The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-08-03
The Doctrine of
Necessity
By MARTHA WILLIAMS
90 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicsts.)

! 90 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate)
Because / hate him--hate him
worse than pumpkin pie,' Marion said,
scowling at her married sister. who
stood the very moral and pattern OF
angry disapproval, eyeing the recall
citrant as though she were some mon-
ster.
Most girls, In your fix, wouldn't
throw away their chances" she said
cuttingly. mot II they were sensible
that's certain. All mighty well to
talk Of working your fingers off rather
than to marry him. Time you've tried
| Ii till you're lean and faded, and your
nerves all frazzIed, you'll wish you. too,
had been sensible"
"Never!" Marion snapped. "Not II
Joe Scott stands for sense. l can't
bear him-turn cold at sight Of him
the bare thought of touching him Is
sickening. He's got home, and
money In bank-true enough. But I'd
rather live in hollow tree than that
graveyardy place-and he's too
stingy to eat enough, except away
from home. He gorges here-and brags
about it. Told me he never ate break
fast Mondays-you'd fed him so well
he didn't need 1t. And that poor dog
Of his-I wonder the creature doesn't
run wild. He must catch rabbits now
and then, or he'd starve. And II dog
gets that treatment, what wouldn't a
woman get? Dogs can bite and run
away-women can't"
'They can run fast enough when a
ne'er-do-well whistles to 'em." Mrs.
Green said pointedly. That's the
trouble-I've seen it all along. Your
mind is so set on that tramp, Jim
Dale"
Hes no tramp!" Marion interrupted
sturdily. "All he wants Is chance
to work. Bert Green would give him
the chance-if you'd let him."
"Right-o. It's enough to have to feed
and clothe you, without throwing In a
worthless husband, and baby every
year." Mrs. Green said cuttingly. Ma
rion wheeled away from the kitchen
table at which she was making the
aoathed pumpkin pies, looked full in
her sisters face, and said between
shut teeth: $50 you have had to take
care of me? Other folks say different
Good cooks get good money-even
when they don't do the washing, the
sewing, and half the garden work. I've
kept accounts these last two years
oil N
your old clothes at half price. amounts
to no more than hundred and fifty
dollars. ! sleep In the children's room
no place Of my own for rest and
quiet-I eat, mostly what nobody else
wants-get the tag ends of everything
object Of charity"
That's what Jim Dale has been tell.
Ing YOU" Mrs. Green exploded; "He
goes packing tomorrow-youll follow
him, unless you change your tune II
you are my flesh and blood. So make
your choice. / don't say you shall
marry Joe Scott--only that l won't
stand to be sassed and blackguarded
In my own house-after all I've done
for yos."
Marion held up her hand for silence
saying duly: 1--WE made my choice
Soon as ever get things straight here
--pies baked and kitchen clean, I'll go
Just where, don't know-but a good
willing cook amt likely to starve."
Don't be fool. You know Bert
won't have you slave In anybody's
kitchen-a common hired girl" Mrs
Green temporized. Marion went or
silently with her work. When she fin
ished 1t she looked round the tidy
kitchen with a bitter smile, saying t.
her sister who had watched her mar
rowly over the stockings she was
darning, "I'm leaving pattern fol
your new cook--but you'll hardly make
her live up to It."
Mrs. Green was troubled. Was Ma
rion In earnest? 1t would be dreadful
II she left them, with company com
ing the very next day! BY the time
this was well revolved, in what die
duty for her mind, she heard the outer
door shut and saw through the side
| WlQOOW MdIlOn mdiChihb oiip hCds
high, and a battered leather bai
clutched in her left hand.
She couldn't go far with only So, thu
largesse of the whole Green family
MIghtn't even be that much-she hat
bought something for little Herby':
birthday. Mrs. Green had an impuls'
to run and drag her errant sister back
but II froze at sight Of Jim Dale, wh'
stepped eagerly to Marion's side ant
went off with her, talking hard.
j They were certainly pair Of fools
Jim had $40. the clothes he stood In
plus an extra shirt. Marion was some
thing richer than her sister thought
she had earned SO by washing for thu
boarders at the Ray place, but haff o
Il had been spent for the children
whom she loved despite the friction
with their elders. After swift swap
ping OF news and comparison of re
sources Jim said hopefully, "At leas
we can buy the license-the preacher'l
credit us. he told mo so--and be SURE
I'll make good. Once we've got eacl
other wen feel like somebody's. no
grains Of dust as we are now"
And so they were married-the min
II a -