Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-01
A Hard Trial

seventeen einsn'a%asn m msn He was wa. tssa 'Sss
at one Of the large high schools In the
city and one Of Its best athletes. He
frivolous girl of some fifteen or sixteen
years. and they eloped to Elkton. After
a week CT honeymooning they parted,
after a supposed annuiment :HEN Of III the I mar.
riage, which in reality never took place
IT was directly after this incident tina,
tmss met anG him ,orso We were together lots Of
He left school, and instead Of going to
college went to work in order that his
younger brother might finish high and
then go to college. He became captain
ball teams in the. city. and he was con-
sidered a good fellow. a hometown hero
and In all was his lady fair"
Our friendship ripened into love. !
the town, knowing many people. Every
people who knew u'%aR us said, any I'VE e ere Were
both bot popular and fond Of sports. natu-
/ cared for him more than I realized
myself, and he returned the love. Then
came the blow. The girl he had mar
ried came back with their" child. a
parentage, he locked SO like his father.
She gave proof that the marriage was
never annulled. 1t did not annoy my
friend at first, as he decided to divorce
nize divorce. and I told him couid
never marry a divorced man.
We "thrashed" the matter out to-
gether one night, and convinced him.
the best thing to do would be to recog-
nize her as his wife because Of the
child. knew she cared for him, and
there was her boy. who had every claim
ntN tst, NrNNtS I.~A .1 ts.- ~.,I
explaining to make him understand his
duty as a father. but I finally succeeded.
and as result they took a house in the
town and went together. Twice he came
begged me to go away with him, and
the hardest thing ever had to do in my
life was refuse him when I cared so
much. but l succeeded.
We met often after that in friendly
way" and both did our best to make the
other feel better, and both succeeded in
feeling bit worse. I went around
among my friends the same as before
wife always knew that there. was an
other In his life. and soon found out
who It was. We were friendly. his wife
and !. and in various little ways I
people in the community.
Every man ] have met since. and
they have been many. have compared
with him and found them wanting.
INedEly HlHHeeH HlOutIb nave passed
since he first went to live in the house
with her. and In these months 1t has
been driven home to me more and moro
how much / really cared and how much
have missed
can find no one to compare with
among the gayest l am fond Of a good
time, but I can't seem to meet any one
to make me feel better. In this time I
have permitted myself to be alone with
done all I can to forget, but 1t seems
impossible.
Recently was nominated for the
presidency Of club forming in the
sent me flowers, and among them was a
small bouquet OF vio!ets with n card
small, mo note frSm asyIre no the iesds ons Tis Ssve
ally alTays ,sss cared ssks for and always will For
l thanked him politely and ignored
the little note though ! did want to
tell him Of it and wanted SO very much
but ! did my darnedest to keep away
from him for the evening and forget it.
You must understand. Cynthia, that
and I assure you that have done
everything tc, forget 60 out of an
evening determined to- be happy. and
then something , always Al happens; Ip, tha1 nat
|
brood, and do all l can to forget, but 1t
/ is haunting me all the time.
/ Last summer l left town for the three
summer months, and even then 1t was
I the same. Being both popular, as ]
! have said, and both fond OF outdoor
sports we meet often, and though we
both know In a way of the other S
| feelings, we do our best to help each
other and say nothing, but the touch
of his fingers set my heart beating
. faster. We are both So young. and it
seems horrid to think Of lifetime
wanting what one can't get.
Please don't tell me not to indulge
In self-pity. I don't. This Is the first
time for long time that l have per-
mitted myself to sit and brood so
long.
DO you think it right, Cynthia, that
he should be with the woman he doesn't
love and loving me that l should be
unhappy and he. too? feel at times
that divorce Is justifable In such case
Can you help me any. Cynthia? ! have
no one at all to turn to. and SO come
to you. A PERPLExED FRIEND.
No, dear, stick to your guns. You
have been right about 1t all. You will
be a better woman and he better mar
for your suffering. Better times will
come. And you'll be glad you did no,
sanction a divorce.