Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story Of a Woman's Transformation.
ny MARION RUBINCAM.
Protected by George Matthew Adams
THE WEDDING.
Chaptcr LII.


.s,ers seemed 10 worry Violet for days
The dav before the wedding she talked
IN mo about tit was late at night,
and things at last were ready. And Violet
and were sitting in my room, and dong
the little ceremonies with cold cream and
hair brushes that seem to inspire women
with desire TO talk contidentially.
ssDo YOU think they'll be happyY
she asked, braiding back her lovely yell
low-gold hair.
"Whv-why suppose so, answered,
busy with cold cream. Il hope so. one
wanted him a long time-we know that.
Nom remember how miserable she was
when he was paying attention TO another
girl.
"A woman may be jealous because
shes in love. but she's not necessarily
IN love because she's jealous, observed
Violet slowly.
looked at her in surprise Every once
IN a while she would come out with some
statement that showed how she was
maturing by leaps and bounds.
Il hope they'll be happy, she went
on after a time, ''but | don't believe
il. | don't think Laura IS IN love at all.
don't think she is capable OF falling In
love
But certainly she's fond of Charlie,
and | think he's very fond of her.
.sThat doesn't mean they'll be happy.
She was fond of John Tracy, too. | used
TO run across them out on the porch, lust
snooning like a couple of-of sillies.
Then Charlie came along and he lives near
and ne came around lot-and well, that
all there is TO it. | believe she would be
crazy over most any man that seemed
GRAVY over her She wanted to get married
She thinks it's a disgrace for a woman to
be unmarried when she's more than y
or SO. and she's that now. It's that
II isn't love.
"But are YOU sure? | asked begin
n,np 10 use the hair tonic and the mas
sage. but keenlv interested IN this ana
lytic discussion in spite of my frivolous
occupation. ;.
Il know it'll tell you why. II she
were really in love, do YOU think she would
wait and wait and put OIL the marriage
week after week until she had every last
sofa cushion and towel in place? DO you
think she could be much in love-and then
fight with MIR. Dwyer about giving them
the house rent free? DO YOU think-well,
do Won think Id hesitate about marrying
Bud Il mean if he wanted me the de-
hcious color flooded up into her tace
as she turned the conversation INTO
such personal channels-'for any reasons
like that?
But IL isn't right TO marry without
an lncome-shes quite
she NAV be right, Vi interrupted.
"But she's not in love. lwouldn hesitate
because Of sofa cushions and towels and
such things.
And there was the contrast between
the two girls One went cautiously and
sanelv. unimaginatively, doing the COM
nonsense thing, never rising 10 great
heights. always avoiding great depths
The other was lmpet uouS, ready to sac
rifice ANYTHING for her love. The feeling
was either great happiness or great des-
pair. heights or depths there was no dead
level Both were in danger OF disaster, but
from utterly different reasons.
We were so tired that Esther allowed /
us an hours extra sleep that day-the |
dav Of the wedding. There was no farm
work but the most necessary routine, and
the hired men did that and then went oil
on holiday. Several neighhorS came
over 10 help. for there was to be a blg
dinner following the afternoon wedding
Violet wore one of the prettiest OF
the dresses had made and was urged by
Esther to lie down and rest and then TO dc /
m, hair up very high and to curl II little
Mark coming over, was her bret
reason.
Violet with James who took little in
tereSt in the proceedings, and some girls
from the village, went out IN the morn
ing and gathered as many flowers as
they could find in the feIds-few enough
this hot month And the friends near by
generously robbed their gardens until
every Jar in the house was full.
1t does look charming, | never saw
our house look so well, | commented
10 Esther. gazing with pleasure at the
fiower-filled rooms.
Awful mess TO throw away tomor-
row, she grumbled. well, thank heaven,
It's happening today and it will be over
soon. Nv. | feel like an old woman al
ready, now one OF my children marry
ing
She came back presently dressed for |
the ceremony in q dress much too tight |
for her. We went together TO help Laura. |
] tired 10 feel some Of the romance OF the /
occasion-but it was impossible
Laura had a white silk dress made. |
with many lace rlIffies and cheap lace I
wedding veil The full skirt emphasized I
her large hips. The excitement Of the oc- I
casion made her face hot and warm, so |
II began TO shine with high gloss. and /
her nose grew red too. In vain / lavished I
my own precious powder on her. One T
slipper was tight, and its pinching was
doing things to her temper.
But on the whole she was pleased f
90 be the centre of the excitement, and
very pleased at the presents that ar
rived that day-we of the family had
dubbed together, at her request, and
bought her very shiny 'parlor suite
And finally it was over, and the bride
and grooul-C Charlie red with embarrass-
ment and sunburn-drove off together
with Laura trunks in the wagon-to-
wards the back road and the new home
And Violet, slim and delicate and
glowing like a rose from the excitement
and the work and the many guests stood
al the gate. Her blue eyes were wet and
wistful-and knew what she was think
ing i
TomorTow-James