The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-01-30
NOHAPPINESS
WHERE THERE
is NO LOVE
GO by D. ]. Walsh.l


and internationally bursting In
to flame suddenly broke apart,
famed brightly, darkened, the
,rosiness rapidly fading into gray ash.
Sydney Hollis, from the depths Of his
!chair, reached for the poker and
stirred the Goals. Then he slumped
hack, his head resting In his hand.
mine years ago tonight" he unused
half aloud. He looked up at the clock
ION the mantel above him, mantel
white with dust. A tall taper in
hammered silver holder leaned tipsily
forward. mine years ago tonight at
ten o'clock we were on our way-to
this house. JOve, I'll never forget how
we put it~over on the crowd. I made
a fire of packing cases and the excel
sior that the dinner dishes were
packed in and Bea wrapped up in my
overcoat until the house was warm.
Then we made tea and sandwiches
and sat right here in this chair until
latter one o'clock. We wound the new
clock before we went upstairs to bed.
It has not run down since"
AS though in answer to his soliloquy
the clock on the mantel chimed 10.
mine years-and look at us now.
lBea home, running around with the
old crowd, having a whale Of time,
a prospective Divorce. Well, she will
make a peach Of one, I'll say that for
her. And how they will rush herl
Not only a beauty and live one, but
her dads money thrown inl They
couldn't say rushed her for that, any
way. Poor as church mouse then,
How we planned to put the wedding
over in good shape on that limited
amount and what little manager Bea
was. This house was better than she
had ever had, and how she loved that
golden oak dining room furniture we
bought"
His eyes roved to the dining room
beyond, austere and dignified in its
mahogany, blue velvet rugs and hang
ings. There was the CLINT of the glass
and silver on the long buffet. wilted
flower in the silver vase.
d, "She was kicking about this over
stuffed suite when she decided to
leave. We went seven different times
to that furniture store just to look
at it before we were married; couldn't
quite convince ourselves that it was
really ours" He threw fresh log
on the fire.
Eight years ago tonight we had our
first anniversary-thep paper wedding.
Doc and Lucy nearly wrecked the
place doing the fox trot and we all
tried to laugh, especially Bea. She
was a brick. We sang all the war
songs. Doc and had just gotten our
new uniforms and his was too big,
mine too small We were knockouts
'Bea had flags in with the flowers, and
when she looked at me she wiped
away the tears and saluted me. Doc
and / left for officers training camp
the next day.
''Funny thing should have had just
one year with Bea-and then the war
but it was happy year, the first
one. She bucked me up tremendously
while I was in camp, and just before
1 sailed in March she told me about
the baby. Smiled like little soldier.
Best soldier of the two of us.
"Seven years ago tonight-two
weeks before the armistice-I was in
the Argonne. Had been thinking of
her all day, only anniversary we were
not together until tonight. Then the
cable-I had a son. How l went aft
er the Fritzies that night" He smiled
reminiscently as he slid lower in his
chair.
"Nine, eight, seven," he repeated
slowly. "Six years ago we were up
at her folks. Her dad was Ill. And
five years ago tonight Buddie was
sick. We had planned on a dinner
dance. Bea pouted and went to bed
crying. And four years ago we had
had the big quarrel. She went home
next day.
"Three years ago she was up home
again. Thought the break had come
for sure, but she was glad to see me,
although she rubbed it in something
fierce about not having much-she had
lot at home then. Her dad begin
ming to cash in on his war profits.
Bea came back with me and 1t was
then that she kicked out the golden
oak dining room furniture and got
the mahogany.
"Two years ago tonight she went to
bed crying and said she was going
home next day.
"a year ago tonight she came back
and we went out to dinner, but we had
reached the breaking point. Her dad
had given her the new squirrel coat
and promised her the sports roadster.
knew that night that had been CIV
en- the Lawson case and could have
bought her car If she had waited,
but was madl So she chose-the
showplace Of her fathers, dollar bills
literally hanging from the chandeliers
because I wouldn't buy the Liver
more place. Well, maybe it's for the
best, but God, how I want Bea and
Bud. I'll get the papers one of these
days soon. and then 1t will be all
over" a..
His gaze Travelled over the comfort
able big living room.
"a regular homemaker, Bea, until
she got that money bug in her head.
/ wonder what she Is doing tonight,
on her ninth anniversary. Fox-trot-