Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-19
CHAPTER VIII.
Marriage.

Marriage to Nan was a continuous
delight.
She and Tom had talked over the
business of her ..nuing to pose.
and she had won the argument.
after all, what difference does it
make? 1t brings in money, and that's
to important thing. Just as soon as
you're on your feet, I'll dispense with
it, In the meantime, why worry"
Nan had given up her little apart
ment and Tom had given up his stu
dio. Neither was practical for two
people. After combing the downtown
district from east to west and north
to south, Nan finally discovered
Place she thought would do.
1t was on East Seventeenth street.
and they decided on it because 1t had
charm. 1t was quite reasonable, TOO.
Only s55 q month. but aside from the
fireplaceS there was no heat.
AS it happened, Nan was not much
more practical than Tom. She forgot
all about the heat when she saw the
spaciousness of the studio with its
big north light. There was the bed
room off the studio, too, and then the
would sleep, and a sort Of a kitchen
cite and bath. The place was in pref
ty bad shape and they decided to
paint it themselves.
They toiled over 1t for days before
they moved in. They painted the
woodwork white. and the floors they
shellacked, Using a stain with the var
nish. The bathroom was a work of
art when they finished.
The walls were white. but they had
painted the bottom Of the bathtub
green. On this Tom had painted a
series of goldfishes joyously dipping
and diving, and on the wall large
solemn frog.
Spring was near, so that the lack
of heat didn't bother them much. Be.
sides they were too excited. and too
much in love to mind anything.
Sometimes Tom would stop his
work just to stare at Nan. In an
orange smock, crouched on the floor.
and with. that sweep Of dark hair
combed back from that incredible
forehead of hers, she was so dazzling
l. lovely that 1t Woul make him want
to catch his breath.
Was she really his wife? Had he ac-
tually held her in his arms? Some
times he woke in the night to hear her
quiet breathing beside him, and lay
awake for an hour or more just pom.
dering about it. Did neople often love
as they loved? With such unselfsh.
ness, such understanding? Surely not,
Nan loved to paint, but she did it
very badly. She liked to splash, and
her brush strokes We're never smooth
as were Toms. Still, she did her
share in the refurnishing Of the apart.
ment and she stuck to it whethlr she
was tired or not. OF course, it meant
SUSPENDED work for both of them. But
what did they care? They were in
love. 1t was all that mattered.
When it was all finished the place
was quite commendable. 1t had the
advantage of high ceilings, and their
few pieces of furniture looked very
we'll. OF course for the present, as
Nan told herself, they were using
makeshifts When they could afford
to buy she could make the place ador-
able.
The first night they were actually
ensconced, with everything in place.
Tom built fire in the CRATES of both
rooms. It was chilly night in
March Tom had bought a bottle of
Chiauti He felt they ought to toast
each other in wine-just for good
luck.
They sat before the fire which had
sunk into a deep bed of red Goals and
toasted each other. Tomorrow Tom
was going to resume work, and so was
Nan. The telephone had just been
connected, and she was going to call
up lot of people. They could man.