The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-10-06

gant box from the florists shop, now battered and its contents a scattered heap, lay on the floor. Norma stopped to pick up the roses. She carried them to the kitchen. There was no vase and no other receptacle in the apartment tall enough to hold these stately stems.
 Mark saw her arranging the flowers. Why don't you toss 'em out like I wanted to?" he asked. "You certainly don't want the things around here!"
 "Why not?"
 "Why not? My Lord, you ask me why not?' when you practically threw a fit the minute you saw them. Why not? Say-I guess it's a good laugh at that! Why should you want anything to remind you of the day you married me? l guess you'd like to forget it., wouldn't you?"
 You know it isn't that Mark! You know it didn't have anything to do with the anniversary. It's because we've got to find some way to get the rent paid"
 Sure! Go ahead and tell me just what kind of poor sap am! Can't even earn enough to keep a roof over your head, can I? Eight hours a day walking around in that crazy house telling fat old women where to buy undershirts! And what do I get for it. Thirty five bucks a week. That's the kind of a dub you married, Mrs Ira vers! You'd be better off if you'd never seen me, wouldn't you?''
 Normas anger was bristling dan gerously.
 At least earned my own liv- ing!" she retorted. T paid my debts and I didn't have to borrow from anyone either. You talk as though you're sorry you married mel"
 q don't hear you doing any cheering about the matter!"
 "Oh, oh!" Norma's little fists pounded the arm of the tapestry chair. Suddenly her temper flared white hot. "Why didn't you say you wanted to be rid of me? You don't have to work in a depart ment store because of me, Mark Travers! Is that what you mean that it's my fault you aren't living over on Park Heights with all your rich friends, dancing and drinking and carrying on nights at wild par ties? Wasting more money than you can ever earn? We'll. you can go back to them if you want to, and the sooner the better! I don't need you. I was earning as much as you are when quit working! I can do it again, too. You can go this minute.
 They stared at each other. Noth- ing like this had ever happened before. Cold, icy fury in the mans controlled silence. Blazing anger in the girls eyes. For long moment there was stiffness.
 "Are you asking me to get out ?" Mark said slowly.
 "No, I'm not asking you to get out. I'm going myself. I'm going where you'll never see me again and you can forget you made the terrible mistake of marrying be- heath your social class. You'll for get quickly enough. I guess. That Natalie girl, the rest of them they'll see to that. But before leave there are few things I want to say to you!"
 .'Take your time. I'm listening!"
 "Yes. and I'm going to tell you what I've wanted to say for weeks but couldn't because I knew you'd sulk like a spoiled child. It's two months we've been married and do you know in that time we've spent nearly $2.000? There was the $1,- 400 you had when we started to Blue Springs and the $500 you bor. rowed to come back. Two thousand dollars wasted in two months and what have we to show for t Nothing! I was beginning to have hopes for you. Mark. I was beein- ming to think when you got the job at Blossomdale's that at last you'd learned to settle down. take your medicine and amount to something. You seemed to be the man I thought I'd married-but 1t was all a mistake! A mistake for you. I guess. as well as for mel"
 "It's pleasant to hear at last what you really think of me-" Mark interrupted. "All this talk about being brave' and things will be better'i That was baloney. wasn't it.? Anybody but a fat-head like myself would have known 1t. It's nice to find you can be frank when you want to be. We'll. we've both had our little lesson-!"
 The girl started at him. Some- thing sharp and checking caught In her throat. He really meant it!