The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1932-08-12

AvA walter"
That was the way they began
After a separation Of four months
Madge had written to Walter and
told him that she would be glad to
have him call that Saturday after
noon, and she had anticipated the lit
tie interview under the grape arbor
beside her fathers country house with
a tenseness that somehow seemed to
leave her, now that she actually saw
the slender young man approach her
with outstretched hands.
Il wanted to tell you, Walter
dear" she said permitting him to take
her hands gently In his as they sat
down together on the bench under the
arbor, "that I've changed my mind
entirely--about what a girl ought to
do. l didn't let you know because
wanted to be sure; and I wanted to
surprise you, T."
"But Madge DEAR" said the young
man. "you were perhaps entirely right.
I've been thinking things over my
self. I realize that conditions are not
what they were when our mothers
were young My cousin has been
spending the summer with us--Martha
Stone-I know you'd like her and I
have told her all about you. She be-
lieves as you do-that In these days
a girl has the right to choose-wheth-
er she wants to devote herself to do
nestle matters or follow some career
that she's really better suited for"
Madge looked up amazed but the
young man continued. "The fact is,
Madge-dear-that Martha somehow
put the matter so I understood it..
Martha has wonderful ideas-I know
you and she will be great friends She
herself says "that IL she ever marries
she will continue her music teach
ings."
Madge just sat and looked at Walter
and felt the gentle pressure Of his
hand on hers without bit of the
thrill that she had expected. Six
months ago when they saw each other
for the last time they had come to
serious disagreement. They were
making plans for an autumn wedding,
and Madge had declared that she
never intended to do any sort Of
housework. She had got her appoint
ment as high school teacher and she
liked the work. Walter had protest
ed-Walter who was ordinarily quite
mild of manner had actually become
| quite angry. The engagement had
not been actually broken, but Madge
had gone off to visit an aunt and they
had arranged between themselves not
even to write for six months They
would think matters over In the mean
time.
SO Madge had gone to visit her
aunt. Still wearing her engagement
ring she met nephew Of her aunt's
husband-Tom Bradford-and before
many weeks had passed she had told
Tom of her anxieties.
81 don't blame your Walter in the
least" Tom had said. "Td never want
to marry girl who wouldn't take an
interest in her own home. If a girl
didn't care enough for me to be will
ing to do that | wouldn't think she
cared enough for me to marry me-"
After that Madge registered in a
school Of domestic science and before
another week had passed she was
deeply interested in dietetics, cooking,
household administration and was
taking a course in dressmaking be-
sides
And here she was-Madge with
Walter-waiting to tell him her great
surprise-and Walter was In no mood
to listen to her.
$50 you see we really have my
cousin Martha to thank" Walter was
saying. "She showed me how absurd
1t would be for you-when you might
be earning several thousand dollars a
years even to start with-to be vast
ing your time on housework.
"She even suggested taking apart
ments-then we would both be quite
free and we could get meals out and
not bother keeping any maid. Mar
tha has wonderful ideas-you GER
tainly must meet her. Now you must
tell me what you wanted to tell me
about" said Walter.
Madge had slipped the ring from
her finger that she had worn faith
fully for six months of her absence.
1--WE been thinking things over, Wal
ter ] really do think a great deal Of
you. But l was thinking that perhaps
after all we oughtn't to be married.
We might not have disagreed the way
we did unless we were a little un-
suited"
Walter released the hand he had
been holdng-very gently, without
apparently any emotion. "Well, Of
course" he said, SIT is better to find
that out now then later. My cousin
Martha has such good ideas about
marriage. She says she thinks most
Of the divorces nowadays are due to
the fact that people don't really"
Walter went on but Madge did not
hear him. She was thinking of Tom
that evening she left her aunt's. He
had held her hand In close grasp
for a minute, then raising 1t i'm
pulsively to his lips he had kissed 1t
and let 1t drop.
"Of course / want you to marry
your Walter II he can make you hap
py," he said "But he can't possibly
love you more than | do"
II think perhaps | could make Tom
happier than could you" Madge told
Walter. "And of course there's your
cousin Martha" He was wondering