Gunnison news-champion., 1922-06-16
tcon.in..d from P.s. Sig,


vifh-tasuished: her life and her mar.
rage. and Fathers life. and mine
everything was furnished. just like that
silver lace on that dsexs. And she had
done II BY her thouxhtiess selnshness
and lack Of self-dtscipiine.
And when I tried and tried to tel
her NO. II wasnt. and that I didn't
feel tarnished q bit. and that she
wasn't. nor Father either, she only
cried all the more. and shook her head
and began again. aIl choked up.
She said this little dress was the
one she wore at the big reception
where she FIRST met Father. And she
was No proud and happy when Father
and he WAS nne and splendid and
handsome then. too. she snid-singled
her out. and Just couldn't seem to stay
away from her q minute all the eve
aing. And then four days later hs
asked her to marry him; and she was
SIN more proud and happy.
And she said their married life when
they started out, wks just like that
beautiful dress, all Aiming and spot
less and perfect: bet that It wasn't
two months before q little bit Of tar
nish appeared. and then smother and
another.
She said she was selfish and wiilfui
and exacting. and wanted Father all to
herself; and she didn't stop to think
that he hnd his work to do, and his
place to make In the world: and that
all Of living, to him, wasn't just In be-
Ing married to her. and attending to
her every whIm. She said she could
see 1t all now. but that she couldn't
then. she was too young. and nndis-
dplined. and she'd never been denied
. thing In the world she wanted.
She. said things went on worse and
worse-and II was all her fault. She
grew sour and cross and disagreeable.
She could zee now that she did. Bur
she did not realize at all then what
she was doing. She WAS just thinking
Of herself-always herself: her rights,
her wrongs. her hurt feelings. her
wants and wishes. She never once
thought that he had rights and
wrongs and hut feelings. maybe.
She said . lot more-oh, ever 90
much more; but can't remember II
all. know that she went on to sag
that by and by the tarnish begnn to
dim the brightness Of my life. too:
and that was the worst OF NIL. she
said--that Innocent children should
suffer. and. their young lives be spoiled
BY the kind Of living I'd had to have.
with this wretched makeshift Of d.
vided home. She began to cry again
then. and begged me to forgive her:
and cried and tried TO tell her didn't
mind It: but. OF course. I'm older now,
and know do mind II. though I'm try
ing just as hard M I can not to b.
Mary when l ought to be Marie. or
Marie when ought to be Mary. Only
l get all mixed up 30. lately. and I
said 20. and guess cried some more.
Mother jumped up then, and said.
Tut. tut" what was she thinking Of
to talk like this when IT couldn't do
. bit Of good but only made matters
worse. And she said that only vent to
prove how she was stsll keeping on
furnishing my happiness and bringing
tears to my bright eyes. when certain
~ nothing Of the whole wretched busi-
ness was my fault.
She thrust the dress back into the
trunk then. and shut the lid. And
she began to talk and laugh and tell
stories. and be xnyer and jollier than
I'd seen her for ever no long. And
she was that way at dinner, too. until
Grandfather happened to mention the
reception tomorrow night. and ask n
she was going.
She flushed up rcd then. Oh. 70 red
and said. Certainly not Then she
added quick. with funny fttle draw
Ing-in Of. her breath. that she should
iet Marie 60. though. with her Aunt
Hattie. It was the only chance Fa-
ther weuld haSe TO see me. and she
don't feel that she had any right to
deprive him Of that privilege. and shr
didn't think II would do me any harns
to be out this once latch the evening.
And she intended to let me 60.
TWO DAYS LATER
Well, now ] guess something's doing
al right! And my hand = shaking -
/ can hardly write-it wants u got
ahead 30 fnst and tell. But I'm going
to keep 1t sternly back and tell Il inst
a II happened. and( lot begin at the
ice cream instead sf the soup.
At the reception saw Father right
away. but he didn't - me for long,
time. He etood in corner. and lon
nf folks came mn and ng,oke n hlrn afSi1
shook hands: and h. bowed and anilsd
-but n eefvess. w15en thelp WASN'T
anybody notlclnG ~ looked - tlfo1
an6 bofed- A1tef t1ne he seirfsa an
;edneed ~ pelftion, a., / 41a1h -
80 e 8 z ,|:,1. z - :: $. : =