The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-12-18
Chapter !.

When | became walter Pages VIE
j., seemed 10 me no one could be. or
ever was, as happy as |. Walter was
m artist who already had made some
ihing Of a name for himself, although
he was not quite 80 years Old. HIS IN
come was a comfortable one. IL wouln
give us all tho comforts and some Oh
the luxur!es Of life. He was hano-
some, gay, dcbOnair and-irresponsinIe'
Beauty IN any form appealed 10 him
feminine beauty perhaps most OF all:
and, II not simply portraits. most OF
his pictures contained female figures.
Just before We married. Claire Cor
don said 20 me:
I'D be as jealous as could be OF an
artist, Dorocn-espec!ally one SO hand
some and attractive as Walter. ! should
hate his models. ! know I should
Nonsense: ;hey are nc more to
Walter thar 4 piece Of furniture. They
are simply a part ~ the picture he IS
painting" But unconsciously Claire
had put her finger upon the one sore
spot In my happiness. the fly IN my
ointment loved Walter devotedly.
md trusted him-yet when I thought or
him spending hours in his studio with
snnlc lovely girl something very like
fear rripped me. only 10 be gone az
his hrst loving word. his kiss.
I had suggested We take an apart
meut large enough SO he might have
his strd!o in It. but he quickly and
decidedly vetoed the Idea.
"Why. darling. ! couldn't work! Ia
ne making love 10 you. And ] want
to maxi a big success now l have You
10 work for" SO we took an apartment
some distance from his studio, planning
.a;cr 10 buy a small house In some
! suburb, and have what he called 4
real home"
l had met Walter while visiting
! Claire Gordon, and he had followed me
10 my home near Boston and urged
Il short engagement. So scarcely :hree
months after I met him We were mar
r!cd. Father did not quite like such
haste. hut Walter won mothe--as he
did NIL women. and she sided With us,
SO that father had 70 give IN. But | re-
/ member father said:
| Have your own way, but there's ~
old Swing. Doreen. marry In haste. re-
pcnt at leisure Be careful you don't
prove It's truth
"Ton't ever worry about that. father.
Why. I'm tho happlest rtrl in the
world" was my answer. and ! was.
7 was an only child. My girlhood
had been 4 happy one. We were COM
for,ably off. I had plenty OF clothes. and
could entertain my friends. Father was
4 physician. n Country DOCTOR he
! 90 He'd himself when either mother or
I scolded him for going out In al
wca'hcrs. at all hours. t" look after
people from whom he could expect nc
fee.
WED he rich IL your patients paid
YOU | would grumble.
IT am rich In their hanks and the
knowledge that I have helped them
he would reply. They haven't any
money TO give ME. I'll have to tuck
on a few dollars 10 some OF the bills
Of those who can afford to pay II you
are limiting for n new dress"
When I was married mother gave mr.
a very nice wardrobe. father iokinG
me about how much they would saw
when they no longer had me to dress
But I caught him wiping his glasses
nf,c- he spoke. and knew he was sac
~ the thought Of losing me. But
while loved them both dearly. moth
ing could damren my JOY in becoming
Walters wife.
] was rather pleased when he to!t
ME ne had few relatives. and that the,
lived in the far vast. His father haf
passed away. and his mother lived Will
a niece. I would have him all TO my
self.
). Mother seldom comes east. she dis
likes to travel. But 7 shall tell he
she must come soon and get acquainted
with her new daughter" he told me.
Upon our arrival in New York W
went to a small hotel until we-or
rather. until walter could selcc; In
4 furniture for our apartment. He laugh
: Inrly told mo / wasn't artistic and tina
{; he'd have the "willies" II his hom
y wasn't attractiv"
Like as not Ill stay away" he SAT
lightly.