Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1920-04-01
THE
BETTER WAY
By CECILLE LANGDoN

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tCopyright. 1870. Western Newspaper unionl
The double marriage OF Walter Dor
rance and Winnie Tresham and Frank
Dolby and Rita Pearce was the event
Of the year st Upton. It was nothing
more than a quiet, simple church we'd
ding, but everything was in exquisite
taste. Brides and grooms were great
favorites with the community, youth,
beauty and refinement combined 10
make the double anion attractive and
a glowing future was presaged for
the happy group Of four.
But for the insistency Of Winnie, her
fiance would have urged delay In
the nuptial celebration.
"The part of wisdom with Us, Vim
ME-" he said. "wOuld be to wait at
least two years before we marry. My
fathers business failure and death has
left me certain serious duties and re-
sponsibilities must sacredly carry
out; and during that period I can not
feel fully settled and safe as to my
individual business connections"
And naturally. amid the first flush
of happy love and confidence Winnie
looked upon her manly, handsome
fiance as the very personification Of
knowledge and ability. She playfully
closed her pretty pink ears as to prof
fered details of his business affairs.
"Whatever he said or did was right"
she insisted and for several months
the lovers drifted along pleaknntly,
Winnie contented to repose pen e0f,r
fdence in Walter. whose judafaN Was
undeniable to her way. of tliIll (. nd
he devoted strictly to the Wing
out of plans that wouid mate
through care and sacriI|e Bt' econ
Omy in placing them "a ei1<t basis.
Walters business 11'led III away
on the road great dee nd he re-
turned from long trip To find Vim
ME somehow changed. She was con-
stantly in the company of Rita, and
their chumminess had resulted In the
latter gaining great influence over
her. She had inculcated Winnie with
the idea that a woman should always
have her way, that Walter was too
precise and careful, and 1t all ended In
Walter finally giving way to Winnie in
the matter of anticipating their mar
rage by year.
ut would be half my life's enjoy
ment to have double wedding" de-
clared Winnie. Remember, Walter,
that Rita and have been like sisters
since we were little children, and we
wish to be married at the same time.
"You shall have your wish,", agreed
Walter, "only 1t will be necessary for
us to exercise great economy until
all the old affairs Of my fathers fam
fly are settled up" t
So conditions seemed fair and pleas
ant for the welded couples during
their honeymoon. They had found
very comfortable duplex house and 1t
was JOY to the brides to be separated
only by party wall.
Walter noted quite d change In his
wife on his return from his first bust
ness trip. She could talk of little else
than the new things the Dolbys had
acquired. She alluded to the liberality
of Frank in way that rather re-
preached Walter, and she was quite
moody when they returned from spend
ing an evening at the Dolby home.
"Just think how good Frank is to
Rita" said Winnie. last month he
had the house all redecorated, made
Rita a present of a grand victrola on
her birthday, and he is talking about
getting an automobile"
Hints and comparisons on the part
of Winnie grew into complaints and
reproaches as time went on. The Dol
bys were plunging into reckless extrav-
agance. and it began to be so that
Walter felt relieved to get away from
this atmosphere of discomfort on his
usual trips. He had gently, but firmly
told Winnie that he had marked out
definite course, and that Frank was
going beyond his depth and would end
up in financial difficulties.
There was an expression of worry
in Vinnie's face the day he returned
from months absence, but he noted
that she was more like her old loving
self than usual, and she did not even
allude to the DoIbys. She flushed up
when Walter asked her about them.
"They are staying temporarily at
Rita's MOTHER explained Winnie. "Oh /!
Walter, they are in such deep trou-
blew
"Why. what do you mean?' inquired
Walter, but secretly he surmised the
truth.
'They have had dreadful time.
Frank, 1t seems, bought nearly all
those new things on credit He could
not meet his notes and the furniture
men have foreclosed a mortgage on
all they have. Oh, Walter!" and sob
bling and in tears Winnie threw herself
into the arms Of her husband. II have
been a wicked. cOyet0us sinner, ana
! shudder when / recall how I have
tried to influence you to follow In