The Coolidge examiner., 1933-09-22
YOUTH
UNDERSTANDS
g
By Jay Burns
By Jay Burns
g. BY Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNC Service

in the long garden chair under
the trees on the beach country club
lawn.
Mary was unaware Of their gaze.
That was a swell game Of ten
mis-, Tony she said, yawning and
stretching as she dropped her
racquet to the ground beside her.
"Whatu we do now? How about
a swimt"
by chance are you speaking to
me?'
Tony's resonant voice held hint
Of amusement.
My dear girl, I'm finished for the
day. such tennis as yours is as
much exercise as l need in twenty
four hours. 4 book, a long cold
drink and a comfortable chair in the
shade-and that's all ask of life"
Mary laughed joyously, showing
spaysl.ug white teeth. and little
crinklc Of wrinkles about her round
gray eyes.
TONY darling" she said, "did
kill you? I'm sorry. But you'll be
AT the dance tonightF
IF | can dance mostly with you
and stop early. Remember, I've
got 10 20 back TO town tomorrow on
the seven-ffty-s
Tony Lawton was forty-fve; Mary
was twenty. His deep brown eyes,
a trifie grave as they watched the
lovely girl before him. lighted with
Il smile as she laughed at him.
Here, give me a hand
She pulled herself - with his
help-up from her low chair with
light spring.
Come on, Bob, Let's have
swim"
Bob Eldridge's blue eyes lighted
to their normal color from the SOM
ber darkness that had veiled them
as he listened to the banter between
the other two.
Good" he said. I'm your man
for a swim. Those doubles just
warmed me up for the day"
lie grinned at Tony quite with
out malice. But Tony's eyes became
grave again.
And as for tonight-Tll be ready
to dance till morning. But say. Law
ton, why don't you get into your
swimming suit and come along? Just
sun yourself. old man,if you're too
tired for n swim. It's a swell day."
Tony considered. Then he jumped
briSkly To his feet
"All right" he said.
And the three started across the
grass toward the clubhouse that
stood out white against the blue sea
beyond.
Tony was forty-fve; Bob was
twenty-five.
Both men were in love with Mary
and at the moment Mary was In
love only with life-a gay and happy
and safe life, as she found II at
Bradley's beach.
Untll Bob's coming. Tony had
loved life at Bradley's as much as
Mary had.
He had been spending a three
weeks vacation there at the ho-
tel-spending ii there because he
had met Mary, fallen head over
heels in love with her, and followed
her TO her summer home.
He had found 1t hard to bridge
the gap in their ages in the city
where they both lived a rather
prominent life. socially.
His work as an important lawyer
was engrossing.
He was just old enough to find the
busy, modern young whirl a little
battling.
But here at Bradleys it hadn't
been so hard.
Tony was good looking, always fit
physically. Motoring. walking, swim
ming, tennis. dancing-all. he real
ized now. In moderation-had given
him and Mary n common meeting
ground where both were at home.
And she had seemed as unconscious
of the twenty-five years that sepa-
rated them as he was.
He had said nothing to Mary of
his feeling for her.
He had planned 10 ask her to
marry him just before he went
back to town, and then, whether she
accepted or refused him, he would
have the unspoiled memory Of their
happy holiday together.
But five days before time for
Tony's vacation to end Bob had ap-
peared at Bradley's.
He was, 1t seemed, a childhood
friend Of Mary's, and their cottages
adioined.
This alone gave Bob an advan-
tage-Tony was staying at the hotel
and he and Mary had a common
background of only a few months !;
Bob lived next door to Mary and
the two had known each other for
ever.
Now, after an hour on the tennis
courts-there had been another girl,
Bob's partner, but she had faded
from the picture to keep another
date.