Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-20
a BACHELOR HUSBAND
rus nEGINs THE STORY
BY RUBY NJ. AYRES
Author Of "Richard Chufterton," Etc.
Copyright. 1880. bD W. ). woft 90.

THIS BbUtNo -, ,
norie Chester aud ChrtstopmeLI
,mois,S wcre raised together, ana
LaSJS L.. her father died they mdrrica
sshscawse w" she loued him dnd thoWnn,
Y. opsd her; he because no '@eJ
~ "J;Sn't lorc anybody else, dna
sM use tho money ne o'Iamgv
o.i ovi brought him. on meW noncK,
Men. .be lcarns the truth Gnd teus
n.'t W. to NAV tuc the iife OF bacHe'o,
im ium",mIrd his friends erpcntea. a
w. Hcriot thro,os hersrt IN nus
h and Marie cTpcriences a 0roW
noy' affection for bakers, kno,en as
w,tbSrs, ~ friend Of her hus6dnd'
fsG fU.r sGe had surprised CHRIS tcdM-
N'@ 20, The beach ,cith Mrs. Hcrtot sno
wy '. n her room to pack, as Mer
g,r,oon ~" M Is orer aud they are doout
so".St .stmrn home. Her RESTRAINT urt'
,,, Chris, pho giues iodg 10 anger,
e,.,o;ous io..' as he is Of Mdr'e,,ss teo"h9
eeooncc,mino Mrs. Heriot. Marie on
eo..,.rnju1 home is Sdddencd no, dt n,s
.n.aroSrusss, but at her ,rodnsdion
~, Mo,' ,bc lacks Mrs. Hcriof poieer 70
,s", .,cav :" chris. Chris, sottened 1g
iUnr;e's i; breakdown, tries TO conSote
ier but in pain, so nc goes ot 'oim
e., an.r,,Ser,. 10 phom he contdes ms
tsrfion of living his opn tye. Homo
nts i, not the radiant hdppineSS
WI had erpccted. Chris Keeps ms
III bachelor apartments ana seems IN
~. Wv hurry TO co operate toith Mdrte !"
nS,a;uino q mendge, tnsfedd tedu,ng
G.s ,r;tI Aunt Madge chester. Thdt
.0i,, ~. old lady sees something IS tGrong
S,t il not able to interfere Gdpdh-
,""sow,lv. Then suddenly ChrtS sug-
nyt IVY, 10 Marie that he buv her
pearl neckIdce.
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
-r WAS n sunny afternoon, and
hsovv shower of rain overnight had
mod the smoky face of London clean
..a loft It with q wonderful touch of
brightness. ~, ,,o-.,
"Are we going in the carr Marie
,,lsd, and was glad when Chris said
.hot he would rather walk If she did not
mind. 80. ,
They set off together happily enough.
u r,s IN occasions like this that Marie
,,.a TO cheat herself into the belief
A,t Chris did care for her little
after all. and that it was only his awk-
vard self consciousness that prevented
bm from letting her know of it-a
b,ppy illusion while it lasted.
II was after they had bought the
urklsce-a charming double row Of
bsautiful pearls-and were having tea
that Chris said suddenly: Marie
Celeste. why don't you 60 about more
and enjoy yourself?'
She looked up with startled eyes.
go about" she echoed quietly. "Do
you mean by myself?'
He did not seem to hear the under
lying imputation, and answered quite
naturally: mo, cant you make
friends or ask some people to stay with
you1 You must have friends
The color rushed to her face.
n " had some friends at school," she
answered, "but not many. l don't think
was very popular. There's Dorothy
Webber--"
"Well, why not ask her to stay with
Jou?"
There was n little silence.
II don't think l want her." Marie
aid slowly. Dorothy Weber and Mrs.
Heriot had always somehow gone to-
gether in her mind; they were both es-
sentially mems women-very gay and
cOmpanionable-and though she would
not have admitted it for the world,
Marie did not want Chris to meet Doro-
by Webber.
"0h, well, If you don't want her. Of
course that alters things" he said with
shrug. But it seems pity not to
have better time, Marie Celeste Most
women with your money would be set
ting the Thames on fire."
Would they? What would they do?"
He looked nonplussed.
well. they'd 60 to theatres and
dances, and play cards, and things like
thai" he explained vaguely. IL don't
know much about women, but l do know
that not many of them stay at home as
much as you do.
She sat silent for moment. then she
said: You mean that it would please
you II - if l was more like other
vomen?"
He laughed apologetically. "Wcll,
snould feel happier about yOu,' he ad-
nitted awkwardly. ITS not natural
lor girl of your age to stick at home
much. Time enough In another thirty
years."
Yes" Marie remembered with a
Ite ache the kindly warning which
FEATHERS had several times tried to give
Chris wants woman who can be q
pa to him-to go in for things that he
ikes-and you could, IL you chose to
Huy' He had said just those words to
aer many times, and though in her
sesrt She had always known that the
INST part Of them was true, she felt
bis advice.
she had loved Chris less it would
lave been far easier for her. but as it
vas, she was always fearful of annoy
ing him, or of weurying him with her
'9enpts to be what he wanted.
Al.
@ autumn, either" Chris went on,
mt moment. "Why not go down
Me country, or to somewhere you've
ever been? There must be heaps Of
Celeste" "''u'' -NuF'c
She laughed at that.
why I've never been anywhere,
SMept to school in France, and to
SMSnton or Bournemouth for summer
EhriS lit a cigarette.
,,u II you could get friend to 20 with
~ there's no reason why you
s,% I go to Wales or Ireland" he
NJ, MS eyes bent on his task.
Hs st'e aO,1 stared at him; she could feel
IA Ia SS soIor receding from her cheeks. So
su not mean to take her himself
bsn sSae became conscious that she had
mn.t sitting there for many minutes she
"@sed s,Sd herself with an effort.
NJ rSSerhaps l will-latcr on" she said.
n % ,