The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1922-06-08

Fccih8 indI way.
richard Commented, Mildly, as She
Paused.
OF the perfect love unstained by TIE
ugly years"
she paused: Richard did not speak.
She had told him this much in sim
pie. childish voice. a voice that was an
echo Of that old time. he knew. Pres
emily she went on:
There was music, and then they all
kissed me. and we had supper, and
they drank our health. / went back
that night % my sisters; Royal
stayed with Lis mother We planned
TO 20 away on our honeymoon the next
day. 1 did not tell Linda and Fred
that l considered myself married. /
knew they would not understand and
would try TO interfere.
The next morning I slipped away
from the house with my suitcase. and
1 met Royal Blondin downtown. We
motored TO Syracuse and took a train
there for New York. / had felt sick
when i awakened-it was partly ex-
citement. and partly the supper the
night before, when we had all eaten
and drunk too much. But / was very
sick In the train. | thought was going
to die. Royal persuaded me to eat my
lunch In the dining car. and that only
mace me worse. There was nice
woman In the train, with two little
when she got 10 New York; had told
her that was on my wedding journey.
and perhaps that made her kind-she
look us To her boarding house In West
Forty-sixth street The landlady was
a dear. good woman, n Mrs. Harring-
ton. and was very sick by this time
she put me into her own room, be-
cause the house was full, and sent for
her own doctor.
1T was a time Of horror" Harriet
said. smiling little, after a moment of
thought. 1.-The strange women and the
strange room, and Royal coming In
with flowers, and sitting beside me.
The doctor said II was touch of poi
soning, and / was III only few days.
But the inconsistencies, and the strange
ness Somehow. i didn't feel married.
I felt like lost little girl. / wanted
TO be back in Linda's kitchen again.
safe. and scolding because nothing in
teresting ever happened.
well. I was sick for three or four
days. II was the fourth day when I
was well enough TO 90 out. Royal
thanked them. and paid Mrs. Harring-
ton and the doctor and we went TO
lunch downtown-it was at Martins,
1 remember. and Royal was so excited
and Interested I'm everything. But l
still felt limp and dull. We shopped
and went about seeing things after
lunch, and then we went to the hotel
where he was staying. We were regis
tered there as Mr.. and Mrs. Blondin; II
was an quite taken for granted"
Harriet stopped: her face was
drawn and white. her words coming
with dificulty. The phrases brief and
dry. Richard was paying her absolute
attention, his eyes fixed upon her
face.
= I've had dinner upstairs" she said.
She paused, her lips tight pressed.
II emit tell you" she began again.
suddenly, II can't tell you how II was
that came suddenly to know that 1
was too young for marriage! In Miriam
Streets little studio, where they were
Laughing about the baby and the sup
per, II seemed different. But here, In
q hotel I suddenly wanted my sister. /
wanted to be home again
I'VE were talking and planning
naturally enough Royal was coming
and gong In the two rooms: 1 had
plenty Of chance Toto escape. Every
time I let one go by my heart beat
harder
He could tell from her voice that her
heart was beating hard now with the
memory Of that old time.
IF had let them all 60 BY" she re-
commenced, my life would have been
different. In a few weeks we would
>have come back to WATERFOWL, as man
and wife. and perhaps had a studio
near the Streets. and perhaps FOUND
solution. But / couldn't!
Il caught up my coat; left my hat
and bag. I went down the stairs, not
daring to wait for the elevator. And
went TO Mrs. Harrington's. She was
very Kind and took me in; she SAID
that perhaps 1t would be better to wall
until ! was older. cried all night
and the next day Mrs. Harrington len'
me the money and went back 70
Linda.
~Of course, It was terrible. at nrst
But rhey were kind to me, In tneii
way. And I was-cured. l went into
Mysteries at the first mention OF the
whole hideous thing. They saw Roy
and they told me that need never se<
him again The papers-fQr II got Il