Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-17
MY WIFE AND |
BY CAROLYN BEECHER


What has gone before-Robert Bruce
young lawyer, falls victim to the charms
Of Natalie and marres her Immediately,
without knowing much about her or her
family Within two weeks they begin
housekeeping in a New York apartment
Now go on with the story.
CHAPTER III
n me had been whirlwind woong, A
! M hasty marriage. met Natalie while
on a business trip to small midwest
| ern city had been at attracted to her.
| Quickly the feeling had ripened into love, the
desire to possess the beautiful girl whom Cos
, sip said was about to marry one of the young
men of her acquaintance. If anything had
been needed to egg on this would have done
it. This idea of another possessing her!
| The thought of losing her was unbearable
! Always | had acted imLusively. To leave
the ground clear for my unknown rival was
! not TO be considered My business was fin
| ished yet | fingered. Then while motoring
| in the moonlight I proposed, accepted
eve must be married at once" | declared.
ut is imperative that l go home-I shall not
| go without YOU rsrf
She objected. She could not be married in
such hasty fashion. Her rousseau, etc But
! l oVerruled her objections those Of her par.
! ents, and three weeks after j first met her
Natalie and | quietly married. hsa
| written Uncle Robert. He received the letter,
| the day of our wedding and had sent me a.
| wire wishing me happiness
J what do you know of your wife's family?"
! Uncle Robert asked the day | returned to the
office.
Not much hadn't time to get acquainted
J win them | laughed. But | didn't marry
the family"
There's where you made a mistake. Bruce.
| When he
famly-if she has one They are a part OF
! her and will continue to be part-not only
of her life but of his"
I'm willing to take the risk They are I
imagine, just like thousands of other families,
neither better nor worse" In fact 7 scarcely,
knew even Natale's parents. sr.
III say no more, Bruce" He laid his hand
atfectionately on my shoulder. my greatest
wish is to see you happy
Il am, I shall be, Uncle Robert" replied.
Wait until you see Natalie You'll love her
| am sure"
Il shall try to-" his face a little sad, then
! flashing the old loving smile | knew so we'll.
"You won't have to try, 1 declared with
| all a lovers enthusiasm
What family has she? l must know some
! thing of my new niece fA
Father mother and two brothers. one mar.
red and living in Jersey. host of uncles.
| aunts and cousins so she tells me- She ia
PS.A
Yes, we are few, Bruce, really only the
two Of us. Yet we have managed very we'll.
my boy
III tell the world we have!" I renlied
heartily. II for one never have missed them ~
Thank God | have been able to make
you happy
"And, uncle, my marrying will make no
4 difference with us"-I had sensed his fear
| except that l shall have home of my own
to welcome you to-"
II shall be content to be second now A
mans first duty is to the woman he makes
his wife,
Duty had always come first with him. And
in his attitude toward his wife, my aunt, he
had been exemplary. She had been confined
in santarum for years hopeessly insane
Yet never had he wa~ered in his feaky to
her, nothing ever interrupted his visits. L
knew that secretly he grieved over her, yet
never had he allowed that grief to shadow
our intercourse, my life But the knowledge
or 1T had often acted as a check to my i'm
pulslYe nature often prevented me from do
ing things that might worry or hurt him, al
though he had a profound understanding OF
/ young mans needs, wide sympathy for
ms faults, even as he had had for the young
lads.
He had been father and mother to me
since my fourth year and never had his love,
his patience, his sympathy failed me.
knew he loved me as if | were his own son !:
that my impulsive marriage had wounded
feared, saying nothing of himself his disap-
pointment.
I repeated some of his conversation to-
Natalie.
"Of course your first duty is to me-" sha
said. I'D like to see any old man come
first"
"You don't understand, Natalie" I was
bit shocked at her reply. II have been like
son to Uncle Robert and it wasn't treating
him quite fair to marry without his approval
at least his Knowledge a
IF you care more about, him Trad
Don't, Natalie! And do try and love
| Uncle Robert. I promise you it won't be
hard"
He's rich, isn't he?"
"Fairly. Why"
| "Oh, nothing. That's lovely old house
he lives in. L suppose it will be yours some
day"
Il hope that day will be long in coming"
| She shrugged. / saw she hadn't yet UNI
derStoOd my feeling toward Uncle Robert.
But after she met him. knew him, she would.
| Continued Saturday. This latest story by
Miss Becchcr will delight those who read her
previous novels, "A Woman Obsessed" and
Her Money"