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-07
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story ola Woman's Transformation
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
Protectec NJ GeorSe Mat thew Adams
MARK SPEAKS.
haptor Nh.

II i a horrible sensatlon-thls ieel-
inc that one Is watched. 1t makes one
feel ike a criminal. ] know that after
| had overheard the village people sos-
sinIpc about me, i began to ind excuses
10 explain the most obvious things | did.
Ii | went to the store on an errand-the
way led past the Digg's there felt that
the neighbors thought was going there
10 see him. A silly idea, yet 1t made me
most uncomfortable.
Certainly / never encouraged Mark
Probably no middle-aged woman was
wooed less willingly than |. 1t was not
entirely because / did not like Mark; IN
spite OF his inordinate vanity, he had many
plessant characteristics. Indeed, some OF
bis vanity was rather nice; 1t had IN 1t
the pleased boastfulness OF small boy
who has learned a new game.
But we could not renew our friendship
or rather could not, because the element
of self-consciousness was introduced Dy
our gossiping friends. Mark quite evidently
had come back to Henly Falls 70 IND a new
wife, at the same time that ne was look
ing over his nephew with view 10 taxing
him into his business.
Combining business with pleasure,
Violet remarked sarcastlcally one eve
IlfiEs wien Jill W bA4SAs -'6Ns- n
was coming over.
HIt's good business to take In Billy,
I suppose YOU mean" Esther began.
sNo, | don't" Vi answered. ''The
Measure part is unloading the work Of
his store on Billy; the business part Of
ms trip in acquiring wife and house
keeper" =,
Esther looked at her daughter with a
blank expression.
Il wish you wouldn't say so many
things no one can understand" she re-
marked finally. But / understood and
smiled TO myself at the girls compre-
hension Of the subject
Mark arrived at haf-past seven-it
was a clear day, and II still was broad
daylight outside.
II thought maybe you'd like to go TO
a movie over at the Corners" he said
not getting out Of his little car. And
OF course there was nothing TO do but go.
He's going to speak tonight, / know
IL, Esther said, following me indoors In
great excitement, as | went In for wrap.
NOW, Enid, don't you be fool and say
no If he does And you give him plenty
OF chance 70 speak, too. You know a
woman can always make a man say it if
she just lets the right moment come.
Jim wOuldn have spoken Tor months Il |
hadn known how TO manage it."
/ thought IL best not to answer. But
of course, riding along in the car with
him felt uncomfortable and could think
Of nothing TO say.
That Esther's instinct was right, ]
soon found out Mark would talk OF
nothing but his business, h is profits his
house, and finally he began about his
present state of loneliness.
Ny hands were cold and damp from
sheer Nervousness. Here, finally, after
3j years, a man was going TO ask me
u marry him--the only man, by the way
] had ever liked at all But felt no pleas
ant sensations at the prospect-only q
nervous fear and great desire to be back
home again.
"Do YOU remember the drives we used
20 take?' he asked.
"Oh yes" ! tried to make my voice
natural
'And the picnics over here by the
woods beyond the Corners? he went on
Remember the day i kissed you, al
one picuic?' be asked | looked side.
wise az him, his curious small-boy pro
file and the pulled checks and the many
chins and thick neck His skin was rougl
and red from the wind, and his collar wa.