The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1926-09-04
The Patience OF
Patricia
BY RUBY DOUGLAS

SAAeActOu VI ILLS AOtSiJ COnPaA1Ons
Patricia Reese.
For two reasons" abe replied mys-
teriousiy.
Because. suppose even In your
bassinette you had patrician ART"
he tainted.
The girl laughed delightful rip
pie. "No-that was not one of the
reasons, true 1t might have been"
"What thenY
NY grandfather whose frst
grandchild / was-was named Pat
rick"
''YesF' the man said.
"And- was born on the seven
teenth day Of March, st. Patrick's
day In the morning" she replied. hit
1ngiy.
Reason enough-Tm satisfied. But
insist that my guess IL the best rea-
son of the three"
For which-thank you" murmured
Patricia.
This was the frivolous conversation
that had been q part of their early
acquaintance. Now, after three years
OF more than friendship Patricia was
beginning to wonder whether or not
It would have been better II their &C
Quaintance never had become more In
innate than Il was In those playful
days. She had been engaged to Tom
for two years and she was afraid
to marry him. That she loved him,
she never doubted for an instant, but
that abe would never have the pa
tience and courage and endurance to
teach him to control a temper that
had been allowed to grow wilder and
more unreasonably destructive with
each Of his formative years, she
doubted. II was the only reason she
had not married him before now. She
was fearful lest, once married, he
would cease 70 make the effort 70
overcome his violent disposition. What
the waiting amounted TO- really,
Patricia had oftsn told herself, was
q season Of probation In which they
could both learn whether or not thay
cared enough % TtDdve-and overcome
II together.
I'm paying IN awful penalty for
my temper, Pat" Tom said to her one
day In a season Of remorse altar an
unreasonable outbreak.
Patricia was silent 1t never oc-
CURED to him that she, too, might
be suffering. Perhaps she would have
liked the comfort, pleasure and secur-
ity Of q little home Of her own with
the man she loved. /.
II suppose have set myself back
further than ever nowT he asked.
Patricia looked at him with the
same level, kindly understanding ex-
preston In her eyes that she always
wore on these occasions. Sometimes
she wondered at her own patience 30
forgive him. And yet-in her hea%e~-
she knew he was not wholly 90 blame
for the hold this temper had On haEa
before he was old enough 70 thin& &pR
himself. She had known other EaMazh
bers Of his family.
mo, Tom, / really believe you have
made great progress in two yeaaR
You try-and you frequently Waoeaw4
That's improvement, isn't ttY'
He nodded, muttsrin@ Fus9uEHy,
"gome-I suppose"
IF said would mmszW YuW II
you could be good unt1-tRW6 RRy
until my birthday Would tAe& do GnS
encouragemsntr'
Patricia" the man @am6 leeplng
almost across the room % ga1Ee her
hand. TITS what nsaA-asBurancs
that you really viii naE2w me some
day-aftef aN u"
"An right then, Tom, wD win leave
1t that way. We have our lives to
live, we want to live then together
and I'm getting tired-an4 lonely. my
self-waiting and forGfvshe. Wouldn't
1t be worth while to try-for me.
dearT she asked, plaineivs note in
her voice that he had never heard
there before.
The next holiday came with its vivid
accessories and Tom and Patricia
were invited to party with a group
Of young people they had known for
years.
A cold March wind had blown up
during the day and the thermometer
was dropping fast.
There had been signs Of spring and
winter precautions had been done
away with, even to the elimination OF
antifrcexe fluid in the radiator OF
Toms little car.
When the dance was over and Tom
and Patricia came out to 20 home. the
motor would not start. 1t had chosen
this day in It's last hour to freezeI
Tom tried every vile he knew Of
to induce the car to 90, but It would
not. Even In the dim light from the
dash Patricia could see symptoms Of
his rising temper, his red face, his
narrowed eyes, his quick breathing.
his sharp movements and tone.
There was nearly a half hour Of
infinite patience on her part and
heroic effort at control on hts before
the uleans Of getting home was finally
decided upon.
At last, Patricia won and they per-
mittad themselves to be towed TO a
garage some three miles distant.
Meantime. Tom had remembered
what It would cost him 10 lose his
temDsr-and. he, too. had won the
battle.
~Ono month from tonight, thsnr
were hfa hast words TO her.
"Yes, dear, one whole, long month