The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1927-01-01
The Hand-Picked
Husband
By SUSAN GIBBS

is not recognized until IL DuISlS III"
bloom.
So, when Ned Christie told Helen
Gage that she was made for him she
did not believe it.
How do you know" she asked,
saucily.
HAS your mother never told you
about our earliest days-yours and
mine, dear?' he asked.
Helen shook the head that would
have been a riot of curls If she had
permitted them to grow long enough.
Ned was thoughtful for a moment.
He was wondering why Helen's moth
er had withheld the wonderful story
from her daughter.
"Well-is II such a deep-dyed Sc
cret that ne one can tell meT' asked
Helen, still frivolously. She was very
happy, very much in love and nothing
else mattered
Moo. It's iust-beautiful," said
her serious lover.
"As beautiful as our romanceW
asked Helen.
1T IS our romance" he told her.
Helen cuddled up under the shelter
of his big arm as they sat together
in the big chintZ-covered swing.
"Then-tell me, please, Ned-die," she
implOred.
Ned stroked her fair, shingled head.
He did not tell her, but he looked for
ward TO the day when Dame Fashion
would permit the golden curls to
grow again.
"Well?" urged the girl at his side.
He laughed. 1T seems funny-my
telling you this
II don't want To know tiff it's
funny | don't feel like listening to
anything humorous" she pOuted.
You said it was romance"
1T is-the most beautiful romance
in the whole world" he said. solemn
ly. You were a tiny girl-a wee
baby in arms and-yOur mother had
wanted you to be boy"
Helen sat up and was about to pro
test when he SOOthed her into acquieS-
rence again.
MY mother had been diSappOnt-
ed because | was mere boy when
she had always wanted daughter,
Our mothers had been friends since
college days. They had cOntided in
each other and when each one was
frustrated in her wish for a child of
another seX-they still cOnfided. I
don't know just how it all came
about, dear, but little by little You
and l were exchanged | would 20 to
your mother for week. You would
come TO mine and so both mothers
learned to love us almost equally.
it was good for us both, as | see ii
now. You remember when we went
to the village school how you used
to visit at our house when l was at
yOurs?"
'Yes-and the fun | used to have
with all your things" added Helen.
"Then we went away to college and
well, you know we seemed to grow
apart. Your mother, for the first
time appreciated the value Of a love
ly daughter"
81 bow" interrupted Helen. in mock
humbleness
"And my blessed mother began to
be proud Of a big son. There was
certain, well-contrOlled jealousy in
her attitude when | used to want to
go to your house so much during va
cation, and | noticed that when you
came to visit us, your mother came
along. 1t was amusing-then."
But what happened after mother
took me to Europe? Did they quarrel
or what?" asked Helen, serious
now.
"Yes-I never knew exactly how it
came about but my mother must have
said something about your belonging
to her eventually, after all. Meaning
Of course, that you'd marry me"
'The idea" began Helen with as
perity.
"Wait a minute, dear" consoled
Ned 1T has all come out right.
hasn't it?''
Helen had moved away and was
wearing a disturbed expression. IF
I'd known that-that-that my own
darling mother didn't want me to mar
~ you l never would have promised.
l was just going against her"
Ned was several minutes trying to
tell her to wait until he could explain.
Before you came back from
abroad, your mother and mine hal
written many letters that cleared the
situation for them and they fell into
each others arms when you returned.
Each one declared that we-yOu and
I-were made for each other and that
a kindly and wise Providence had ar
ranged it all-that we had been
brought up with the same background,
received the same sort of education
and been given the same vision from
home. They decided that they were
selfish to have quarreled and-well,
that each of them had gained, at last.
her hearts desire. Your mother was
to have her son and mine was to have
a daughter. l don't mind saying that
| think my mother is getting the best
of the bargain, dear"
81 can't subscribe to that, but !
do think mother might have told me
all about it,
81 believe she was afraid, deep
down in her heart. Helen, that if you
believed she had picked out a hus-
band for you while you were still in