The Washington times., 1926-03-26
Eau Knq Believes SeatCanes VII Be Great Boon to VOe
Neither Very Long
Nor Extremely
Short Ones
Are Wise
Ry beatrice Fairfax

ENGAGEMENTS to wed nave
u sometimes lasted Is years.
Other engagements have lasted
exactly the time 1t took to reach
the license bureau, obtain
license, find clergyman and get
married.
Tt stands to reason that neither
q very long nor extremely snort
engagement Is wise. For an en-
gagement to wed is a period Oh
preparation.
From six months to a year may
be needed for this love-test and
preparatory period. A longer en-
eagement. stretching into years,
too often robs : the betrothal OF
its bright expectancy, makes
waiting tiresome and places flance
and fiancee in difficult positi IN
socially.
iver' suggested Ted.
Yetive felt certain that the
dance she was to sit out Win
Ted on the terrace under the dim
light of the Chinese lanterns
would prove the very best dance
of the evening perhaps the pest
of her entire life.
For she knew a question had
been trembling on his lips. He
had wanted to ask it ever since
their first meeting. In fancy
abe had replied, Yes" a thou
sand times. Would this Oe his
chance to ask the great question!
"Snapping >tle Blues Away,
isn,t q romantic air. Yet its
strains, floating out on the Au-
gust breeze, during this particu-
lar dance. were forever Identified
nv Ted and Yetive, with their
new.found, soul-satisfying happi-
ness and love *.
It was time for Ted to 90 back
TO college before the two recov-
cred sufficiently from the intoxi-
eating stimulation Of their en-
gagement to discuss plans. Then
they realized they couldn't marry
for ages.
Ted had two more years at
college At least one additional
wear would pass before he could
get a start in business.
They undertook this long be-
trothal cheerfully.
"a
i've broken my word" he con-
fessed. ct was such q deadly
bore being left out OF everything
that / asked girls l knew to
dances and proms and football
games. And as you know,
haven't been a good correspond,
emit. .
The two had a frank. friendly
talk. They agreed to break their
engagement. but remain last
friends. Each was to feel en-
tirely free.
When Ted started in business
If he still cared, he was then
and only then-to ask Yetive TO
he his wife.
This uncertainty held eager In
terest for Ted. He wrote reg.
ularly TO Yetive. The moment
he found steady position, after
finishing his college course. he
proposed to her. Six weeks later
they were married.
They are living in a tiny, I'M
fashionable apartment. Yetive,
who is accustomed to every COM
fort and luxury, does her house
work and makes her frocks. But
the newlyweds are happy as
larks and their prospects Of sue
cess and lasting content are
golden.
A three-year engagement be-
tween these two must inevitably
have proved irksome-perhaps
heart 5breaking. For two persons
separated that length OF time
often grow away from each other
and develop utterly different
tastes and interests.
However, they waited freely,
without responsibility, as good
friends, each enjoying also tho
companionship of other young
men and women.
An engagement should not
hang fire" for long. It's best
not to become engaged until you
feel fairly certain you love and
are suited to the man who has
asked to marry you.
To become engaged when
there's no definite means Of sup.
port after marriage Is folly.
Your engagement should be the
happiest time of your life, your
realization of loves dream. And
it will be joyful and in all prob
ability Lead to the deeper content
of successful marriage II, while
you make the most Of Its happi-
ness, you also plan to have it
long enough for a practical test
of your love and not too long
for the thrill of hopeful ex-
pectancy.
If you are dragging out your
betrothal indefinitely, and you
could marry within a few weeks
by having the simplest of wed
dings, and beginning your house
keeping. together very economic
ally. why do you not do this and
enjoy your marriage while you
are young? Why not become an
Easter bride?