Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-14
WIsr Soss Asmsn ssfurs
rssh under the ssrsf" Of
Tsay and fragedv' Must Il
,uu So.on all loUed ones
ia disasfer1
mu1s REGINs THE STORY

;,h in spite Of ne thirty vears,
svyy ~ ,nvsfsrp ohioh enVel0ps him.
u Il deeplv interested IN Elizabeth
!. GlssIer. lovely daughter of Sub
~ s,nrt;oI resident Of the topn.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
y "u.nsing Around" After Elizabeth
Sr,uE wheeler house was good, modern
j | AID commonplace. Walter Wheelel
"a his wife were like the house. Just ne
srs and there among the furniture
sSsrs was a fine thing, an antique
kasbboy, a sheraton sideboard or some
nS MI glass, no they had, with GER
ss;n mediocrity, their own outstanding
s;rtues. They liked music, believed In
"a home as the unit of the nation,
rut happiness before undue ambition
md had devoted their lives to their
children.
Far many years their lives had cen.
t.red about the children. For years
shey had held anxious conclave. about
Shcoping cough, about small early dis.
sbediences, later about Sunday, tennis.
Ehey stood united to protect the chill: ::
dren against disease, trouble and
eternity.
Now that the children were no longer
sbildren, they were sometimes lonely
and still apprehensive. They feared
Totorcar accidents. and walter
Wheeler had withstood the appeals
~ lin for half dozen years. They
feared trains for them, and journeys,
and unhappy marriages, and hid their
saor. "u from each other. Their nightly
orayers were ito keep them safe and
happy, ,. .,, 49,. -s
tstins them, one by one. They saw
Them still as children, but as children
istermined TO bear their own burdens.
lin stayed out late sometimes, and
considered his manhood in question If
intsrrogated. Nina was married and
out of the home. but there loomed be-
Sore them the possibility of maternity
md iis dangers for her. There re-
mained only Elizabeth, and on her they
iavished the care formerly divided
among the three.
II was their intention and deter
minntion that she should never know
trouble. she was tenderer than the
others, more docile and gentle. They
saw her, not as healthy, normal girl,
but as something fragile and very
precious.
Nina was dlHerent. Iney haQ al.
vays worried little about Nina, al.
though they had never put their anxiety
10 each other. Nina had always over.
run her dress allowance, although she
had never failed to be swcetly penitent
about it. and Nina had always placed
an undue emphasis. on things. Her
tered with odds and ends. cotillion IA
phnfnnrup phc NOl1aOo ~ n Mt q
and small unwise purchases-trophie
Of the gayety and conquest (which were
her life.
And Nina had "come out" 1t had
cost great deal. and 1t was not so
much to introduce her to society as to
put family recognition on a fact al
ready accomplished, for Nina had
brought herself out unofficially at six
teen. There had been the club BALL
room, and great many flowers which
withered before they could be got to
the hospital; and new clothing for all
the fan ~, and caterer and orchestra.
After that. for a cold and tumultuous
winter Mrs. Wheeler had sat up with
the dowagers night after night until
oil hours, and the next morning had let
Nina sleep, while she went about her
household duties. She had aged, rather,
and her determined smile had grown
little fixed.
She was a good woman, and she
wanted her children's happiness more
than anything in the world, but she
had faint and sternly repressed feel
Ing of relief when Nina announced her
engagement Nina did 1t with char
acteristic sangfroid, at dinner one
nikht.
Don't ring for Annie for minute,
mother she said. II want to tell you
sll something. I'm going to marry Les
lie Ward"
There had been momentary pause.
Then her father said:
boyI"
Yes. Hos not boy"
Wen, he'll come around to see me
before there's any engagement. Has
that occurred to either Of you?"
"oh, he'll be around. He'd have
some tonight, but Howard Moore is
having his bachelor dinner. I hone he
goesnt look shot to pieces tomorrow.
'ihese bachelor 'things-! We'd bet.
Rr have dinner or something, mother,
and announce it,"
There had been the dinner. with
silver loving cup bought for the occa-
SION, and thereafter to sit out its use.
iess days on the Sheraton sideboard.
AND there had been trousseau and a
wedding so expensive that n small frown
ol anxiety had developed between Wal.
there. "'' ''"'eu
FOR Nina's passion for things was
inherent, persisting after her marriage.
chc discounted her birthdays and
thrlStmases in advance. coming around
% V MS oihcc a couple Of months before
NJ winter holidays and needing some
thing badly.
ITS like this. daddy" she would
Hy' You're going to give me check
ior christmas, anyhow, aren't you?
and II would do me more good now. I
''mP,y s9M cant 60 to another ball"
,,Where's your trOusseau?"
out of date, too"
II don't understand 1t, Nina. You
ana Leslie have good income. Your
mother and i"
You didn't have any social de.
mands: And wedding presents! If one
wore friend OF mine Is married-"
Me would get out his checkbook and
wrie check slowly and thoughtfully.
Ana tearing it off would say:
n, NOW, remember, Nina, this is for
G,IaF'stmas. Don't feel aggrieved when
tre,, re time comes and you have no gift
But he knew that when the time
1me Margaret, his wife, would hold
Sut almost to the end and then slip
ssa,o Jewelers. and buy Nina some.
wing she simply couldn't do without.
Sm wasn't quite fair. he felt. It
sWssh I fair to Jim or to Elizabeth. Par
ucslarly to Elizabeth.
,t sometimes he looked at Elizabeth
"Mh little prayer in his heart, never
S.eulate' S.,. that life would be good to