Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-08-30

HoW On earth you ever married met
haven't you wondered if | really had
enough spirit to even have quarrel
with tradesman? Haven't you, John?
I've thought that about you-wondered
now on earth you managed to trans
act your business. how you ever got
the backbone even to discharge an
employee. You've never shown il at
home. I've tried to nettle you. anger
yOu-and all you did was count to a
hundred"
THAT was our bargain" He said It
somewhat grudgingly.
Just the trouble-just what hurt
me, that you'd stay by silly bargain
like that. john" she looked at him
quickly, during the time we've been
married. have you really been happy?"
"IY he paused. His lips pressed
tight for an instant. Then: IF YOU
want the frank TRUTH haven't"
/ "Why?"
Again pause. Then:
"Oh, never mind"
) But / want to know, is It for the
same reason that haven't been happy
because everything has been lust
the same, just the regular monotony
OF sugar, sugar, sugar all the time and
never bit of bitter-sweet? Is that
the reason, John? And l have been
unhappy, John. I've known every min
ute what you were going to do. I
knew the minute you were going to
leave home, the minute you would tel.
ephone me. the minute you'd get here
at night, and what you'd talk about
at the dinner table. / knew to q dot
what you'd do and say and how you'd
act. And, John-a woman may saw
she wants that, but she doesn't. She
wants A husband who'll be good to
her most Of the time, but who now and
then-well, who won't. We can't be
superhuman, John. 1t isn't in u.s.
You've been on time to dinner for ten
years. | haven't even had the excite
ment of scolding you for being late.
/ Then, as if with an inspiration,
she looked at him-".lohn, did you ever
notice how an electrical storm
clears the air? And how sultry it has
/, been beforehand? We've never even had
the chance to Know how beautiful
things can be after the clouds have
gone. We've had nothing but sun.
shine-until it's blinded us and we
haven't been able to see anything!"
Then she halted-suddenly beamirg.
A light of understanding had come In.
TO the eyes of John Darlington. The
tired expression faded. to give way to
one which Medaine had not seen in
years. Slowly his arms raised and
clasped about the form of his wife. He
kissed her-slowly, as one who tastes
long at sweet he is loath to leave.
Ten years seemed to have rolled
away, ten drab uneventful years which
now bore no more importance in retro.
spect than the fiatness of monotOhous
plains. soft hand touched his TEN.
pie and fingered there.
We've just been driftwood, John"
He nodded and kissed her again
Then, like streak. he turned from her
and bounded up the stairs. Wonder
ing, she heard him fumbling about in
an upper room, banging at drawers
and uttering strange things under his
breath. A grunt. Another. Louder
Then:
"Medaine," came in believing tones,
yet ones which seemed strangely
fraught with happiness, where in
thunder are my pongee shirts?"
In the room below. Medaine smiled
the smile of woman who has
fought and won. She whirled toward
the stairs and called snappily, yet with
a CLINT of merriment in her eyes.
Right where they've always been"
came her explosive announcement,
fright in the third drawer of the chiff
robe, if you'll only take the time to
look for them!''
Five minutes later a caller stepped
on the veranda of the Darlington
home. 1t was inevitable that he should
glance through the window, to see
within the living room two persons sit,
ting before a driftwood blaze, hands
together, arms about each others
shoulders. two radiant sweethearts
watching the Pickering of the flames.
The caller sighed in envy.
They've got the system" he an,
nounced to himself as he rang the
bell. "Happiest daned couple In
town."