Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19


i" were inclined to agree that Of the
two Marion had the better mind,
LueIa had simply used hers 70
better advantage
AS q matter of fact, compared with the cru
dition of her twin, Marion was soreiy lacking
Life had turned out that way for her. In the
beoinping the two sisters, hand in hand, meek
tn neck so to speak, had begun what was 10 pe
their four years course at the State unlVer-
sitv for which they had both qualiaed, with
OF the two, it is probably true that during
the ffrst year Marion's college standing was
a neg ahead of her sisters. Not that u was
scarcelv worth recording Marion would have
been the last to encourage that. For all prae-
tical purposes, the two sisters ranked about on
a level super intelligent girls, carrying ON ef1e
fine intellectual traditions OF their father whose
geographical text books were in use throughout
the country
TT was at the beginning of her sophomore year
that Marion, suddenly and like bolt out OF
the blue threw over her academic career with
out so much as an ounce Of apparent compunc-
ton and returned one evening to the mooesS
nat she shared with her sister, married to
young automobile salesman she had met az
charity function.
From the nrst, the incongruity of this mar
rage seemed apparent to every one but the
young pair most concerned Pale, thoughtful,
studios and even precious, Marion Studdiford
married to the rudy young man, Tom Ford,
whose shoes were so glossy, whose hair was 50
glossy, whose linen shone with even separate
splendor and whose use OF English In man
with whom she was not In love would have
caused the erstwhiIe Marion Studdifords ears
to shudder.
It was a matter, however of fun three
years before the wells OF Illusion began To tear
themselves from the eyes Of Marion and she
began to awaken gradually, terrifyingiy. to the
strange truth that In marriage this vigorous.
boyish, refreshing young man Of her ideals had
become no more than the too corpuient, slightly
vulgar, blatant young salesman whose horizon
was bounded by rubber tires.
It was not the kind Of realization that came
over night Slowly. like reluctant tide. it
crept upon her, washing misery into her soul,
drenching her waking and even her sleeping
hours I'm tumble Of regrets. Regrets for what
might have been. Regrets for freedom that
was gone. Regrets for the bfrthrfght which she
had forfeited SO blindly, and into which Lnella
had meanwhile come In full prime.
Not that she would have exchanged with
Luella. After ALL 10 be dean of women In
large college, portentous as it might seem, was
scarcely the destiny that even LueIla, at 50,
must have planned for herself.
Marion wanted more than that. And yet,
had H been in her power to choose, over and
over again she would have selected for herself
that destiny that was EuelIa's rather than her
as the stagnating wife Of her ruddy
vulgarian
At least to Luella'S life there was dignity
of achievement and congeniahty OF environ
ment
IRON her own kind, almost over night, 81 it
were, Marion after her marriages became
outcast. The friends who had known her. uni
versity colleagues, the members Of her social
group simply did mot speak Toms fdiom
Fooll Fo0lf Nature had trapped Marion.
At % the entire course Of her life had shifted
away from the fine, true course Of her sisters.
At 80 EmelIa, all ON her own, mind you, and
with . mind no better than MariOns, had
achieved position.
Not, az. she told herself again and again, that
she would yearn for the rather frigid dignity
that went with Luella's position as dean Of
women, but, Just the same, life could be no
more barren for Luella, unmarried, than ii was
for Marion, married TO Tom.
On the contrary for the freedom that was
Luella's ft seemed to Marion that she would be
willing to sacrifice actual years Of her life. And
the horrible part Of it was Toms innocence Of
all this dtsmay. He was like small boy, con-
tent with his wife, content with his piaytoyS Of
automobtie and expensive radio. Life was good
Marion was good automobile tires, were kacrae.
tive. All was well In bis wogid.saa sts-g "a
He ipedsCutFight whils %eRp9z atlpe 70,