Smyrna times., 1930-07-02
The Broken-OH
Engagement
BY JANE OSBORN

n ~ NdlCN IolOA0 was AAAbCCi
w she began selling kitchen uten-
sis at Silvers & Stones after sup
per on Saturday nights. Nancy's
father was half owner of the store,
which did more business than any
three other hardware stores in the
county put together, but Nancy had
asked to do it to start with for the
sake of earning a little extra spend
ing money. At the time Malcolm
Silvers, Just through high school, had
joined his father in the business.
Nancy had not tried to hide her
admiration for the tall, fine-look-
ing son of her fathers partner
One evening after closing hours
Mr.. Stone had suggested driving
Mr.. Silvers home in his car, and
Malcolm had taken the hint and
had asked permission to drive Nancy
home in his fathers car. Nancy
and Malcolm became engaged. That
was something that seemed to have
been settled some time before Mall
colin went through with the for.
malities of a proposal, and Nancy,
who had come to take Malcolm for
granted, murmured acceptance.
Now Nancy was twenty and Nal
colin was twenty-three, and they
were driving home after a Satur-
day evening that had been espe-
cially prosperous to the business
which they would one day inherit.
"Of course, you like hardware"
Nancy taunted Malcolm. ITS your
whole life-hardware."
81 don't see why you jump to
conclusions" said Malcolm. Then,
after a pause, "As a matter of fact,
| loath it-I lOath hardware"
YOU'D say anything to avoid an
argument" said Nancy. You
haven't any idea Of the way feel
about it. Sometimes I could run
away"
Nancy paused and looked at
Malcolm, but Malcolm, to her sur
prise, had not turned to look at
her.
I'D like to cut loose myself" /"
he said at length. Il don't par
ticularly banker to lead life that
has been cut out for me, either"
Then another pause. You start
ed it. What would you do if you
did go away?"
Nancy took long breath,
stretched out her arms, and then
felt at a loss to know precisely
what to say. There are ever so
many things l might do" she said.
I'D go somewhere where I'd have
an opportunity. I'd want to be
free; really TO live, TO think. Have
you any brilliant idea for your fu-
ture-if you gave up hardware?"
81 have" said Malcolm simply.
"Well, if that's the way you
feel, we might as well call our
engagement Off"
Nancy was decidedly annoyed,
and this moment of her release
from Malcolm didn't give her the
sense of profound relief that she
had anticipated.
Its o. X. with me-" said Nal
colin. IF that's the way you feel
about it."
And so within a few days OF
each other Nancy and Malcolm told
their fathers of their broken en-
gagement, and started forth to seek
their fortunes apart from hard
ware.
Three months later Mr.. Stone an-
peared at the usual time on Sat
urday night, and with him came
| Nancy, looking a little thinner-a
little less buoyant than usual. Mr.
/ Silvers, who was measuring chicken
/ wire at the time, looked up in sur
prise.
"Nancy's back for good.' said
| Mr.. Stone gleefully. Says she's
come back to sell kitchen things
Saturdays, as usual, if we want
her"
! As soon as Mr. Silvers was al
1 liberty he went to Nancy and. lay
ing a rough hand gently on her
4 shoulder, said: I'm glad you're
back, my girl-only perhaps you'd
rather leave early. Malcolm's com
ing back on the eight-thirty from
the East. He's coming right here
to the store. He didn't make out
so well as he expected. Went VI
thinking he could beat those old
fellows in Wall Street at their OWL
game. Funny you two never ran
into each other-just by chance"
"New YOrk's too big for that,
said Nancy demurely. Besides
Wall street is miles from Fifty.
eighth street"
I Mr.. Silvers was laughing TO him
self. 80 you'll stay and meet him
1 here?" he asked. "Well. maybe
you can patch up again--you two
Though l hope you won't do it just
\ to please your father and me-"
Malcolm had come in the store
by the back way, had hung up his
hat on the accustomed peg before
! anyone knew he had entered the
store.
"Need a hand to help with the
chicken wire?" he called out to Mr.
Stone, by way of attracting atten-
tion to his presence.
Mr.. Stone turned red, rubbed his
eyes, shook hands and stammered
his welcome with something like
tears in his beaming eyes. Then
he though of Nancy, looked about
the store to see whether she had
seen Malcolm, and felt embar.
raised. Nancy stepped lightly tC
his side. "Malcolm's back" said
faf IL,