Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-17


All of which proves that vintor
was already planning; tho just what
he could hardly have told, and Tho
he hardly admitted 1t even to him.
self. Such Is the way of man.
He found that the girl, in her owr
home, was always gentle. Away.
calm, an excellent cook. skilled
needle woman-she made some o.
her own dresses and all her own hats
and a fair pianist. She sang bet.
ter than she played. Vinton TOLD
himself that he would give her op.
portunities for study, leisure, travel
He sensed thrill OF creative JOY II
bordering on what he could develop
In her: and dreamed of what SHE
might become, in time, more than o.
what she now really was.
Yes. he would work miracles with
Sylvia. Under his guidance she coulc
become the most efficient. most com.
petent woman in the world. vaguel,
at first, then with greater clarity. hi
came to feel that here was an idea
wife. q perfect mother. The nla.
terna1 spirit radiated from her, body
and soul. As she mothered the un-
fortunates in the mission, envelop-
ing them with broad and deep un.
derstanding. SO Vinton knew she
would mother the child that nigh,
be born to her. Her physical and
mental vigor, her moral integrity, hel
energy and tireless strength, all
blended in one desirable whole.
Thus. not with blind and mad In
fatuation, bred Of the fires OF youth:
not with the fevered passion that
sweeps so many to the prison pit OF
lifelong disillusion and regret; but
with a sane and wholesome under
standing OF the problems involved
Bradford came to love her.
And Sylvia? Did she realize his
planning? And If so. how did she
view his attitude? He did not know
AS yet he dared not ask. He felt
that she admired his intelligence and
found inspiration in the stimulus OF
his companionship; but that she
loved him, or could ever love him, he
often doubted. Aud so for a while
he was content to let the bonds be-
tween them tighten, asking no Ques-
ton, risking no rebuff.
What attitude her family might
take he cared little: just as he cared
little what his own might think. once
up. This, he felt, was Sylvia's aftai,
and his own. Nobody else had any
right to interfere.
The girls aunt was colorless-o
vague, dim creature in faded mourn
ing. Her brother was a. tall, dark
silent man of thirty or thirty-five
with a hand shake like the grip OF q
shipyard. Vinton smoked few pipes
with him, played him a game or two
of pool and got well beaten, but be-
yond this made slight Roadway with
Wright Alden.
There was, Sylvia told him, a
younger brother, Howard. a 10-year-
old boy, away at school somewhere
This mattered nothing. Bradford Is
whole interest now was centered just
in Sylvia.
The weeks passed, and winter
drifted into early spring. Sylvia and
Bradford drifted, too-drifted side by
side upon the current Of that UNI
fathomable and ever moving river
called life. And as they drifted, they
continually approached each other;
they gradually, began to merge and
blend.
Each, influenced by the other
abandoned little OF the distinctive
personality and took up something
of the dual. Both, tho as yet no for
NAL word of betrothal had been spok-
en- and no faith been plighted, found
happiness in the realization OF new
understanding. closer and more
subtle bond.
THE ASKING.
Theirs was singular courtship-
singular In many ways, all character
istic OF their peculiar temperaments
and Of the unusual circumstances
surrounding the affair.
Vinton, obeying Sylvia's wish, gave
her no flowers, no, chocolates, nc
gifts of any kind save books. He
never took her to plays, to ,,oncertf
or dances; they never went motor
ing together; they had none OF the
frivolous diversions immemorially
dear to lovers. What time had Syl-
via for amusements?
He offered her no invitations ia
luncheon or to dinner. Their meals
together were always in cheap lunch
rooms and restaurants, suited to the
girls narrow purse; for never once
by, even a hairs breadth would she
depart from her first rule of fifty.
fifty" in expenditures. She would
not even let him pay her fare in
street cars.
They did not correspond, for she
had no time for letter writing, and
he seldom missed day in seeing
her. Once or twice day he called
her on the telephone-at the sail loft
or the theater-and had a little chat
with her. They never passed more
than a few hours without some word
of communication.
Much of their conversation had to
be held on the street us hs walked
beside her, carrying her old leathe,
bag, always overloaded with books
books she indefatigably studied on
the cars that took her to or from
work. Always overdriven, she was
invariably hurried; hurried at meals
hurried in catching cars, hurried al
the sail loft, hurried in the theater
and at her other places Of work
Why she had to slave so hard Vim
ton never could discover, except that
he learned in q vague way of some
heavy debt that she had to settle.
Their diversions were almost nil
Once, after the show, they went to
Chinatown. on Harrison avenue, and
ate chop suey; but this was a mild
form of entertainment, and Sylvia
paid her share. Two or three times.