Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-04
CHAPTER LII
The First Doubt


IT'S really astounding the difference there
4 is between men and women. In the first
place. men care very little for symbols.
Norman and I had been married month
when I first noticed this.
To me that first month was a revelation.
It symbolized period of my life that
wanted to celebrate Never again would
come those first few days of growing init
macy of the slow breaking down of shy
reservations. And so / wanted to celebrated
my first month of married life, and thought
that Norman would feel exactly the same
about it.
When he came home to dinner on the
night of our first anniversary" the table
was fresh with flowers and wore dress
he had never seen before.
s'Hello dear he said, kissing me care
lessly "Phew! 1t was warm walking up
from the station. Will I have time for
bath and change beforehand?
"Of course / said promptly, and with
that newborn pride that | imagined most
brides have, / loved handling Norman's
things. / loved putting out his fresh pa
jamas and examining his socks, for holes /
loved putting the studs into his dress shirts.
1t seemed to make Norman more than ever
a part of me, and / wanted him to love my
doing things for him. But he didn't. It
means no more to him than if a housekeeper
had looked over his clothes Men have no
sentiment about things of that kind.
Upstairs, Norman called to me over the
bansters:
Anybody coming for dinner?"
mo" L called back, and knew It was
because I had put out his dinner coat, but
didn't explain.
When he came to me. twenty minutes la.
ter, he took me in his arms and held me for
a long minute.
what is it, dearest? A celebration Of
some kind?
We've been married month today" L
said a bit solemnly. "Of course" / hurried
on, II really didn't expect you to remember"
He laughed aloud. Anniversaries al
ready?" he said lightly And then the smile
vanished from his face, and he spoke more
seriously. 'I' hope, Joan, you're not going
to be too insistent on remembering anniver-
saries and things of that kind. I'm afraid
have very little sentiment in my makeup"
His attitude made my foolish little attempt
at celebrating seem foolish. felt that I
had been over-sentimental and rather in
clined to be mushy, and yet it hurt me to
think that that wonderful month had meant
SO little to him, and in spite Of myself felt
lump in my throat and I was very silent
as we went in to dinner.
Before we had finished our iced grape
fruit. realized that my own sulking was
spelling our celebration more than anything
Norman had said or done, and realized
with little pang what Alice had said about
taking marriage too seriously.
wac AAoAAiAS AOOl ulySGlls 4 was D61ng
ridiculously over-sentimental. and with an
effort forced myself to make some laughing
remark. never remembered afterward what
1T was, but it served to start the conyersa-
ton between us, and after that things were
easier By the time dessert was brought in,
had regained my spirits. The thought OF
the moon-flooded veranda and Norman and
me alone together stirred my heart Perhaps
ne would sit on one of the big chairs, and
draw me into his arms, and we would be
very quiet, contented Just to be alone togeth-
er. But alas for my sentimental longings.
for as we rose from the table Norman. slim
ping his arm lightly around my waist, said
suddenly: Lets go over to the Hunters
for while. told Jim on the train to-
night that we'd be over"
felt my heart leap in my breast and then
SLOW down to dragging monotonous beat.
Norman didn't want to be alone with met
In the face Of everything that had gone be-
fore, the thought struck me with shock.
ana It took every ounce OF selfcontrol pos
sessed to keep from bursting into tears.
Observation-Disclosures.